September 13, 2012
Population 1900 and 2011
Sometimes it’s really true that the more things change, the more they stay the same.
Here’s an item from the Bottineau Courant in 1900, reporting the astounding growth in population between 1890 and 1900, when the county’s population more than doubled.
What’s even more astounding is that in 1900 Bottineau County had more residents than Burleigh County — home of Bismarck, the state capital. (North Dakota gained statehood in 1889.) Even back then, Grand Forks County and Cass County, where Fargo is located, were the “big cities” of North Dakota.
A check of U.S. census data shows that Bottineau County had 9,239 residents in 1980. And in 2011?
The county had fallen below the number set in 1900. Wow. At last count, Bottineau County had 6,443 residents.
But this could tick up, and probably has already with the oil activity in the area.
So, when the “stone” Stone Bank was under construction, the local area was booming. Bottineau County Bank was founded in 1887, and what we now call the Stone Bank was built in 1900. So, it’s a boom town bank!
It’s all rather interesting, isn’t? What are your thoughts? Leave a comment or your own history lesson. We love to hear from our readers.
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