Loading map...

1897 Map of Casselton

Name: 1897 Topographic Map of Casselton
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1897
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1897

About this map

The Northern Pacific R. R. and Great Northern R. R. intersect in the late nineteenth century to form the backbone of this prairie landscape. Casselton emerges as a significant rail hub, serving as the focal point for the surrounding wheat country. The survey illustrates a highly organized grid of townships, including Wheatland, Everest, and Davenport, each punctuated by small settlements and post offices like Chaffee P.O. and Rita.

Waterways like the winding Maple River and the southern Sheyenne River provide the only breaks in the strictly geometric agricultural platting. These river valleys harbor smaller, more isolated sites such as Owego and Barrie. The density of named rail stops—from Durbin and Addison to Coburn—reveals an era where the steam engine dictated the location of every grain elevator and community center across Cass County.