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1897 Map of Fargo

Name: 1897 Topographic Map of Fargo
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1914
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1914

About this map

The Red River and its winding tributaries define the landscape of the Red River Valley in this survey from the 1890s. The border between North Dakota and Minnesota is traced by the river's path, connecting the burgeoning hubs of Fargo and Moorhead. This era represents a peak in rail development, with the Great Northern and Northern Pacific railroads intersecting at several points, including the Main Line junction at Glyndon.

Away from the central river valley, the map details the grid-like organization of rural townships like Spring Prairie and Elmwood. Small agricultural stops and stations such as Kurtz (Elmer Sta.) and Hickson appear along the rail corridors, serving a flat, expansive prairie terrain. Local water systems including Whiskey Creek and Deerhorn Creek flow into the larger Buffalo River system, illustrating the natural drainage patterns that shaped early settlement and farming in the region.