North Dakota history could fill up thousands of pages in books. Each small town and big city has a story and luckily for us, many still have sites and historic artifacts that preserve their tales. Many of North Dakota’s towns were founded when the railroad came through the state heading west, but this particular small town has a bit of a different story – almost a legend. The interesting part of this town isn’t just its story, either, but the history you can still explore there today.
This place is a must visit, and here’s why:
Hillsboro, North Dakota is a small town of about 1,600 residents along the eastern border of the state. It was founded in 1880 and settled a decade prior - but under a completely different name.
Andrew Filer/Flickr
Originally called Comstock, Hillsboro’s story will tell you how it came by its new name, and it is quite the tale. When the Great Northern Railway was coming through, a nearby town turned away a man for looking a little rough around the edges. That man went to then Comstock and found hospitality there.
Andrew Filer/Flickr
That man was the famous railroad baron, James J. Hill. Due to the residents’ kindness, he decided to move the railway’s route through Hillsboro instead of the other town. The residents changed the name in his honor and they even went as far as taking the county seat title away from the other town and giving it to Hillsboro, which it still is today.
Andrew Filer/Flickr
Through all of this history, Hillsboro has gained the official motto of “hospitality, a coffee cup away.” Today, it still holds true to that saying.
Andrew Filer/Flickr
After all of that, Hillsboro has become a place simply full to the brim with history. Historic buildings such as this old bank building are still used today.
Jimmy Emerson/Flickr
Other spots you can visit to see the century-old roots of this town are places like the Traill Theatre, pictured below. There is also a Pioneer Museum with multiple buildings of historic importance, including an original log cabin built in the 1870s.
Andrew Filer/Wikimedia
The Plummer House is another awesome spot to check out. It was built in 1897 and today has been restored and converted into a museum with all of its original grandness. Hillsboro is just a historic hub!
Plummer House/Facebook
If you haven’t visited Hillsboro yet, then add it to your North Dakota bucket list. It doesn’t matter if you love history or not, the entire town is just delightful to see. It is located right between Grand Forks, ND and Fargo, ND. For more information, check out their website (which also follows their “a cup of coffee away” motto).
Andrew Filer/Flickr
Jimmy Emerson/Flickr
Andrew Filer/Wikimedia
Plummer House/Facebook
There are even more towns in the Peace Garden State that have stories to tell and places to see, such as these 5 historic towns. Why not give them a visit?
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