Dakota Territoryc. 1886, showingBurlington, at the time the county seat, and Minot, which was a smaller, unincorporated village.
Minot came into existence in 1886, after theGreat Northern Railway laid track through the area. A tent town sprang up overnight, as if by "magic", giving Minot its first nickname, the Magic City; in the next five months, the population increased to over 5,000, further bolstering the nickname.[9]: 39 [10]: 129 The town site was chosen by the railroad to be placed on the land of homesteaderErik Ramstad, who was convinced to relinquish his claim and became one of the city leaders. The town was named afterHenry Minot, a Great Northern investor,ornithologist, and friend of Hill. ItsArikara name isniwaharít sahaáhkat,[11] and itsHidatsa name ismaagada'ashish ("PlumCoulee").[12]
The city was incorporated on July 16, 1887. TheMinneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railroad (Soo Line) later built a line fromValley City to Canada. While initially their plan was to cross theSouris River atBurlington, local interests and arguments convinced them otherwise; landholders along the new route donated the right-of-way, and the Soo Line reached Minot in 1893.
In 1898, a tornado destroyed the timber Gassman Coulee Bridge near Minot.[13] A passenger train, just three minutes away from crossing the bridge when it collapsed, was able to stop just in time to avoid disaster.[13] Until a new trestle, this time made of steel, was built in 1899, the railroad ferried passengers across the coulee using wagons and buggies that transported them to another train parked on the other side of the coulee.[13]
On July 22, 1920, atornado passed over Minot and bore down in acoulee three miles (5 km) southeast of town.[14] The tornado picked up Andy Botz's home and hurled it to the ground, killing his wife, breaking Botz's shoulder, and slightly injuring the two Botz children who were in the house.[14]
Minot and its surrounding area were wide open from 1905 to 1920. The population grew rapidly due to railroad construction and availability of unclaimed land. Nearly complete court records of Ward County and Minot document the prevalence and different types of criminal activity, and offer strong support for the epithet "crime capitol of North Dakota". State attorney generalWilliam Langer helped clean up the town in 1917–1920, but by the timeProhibition arrived in the 1920s, Minot had become a center of illegal activities associated with theHigh Third district, exacerbated because the city was a supply hub ofAl Capone's liquor smuggling operations. The hotbed of alcoholbootlegging, prostitution, andopium dens that sprang up in thedowntown area soon led people to nickname Minot "Little Chicago". Smugglers used a network of tunnels (some previously built for heating or deliveries) to transport and conceal illicit cargo entering from Canada.[15]
The 1950s saw a large influx offederal funding into the region, with the construction ofMinot Air Force Base (1956–1957) thirteen miles (21 km) north of the city, andGarrison Dam (1947–1953) on theMissouri River, about fifty miles (80 km) south. In 1969, a severe flood on theSouris River devastated Minot in April.[16] Afterward, theArmy Corps of Engineers straightened the river's path through the city and built several flood control structures.
The Old Soo Depot Transportation Museum is housed in the historicSoo Line Depot (built 1912) in downtown Minot.
On January 18, 2002, asevere train derailment west of the city sent a gigantic cloud ofanhydrous ammonia toward Minot andBurlington. One man died and many of Minot's citizens were sickened and severely injured by the gas, causing one of the worst major chemical accidents of the country.[17] In early 2006, court cases were heard inMinneapolis,Minnesota, againstCanadian Pacific Railway, the owner of the derailed train. The anhydrous ammonia spill was the largest such spill in U.S. history.Eric Klinenberg used the incident in his bookFighting for Air: The Battle to Control America's Media as an example of the failure of mass media, specifically local radio stations, to disseminate information in an emergency.[18]: 1–14
2011 Souris River flood in Minot
The2011 Souris River flood caused extensive damage throughout the Souris River Valley. On June 21, 2011,KXMC-TV reported that a flood of historic proportions was imminent in the valley, largely due to large dam releases upstream. Around 12,000 people were evacuated. On June 26, flooding exceeded previous records when the river crested at 1,561.7 feet (476.0 m) abovesea level, three feet (0.9 m) above the previous record set in 1881. It is estimated that 20% of Minot sustained damage from the flood; this figure includes over 4,100 homes that were in some way affected, 2,376 extensively damaged, and 805 damaged beyond repair. Burlington was also severely damaged during this time.[19][20]
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the city has an area of 27.734 square miles (71.83 km2), of which 27.701 square miles (71.75 km2) is land and 0.033 square miles (0.09 km2) is water.[2]
Minot is commonly divided into three major sections:North Hill, the Mouse River Valley andSouth Hill. North Hill is the area roughly north of Eleventh Avenue North and Northwest Avenue. South Hill is a broad area south and west of Valley Street and Fifth Avenue South. West of Sixth Street West, South Hill dips sharply to the southwest. South Hill's limits are less clearly defined than North Hill's. Though the neighborhood levels out past 16th Street South, the name South Hill is generally applied to all areas south up to the city limits. Neighborhoods in the Mouse River Valley includeBel Air,Downtown,Eastwood Park,Oak Park andWest Minot.
Minot is on theDrift Prairie of northwestern North Dakota, about 110 miles (180 km) north ofBismarck. TheMouse River, or Souris River, runs through the city west to east.
Minot is almost entirely land; the Mouse River, its oxbow lakes, and a few creeks take up just 0.14% of the city's area.
The elevation of the river at the city center is 1,540 feet (470 m)above sea level.[21][failed verification] The valley sits 160 feet (49 m) below the surrounding plains; the elevation at theMinot International Airport on North Hill is 1,716 feet (523 m). The city has several small horseshoe-shaped oxbow lakes within its limits near the river, created by the Mouse's meandering course.
The city is laid out on a grid-based street system. Streets run north–south and avenues run east–west. Streets are numbered by their block distance east or west of Main Street. Avenues are numbered north and south of Central Avenue. There are four city quadrants (NW, SW, SE, NE) to designate the location of any address. Main Street addresses are designated North and South. Central Avenue addresses are designated East and West. The grid system carries over into the rural areas ofWard County, making the county one of only three that do not follow the statewide grid system (the others areBurleigh County andGrand Forks County).
TheMouse River divides the city approximately in half, north and south. The valley rises to the plains both north and south of the river. Although there are names for certain features of these hills, such as Anthony Hill on South Hill, there are no general names for these topographical features. The northern rise and the plateau north of it are called North Hill and the southern rise and plateau south of it are called South Hill.[22]
Minot experiences awarm-summer humid continental climate (Köppen:Dfb). LikeCentral Asia, it exhibits great temperature variation.[23] Summers range from warm to moderately hot, with frequentthunderstorm activity. Winters are typically bitterly cold and snowy, with high winds and below-freezing temperatures for weeks at a time. Lows below 0 °F (−18 °C) occur on about 39 days during the winter, while temperatures reach 90 °F (32 °C) on 14 days per summer, and in some years reach 100 °F (38 °C).[24] The average annual snowfall total is 42.5 inches (108 cm).[25]
Climate data for Minot, North Dakota (southern suburb), 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1905–present[26]
As of the 2022American Community Survey, there are 21,161 estimated households in Minot with an average of 2.21 persons per household. The city has a median household income of $75,545. Approximately 11.3% of the city's population lives at or below thepoverty line. Minot has an estimated 66.6% employment rate, with 30.0% of the population holding a bachelor's degree or higher and 93.4% holding a high school diploma.[31]
The top five reported ancestries (people were allowed to report up to two ancestries, thus the figures will generally add to more than 100%) were English (93.6%), Spanish (2.0%), Indo-European (1.6%), Asian and Pacific Islander (1.6%), and Other (1.2%).
Minot, North Dakota – racial and ethnic composition Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
As of the2020 census, there were 48,377 people, 21,152 households, and 11,385 families residing in the city.[35] Thepopulation density was 1,774.9 inhabitants per square mile (685.3/km2). There were 23,447 housing units at an average density of 860.3 inhabitants per square mile (332.2/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 79.68%White, 5.17%African American, 2.89%Native American, 1.88%Asian, 0.19%Pacific Islander, 2.03% from some other races, and 8.15% from two or more races.Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 6.83% of the population.[36] 20.6% of residents were under the age of 18, 6.3% were under 5 years of age, and 13.7% were 65 and older.
There were 21,152 households, of which 26.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.1% were married couples living together, 9.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 44.1% were non-families. Of all households 34.9% were made up of individuals, and 11.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.24.
The median age in the city was 33.8 years. 21.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 65.5% of residents were aged 19–64; and 13% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 51.9% male and 48.1% female.
As of the2010 census, there were 40,888 people, 17,863 households, and 9,978 families residing in the city. Thepopulation density was 2,346.1 inhabitants per square mile (905.8/km2). There were 18,744 housing units at an average density of 1,075.4 per square mile (415.2/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 90.16%White, 2.28%African American, 3.25%Native American, 0.92%Asian, 0.10%Pacific Islander, 0.64% from some other races, and 2.65% from two or more races.Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 2.73% of the population.
There were 17,863 households, of which 26.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.1% were married couples living together, 9.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 44.1% were non-families. Of all households 34.9% were made up of individuals, and 11.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.20 and the average family size was 2.86.
The median age in the city was 33.8 years. 21.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 14% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 26.7% were from 25 to 44; 23.2% were from 45 to 64; and 15% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.3% male and 50.7% female.
As of the2000 census, there were 36,567 people, 15,520 households, and 9,265 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,513.1 inhabitants per square mile (970.3/km2). There were 16,475 housing units at an average density of 1,132.3 inhabitants per square mile (437.2/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 93.18%White, 1.34%African American, 2.76%Native American, 0.62%Asian, 0.07%Pacific Islander, 0.49% from some other races, and 1.54% from two or more races.Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 1.47% of the population.
There were 15,520 households, of which 28.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.6% were married couples living together, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.3% were non-families. Of all households 32.5% were made up of individuals, and 12.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.90.
In the city the population was spread out, with 23.2% under the age of 18, 13.3% from 18 to 24, 27.4% from 25 to 44, 20.7% from 45 to 64, and 15.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.0 males.
As of 2000 the median income for a household was $32,218, and the median income for a family was $42,804. Males had a median income of $30,283 versus $20,023 for females. Theper capita income for the city was $18,011. About 8.8% of families and 12.8% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 16.0% of those under age 18 and 8.9% of those age 65 or over.
Minot's economy predominantly centers around theAir Force Base 13 miles (21 km) north of town, making the city's economy more robust than other cities of its size due to its large service area.
ING/ReliaStar established a service center in Minot in December 1998.[38]
Minot has seen a significant increase in population and infrastructure investments in the last several years with the expanding drilling (usinghydrofracking) of oil in theBakken Formation andThree Forks Groups.[39] The State of North Dakota has a website detailing daily oil activity.[40]
The "Gol Stave Church" in Minot's Scandinavian Heritage ParkThe "Dala horse" in the Scandinavian Heritage Park
Minot's arts community includes an art museum, asymphony orchestra, an opera company, a city band, several dance and theater troupes: over 40 organizations claim membership in the Minot Area Council on the Arts.
Nearly 40% of the city's residents are ofScandinavian ancestry, and every October since 1977, Minot has been the host to theNorsk Høstfest, North America's largest Scandinavian-American festival.Scandinavian Heritage Park is located in Minot. Scandinavian Heritage Park features remembrances and replicas from each of the Scandinavian countries:Norway,Sweden andDenmark, as well asFinland andIceland.
Maysa Arena, an all-purpose, year-round skating facility operated by the Minot Park District with three sheets of ice under one roof.
Scandinavian Heritage Park is home to the Minot Visitor's Center, as well as buildings based on the Scandinavian styles of architecture, including a Stave Church. The grounds are home to the Minot's Arts in the Park series.
North Dakota State Fair Center, located on the state fairgrounds, is home to many of the city's largest events, including: TheNorth Dakota State Fair, theNorsk Høstfest, the Big One craft show, the KMOT Ag Expo, and the Great Tomato Festival. It also hosts rodeos, and college hockey games.
Taube Museum of Art, located in the 1906 Union National Bank Building, features exhibit space in the Main Gallery and the Lower Gallery, which change every four to six weeks.
TheMinot Park District operates seventeen parks with various facilities;Corbett Field, home to American Legion, high school and college baseball; Optimist soccer complex; MAYSA ice arena; the Sertoma Complex which has 8 softball fields; Souris Valley Golf Course, and an indoor tennis complex.
The city's largest parks areRoosevelt Park andOak Park.Roosevelt Park Zoo is one of the top zoos in the region. Dogs are allowed in Roosevelt Park, a sign is posted at the entrance confirming this. A "bark park" for dogs opened in the summer of 2005.
TheNorth Dakota State Fair is held in July annually, in Minot. Nearly all recreation areas however are closed during the long winters. The local high school hockey teams use the ice rink located in the Fair Grounds. The ice rink is also turned into the location of the rodeo.
The Northwest Area Water Supply (NAWS) has had disputes with the Canadian government over a plan calling for water to be pumped fromLake Sakakawea, then to Minot for treatment, and then to large stretches of Northwest North Dakota.
TheMinot Public Schools system operates ten elementary schools (K–5) in the city: Bel Air,[46] Edison,[47] John Hoeven,[48] Lewis and Clark,[49] Longfellow,[50] McKinley[51] Roosevelt,[52] Perkett,[53] Sunnyside,[54] and Washington.[55] The district also operates Bell Elementary, about five miles southeast of Minot. Jefferson Elementary closed in 2003. The old Washington Elementary building closed in 2007 and the students moved to a new building that was renovated from an old health care center. There are also two elementary schools (K–6) on theMinot Air Force Base: Dakota[56] and North Plains.[57] The2011 flood resulted in the relocation of Erik Ramstad Middle School and the closure of Lincoln Elementary, as both buildings were damaged beyond economical repair. Longfellow Elementary was expanded after the flood and children who lived in the Lincoln neighborhood then attended Longfellow Elementary.
There are four middle schools in the system. The three in Minot are grades 6–8: Jim Hill in the south,[58] Erik Ramstad in the north, andCentral Middle School downtown. Memorial Middle School on Minot AFB[59] is named for fallen veterans of the U.S.armed forces. The school was built in the mid-1960s on the base's northern perimeter.
Minot is also home toMinot State University, the state's third-largest university. MSU's campus is at the base of North Hill, just west of Broadway. A two-year teacher's college when it opened in 1913, Minot State became a university in 1987.
Minot has several media outlets.KMOT-TV,KXMC-TV and theMinot Daily News report on local news daily. KCJB-AM, KHRT-AM, andPrairie Public have some local news content, but no active journalists.
Minot is served by 15 radio stations (3 AM, 12 FM).Bottineau-based Programmer's Broadcasting ownsKTZU andKWGO, along withKBTO ofBottineau.Prairie Public Radio operatesKMPR FM 88.9, a community broadcaster based inBurlington operates alow-power FM station, and the remainder are nonprofit Christian stations, of which only KHRT is local.
iHeartMedia owns and operates all the commercial stations licensed to Minot itself:KCJB 910,KRRZ 1390,KYYX 97.1,KIZZ 93.7,KMXA-FM 99.9, andKZPR 105.3. This concentration of broadcasting in the hands of a single owner has led to criticism.[62][63]
The principal local newspaper is theMinot Daily News, which publishes six days a week. The Minot Air Force Base also has a weekly newspaper printed,The Northern Sentry. It is a free publication published on Fridays by BHG, Inc. out of Garrison, North Dakota available on the MAFB, as well as the surrounding communities and many locations within Minot. The Minot State University student newspaperRed & Green is published once a week (Thursdays) during the regular school year, but not during the summer months. Morgan Printing produces theLunch Letter three days a week on a double-sided leaflet. There is one weekly classified-ad publication, theTrading Post, printed by theMinot Daily News. TheBismarck Tribune is available at several outlets in the city, as isThe Forum, to a lesser extent.
Passenger rail transportation is provided onAmtrak'sEmpire Builder line, connecting Chicago with Portland and Seattle, which stops at theMinot Amtrak station. Trains make a 20-minute refueling and crew change stop in Minot. Westbound trains are scheduled to arrive daily at 9:06 amlocal time; eastbound trains are scheduled to arrive daily at 10:53 pm.[64]
Three major U.S. highways run through the city, connecting it to Canada, Montana, and two interstates:US 2,US 52, andUS 83.
US 2 runs east–west and is a four-lane divided highway from Minot east toGrand Forks and beyond as well as west toWilliston and into Montana. Minot is midpoint along the North Dakota segment of US 2.
US 83 runs north–south through central Minot asBroadway. It is a four-lane divided highway from Minot south toBismarck and north toMinot Air Force Base. Just north of the main gate at the base, the road reduces to two lanes and crosses the Canada–US border atWesthope, ND, where it becomesManitoba Highway 83.
US 52 is a two-lane highway that runs southeast–northwest. Southeast from Minot, it follows a slightly circuitous route toJamestown. US 52 then merges withInterstate 94 (I-94) after Jamestown, heading due east toFargo. Northwest from Minot, US 52 crosses the Canada–US border atPortal, ND/North Portal,SK, where it becomesSaskatchewan Highway 39.
TheMinot Bypass follows alternate alignments of these roads around the city in its northwest and northeast quadrants, with southwest and southeast bypasses in preliminary planning stages.
Minot is also a sister city ofMoose Jaw,Saskatchewan, about 300 miles (480 km) to the north-west. The cities share many qualities, including their size, location on river valleys, historical origins, and air force bases.
^abcJackson, William (2024).North Dakota Tornadoes Twisters & Cyclones. Dickinson, ND: Valley Star Publications. pp. 44–45.ISBN979-8-89480-378-4.
^abJackson, William (2008).Almanac of North Dakota mysteries & oddities, 2009-2010. Valley Star Books. p. 34.ISBN9780967734989.OCLC259419005.
^Michael J. Martin and Glenn H. Smith, "Vice and Violence in Ward County, North Dakota, 1905–1920",North Dakota History, 1980, Vol. 47, Issue 2, pp. 10–21
^"Station: Minot EXP STN, ND".U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991-2020). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.Archived from the original on September 18, 2021. RetrievedSeptember 18, 2021.
^"Station: Minot INTL AP, ND".U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991-2020). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.Archived from the original on September 18, 2021. RetrievedSeptember 18, 2021.
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