Fort Towson

McHenry County is a county in the U.S. state of North Dakota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 5,345.[1] Its county seat is Towner.[2]

McHenry County is part of the Minot, ND Micropolitan Statistical Area.

History

The Dakota Territory legislature created the county on January 4, 1873, with territory annexed from Bottineau County. It was named for James McHenry, an early settler of Vermillion (in present South Dakota). The county government was not organized at that time, nor was the county attached to another county for administrative and judicial purposes. The county organization was effected on October 15, 1884. The county boundaries were altered in 1885, 1887, 1891, and in 1892. It has retained its present boundaries since 1892.[3]

When the county was organized in 1884, Villard was named as county seat. In 1885 this designation was moved to Scriptown. In 1886 the designation was again moved, to Towner, which has remained the seat to the present time (the two former sites are now ghost towns).[4]

Geography

The Souris River loops through the county before turning north to its eventual discharge into Lake Winnipeg. The Wintering River drains the southern part of the county. The county terrain consists of rolling hills, partly devoted to agriculture (including limited use of center pivot irrigation).[5] The terrain slopes to the north and east, with its highest point on the west boundary line near the southwest corner, at 2,156 ft (657 m) ASL.[6] The county has a total area of 1,912 square miles (4,950 km2), of which 1,874 square miles (4,850 km2) is land and 38 square miles (98 km2) (2.0%) is water.[7] In 2013, 131 plants were collected in the Lake George area.[8]

Major highways

Adjacent counties

National protected areas

Lakes[5]

  • Bromley Lake
  • Buffalo Lodge Lake
  • Connia Slough
  • Erickson Lake
  • Heringen Lake
  • Horseshoe Lake (part)
  • Lake George
  • Lake Hester
  • Lauinger Lake
  • Martin Lake
  • North Lake
  • Potters Lake
  • Round Lake
  • Smoky Lake (part)
  • Stevens Slough
  • Stink Lake

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note
18901,584
19005,253231.6%
191017,627235.6%
192015,544−11.8%
193015,439−0.7%
194014,034−9.1%
195012,556−10.5%
196011,099−11.6%
19708,977−19.1%
19807,858−12.5%
19906,528−16.9%
20005,987−8.3%
20105,395−9.9%
20205,345−0.9%
2022 (est.)5,189[9]−2.9%
U.S. Decennial Census[10]
1790-1960[11] 1900-1990[12]
1990-2000[13] 2010-2020[1]

2020 census

As of the census of 2020, there were 5,345 people.

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 5,395 people, 2,377 households, and 1,527 families in the county. The population density was 2.88 people per square mile (1.11 people/km2). There were 2,948 housing units at an average density of 1.57 units per square mile (0.61/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 97.8% white, 0.6% American Indian, 0.3% Asian, 0.1% black or African American, 0.3% from other races, and 0.9% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.5% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 55.3% were of German, 39.5% Norwegian, 5.3% English, 3.6% Swedish, 3.5% American, 2.4% Russian and 1.7% Dutch ancestry.

Of the 2,377 households, 25.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.9% were married couples living together, 5.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 35.8% were non-families, and 31.3% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.81. The median age was 46.2 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $36,944 and the median income for a family was $54,350. Males had a median income of $36,625 versus $26,205 for females. The per capita income for the county was $22,911. About 6.4% of families and 12.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.1% of those under age 18 and 17.9% of those age 65 or over.

Population by decade

Communities

Cities

Unincorporated communities[5]

  • Berwick
  • Cole Ford
  • Denbigh
  • Funston
  • Genoa
  • Guthrie
  • Kottkethal[14]
  • Milroy
  • Newport
  • Norfolk[14]
  • Norwich
  • Rangeley
  • Riga
  • Rising
  • Rose Hill
  • Simcoe
  • Verendrye
  • Willowdale[14]
  • Willow Vale[14]
  • Willow Valley[14]
  • Willow Creek

Townships

  • Anamoose
  • Balfour
  • Bantry
  • Berwick
  • Bjornson
  • Brown
  • Cottonwood Lake
  • Deep River
  • Deering
  • Denbigh
  • Egg Creek
  • Falsen
  • Gilmore
  • Granville
  • Grilley
  • Hendrickson
  • Karlsruhe
  • Kottke Valley
  • Lake George
  • Lake Hester
  • Land
  • Layton
  • Lebanon
  • Little Deep
  • Meadow
  • Mouse River
  • Newport
  • Normal
  • North Prairie
  • Norwich
  • Odin
  • Olivia
  • Pratt
  • Riga
  • Rose Hill
  • Round Lake
  • Saline
  • Schiller
  • Spring Grove
  • Strege
  • Velva
  • Villard
  • Voltaire
  • Wagar
  • Willow Creek

Notable people

Politics

McHenry County voters have traditionally voted Republican. In only one national election since 1936 has the county selected the Democratic Party candidate.

United States presidential election results for McHenry County, North Dakota[15]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 2,364 78.72% 564 18.78% 75 2.50%
2016 2,050 72.70% 490 17.38% 280 9.93%
2012 1,678 61.87% 943 34.77% 91 3.36%
2008 1,374 56.87% 981 40.60% 61 2.52%
2004 1,744 61.84% 1,030 36.52% 46 1.63%
2000 1,682 61.45% 888 32.44% 167 6.10%
1996 1,187 43.07% 1,096 39.77% 473 17.16%
1992 1,321 38.90% 1,173 34.54% 902 26.56%
1988 1,888 52.69% 1,665 46.47% 30 0.84%
1984 2,485 65.38% 1,283 33.75% 33 0.87%
1980 2,922 71.20% 939 22.88% 243 5.92%
1976 2,043 49.70% 1,994 48.50% 74 1.80%
1972 2,765 63.62% 1,554 35.76% 27 0.62%
1968 2,226 54.21% 1,595 38.85% 285 6.94%
1964 1,728 39.46% 2,643 60.36% 8 0.18%
1960 2,715 54.87% 2,231 45.09% 2 0.04%
1956 3,019 62.12% 1,825 37.55% 16 0.33%
1952 4,227 76.60% 1,228 22.25% 63 1.14%
1948 2,578 56.45% 1,770 38.76% 219 4.80%
1944 3,141 61.44% 1,934 37.83% 37 0.72%
1940 3,894 63.07% 2,225 36.04% 55 0.89%
1936 1,619 26.24% 3,294 53.40% 1,256 20.36%
1932 1,396 25.08% 3,937 70.73% 233 4.19%
1928 2,914 53.04% 2,535 46.14% 45 0.82%
1924 1,692 36.89% 264 5.76% 2,631 57.36%
1920 3,534 74.09% 848 17.78% 388 8.13%
1916 692 31.33% 1,316 59.57% 201 9.10%
1912 589 23.61% 959 38.44% 947 37.96%
1908 1,772 56.16% 1,296 41.08% 87 2.76%
1904 1,807 73.54% 556 22.63% 94 3.83%
1900 595 70.00% 222 26.12% 33 3.88%

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 4, 2023.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ^ "Dakota Territory, South Dakota, and North Dakota: Individual County Chronologies". Dakota Territory Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. The Newberry Library. 2006. Archived from the original on April 2, 2018. Retrieved February 3, 2015.
  4. ^ "County History". Official Portal for North Dakota State Government. Archived from the original on February 2, 2015. Retrieved May 4, 2011.
  5. ^ a b c McHenry County ND Google Maps (accessed February 23, 2019)
  6. ^ ""Find an Altitude/McHenry County ND" Google Maps (accessed February 23, 2019)". Archived from the original on May 21, 2019. Retrieved February 24, 2019.
  7. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on January 29, 2015. Retrieved February 1, 2015.
  8. ^ The checklist of the flora of Lake George environs, McHenry County, North Dakota
  9. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2022". Retrieved April 4, 2023.
  10. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 1, 2015.
  11. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved February 1, 2015.
  12. ^ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (April 20, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 1, 2015.
  13. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Retrieved February 1, 2015.
  14. ^ a b c d e Genealogy Trails: North Dakota (accessed February 23, 2019)
  15. ^ Leip, David. "Atlas of US Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved April 12, 2018.

External links

48°14′N 100°38′W / 48.23°N 100.64°W / 48.23; -100.64