New Town, North Dakota neetuhčipiriínu [neetUhčipiriíNU] |
|
---|---|
City | |
Post office in New Town
|
|
Location of New Town, North Dakota |
|
Coordinates: 47°58′54″N 102°29′5″W / 47.98167°N 102.48472°WCoordinates: 47°58′54″N 102°29′5″W / 47.98167°N 102.48472°W | |
Country | United States |
State | North Dakota |
County | Mountrail |
Area | |
• Total | 1.28 sq mi (3.32 km2) |
• Land | 1.28 sq mi (3.32 km2) |
• Water | 0 sq mi (0 km2) |
Elevation | 1,900 ft (579 m) |
Population (2010) | |
• Total | 1,925 |
• Estimate (2015) | 2,521 |
• Density | 2,500/sq mi (963.9/km2) |
Time zone | Central (CST) (UTC-6) |
• Summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-5) |
ZIP code | 58763 |
Area code(s) | 701 |
FIPS code | 38-56740 |
GNIS feature ID | 1030400 |
Highways | ND 23, ND 1804 |
Website | http://www.newtownchamber.com/ |
New Town is a city in Mountrail County, North Dakota in the United States. The population was 1,925 in 2010 census. New Town was platted in 1950 as a replacement site for the residents of Sanish and Van Hook, towns which were planned to be inundated by Lake Sakakawea. It is the largest city and administrative center of the Fort Berthold Reservation. New Town is home to Fort Berthold Community College. New Town is located on State Highway 23 at the crossing of Lake Sakakawea by the Four Bears Bridge. The city has recreation for all seasons including; fishing, boating, water skiing, trails for hiking.
In 1944, the United States Congress authorized the Garrison Dam and Reservoir Project. The dam was planned to be the world's largest rolled-earth filled dam and would create the second largest reservoir in the world. It would form a lake 200 miles long, 14 miles wide in some places and have roughly 1,500 miles of shoreline. In order to make this dam and reservoir, the towns of Sanish, Elbowoods, Lucky Mound, Shell Creek, Nishu, Charging Eagle, Beaver Creek, Red Butte, Independence, and Van Hook needed to be dissolved and the residents relocated. A total of seven possible sites were inspected before the present site was chosen.
After the site was purchased, plans were quickly developed for the proposed town. With the help of Army engineers, by August 1950, the combined town site was platted. On September 10, 1950, a ground-breaking ceremony and celebration was held at the proposed town site. The official ground-breaking was a furrow cut by a county road grader in what was to become Main Street. The first building set up was for the relocation company. They held an auction to sell off lots in what was now called New Town.
Two days later over sixty percent of the lots had sold and the school was gifted to the town as well as the church lots for the relocating churches. In November 1952, seventy-four voters went to the polls to elect the first city officials of New Town. On January 1, 1953, the post office was established in the former office of the Relocation Company. Businesses were moved from the surrounding villages and soon people had to go to New Town for groceries and supplies. The towns were officially dissolved as of April 30, 1953 and July 1, 1953 was the deadline given to the residents to be moved out of their respective towns.