Overly

History

Overly was founded in 1905 as a railroad loading station along the Soo Line Railroad. The city now shares the ZIP Code of 58384 with nearby Willow City. For many years, the city thrived as a railroad center, serving as a crew transfer point for the railroads traveling east and west along the line. The railroad installed a roundhouse for servicing locomotives as well as coal and water facilities. A popular pastime for city residents was to gather at the rail depot on the edge of town to watch the trains in the mornings and evenings. Many speculate that the town's name was meant to describe the numerous rail crews that "laid over" in town during the shift changes. Others say the town is named for Hans Overlie, an early settler. Wheat shipments and the city's status as a railroad hub seemed to indicate future growth, but the frequency of trains dwindled until the 1950s when trains just passed by without stopping. The Census Bureau currently places the 2022 population of the city at 11 people.

Geography

Overly is located in Cecil Township in the eastern part of Bottineau County. The city lies along the border with neighboring Rolette County, and a 5-block portion of the city was actually platted in that county. However, the 2000 Census did not record any population for Overly in that county, and the North Dakota League of Cities does not count Overly as a multi-county municipality. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all land.

Race & ethnicity