Sheyenne

History

The name "Sheyenne" is derived from the nearby Sheyenne River which was named after the Cheyenne Indians. The first explorers in the area misspelled the name, thus changing the "C" to an "S". Herds of bison once roamed the prairies near the town of Sheyenne. The Sioux tribe were the final Native American tribe to move towards the area. The first white settlers came via the Northern Pacific Railroad Company. The earliest mention of the settlement came through the Grand Forks, North Dakota-based paper, Normadden. The Norwegian language paper mentioned the building of the section house in 1885 and the setting up of six tents in order to establish a townsite and a depot. The main track was laid on November 28, 1884. The railroad began operation to Sheyenne on August 6, 1885. The main townsite of Sheyenne was obtained by Clarence E. Bennett in 1885, but later came under the jurisdiction of J. W. Richter, who dedicated the townsite in 1892. The first crops grown in the area were common vegetables and as much wheat that the land could take. The main source of meat was hunting on the abundant plains, and the other source was in the Sheyenne River. People streamed into the community from all parts of the United States and Europe. Most European settlers came from Scandinavia and Germany. Businesses flourished off railroad workers and farmers. On December 7, 1894 at approximately 4:30 A.M., a fire began in the George Williams Livery Barn and spread to other businesses on Main Street. Williams' billiard room and soft drink shop were the next to be consumed. The blaze then spread to the Westerlund Hotel and the Hugh Peoples General Store. The post office also caught fire, but N.U. Hanson saved all the mail that was on-hand. The fire was determined to be incendiary in origin.…

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all land. The city of Sheyenne and its vicinity is located in the distinct Drift Prairie region of North Dakota. The Drift Prairie region is characterized by rolling hills and many sloughs. The main body of water near Sheyenne is the Sheyenne River, but the man-made Warsing Dam is the main source of recreational activity near the city. The area is also in the Devil's Lake Basin region, home to Devil's Lake, the largest natural body of water in the state of North Dakota. South of the city lies the Laurentian Divide, which separates the watersheds of the Arctic Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean. Sheyenne experiences an extreme Continental climate. It experiences wide temperature changes and four distinct seasons. Its location in the center of North America and the Upper Midwest gives it distinctive upper air patterns that vary dramatically from season to season. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all land.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• American Robin

  Turdus migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  82
• Red-winged Blackbird

  Agelaius phoeniceus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  77
• Mourning Dove

  Zenaida macroura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  74
• Yellow Warbler

  Setophaga petechia (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  60
• Least Flycatcher

  Empidonax minimus (W.M.Baird & S.F.Baird, 1843) · Aves
  57
• Song Sparrow

  Melospiza melodia (A.Wilson, 1810) · Aves
  57
• Canada Goose (canadensis Group)

  Branta canadensis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  57
• Black-capped Chickadee

  Poecile atricapillus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  56

Most recent

• M 2.6 — 2008-11-15
  6 km ESE of Goodrich, North Dakota