Williston in Williams County, North Dakota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)

Buford-Trenton Project

The Power of the Missouri

— A U.S. Reclamation Service project contracted 1905-1908 —

Buford-Trenton Project Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, August 16, 2019

1. Buford-Trenton Project Marker

Captions: (bottom left) Williston "Project A Canal" (near Williston, ND) with equalizing reservoir between it and the lignite-fired plant provided power for the Williston and Buford/Trenton Projects. 1909; (bottom right) Buford/Trenton Pumping Plant, looking north, showing pumping machinery, switchboard, and transformers. 1908.

Inscription. Irrigation possibilities in the area were recognized as early as 1902. On November 18th, 1904 the Buford-Trenton Project was authorized by the Secretary of the Interior. Reclamation Service (now the Federal Bureau of Reclamation) specifications called for building pumping stations, a canal, turnouts, flumes and a siphon. Pumping machinery included two pumping stations, one on a floating barge, and the other in a concrete building along the banks of the Missouri River. The remains of the original concert pumping station and be seen on site.
This project pumped water from the Missouri River using electricity generated by the Reclamation power plant at the Williston Project.
Inferior soils and high pumping cost contributed to the project's demise. A series of wet years caused the landowners in the area to lose interest in irrigation and the project was discontinued.

Erected by State Historical Society of North Dakota.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Man-Made Features • Waterways & Vessels.

Location. 47° 59.148′ N, 103° 59.189′ W.

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Marker is in Williston, North Dakota, in Williams County. It can be reached from 39 near 153rd Avenue Northwest. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 15349 39th Lane Northwest, Williston ND 58801, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in North Dakota’s Bakken Oil Patch.

It is also in the American Lewis & Clark Corridor,

on the prairies,

and on the Northern Plains.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once Rupert’s Land

and also the Louisiana Purchase.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Fur Trade Forts (here, next to this marker); Lewis & Clark's America (here, next to this marker); The Confluence (here, next to this marker); Oxbow Wetland (within shouting distance of this marker); Missouri-Yellowstone Confluence Area (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); A Beaver Boom (about 400 feet away); Missouri-Yellowstone Confluence (about 500 feet away); Mosquitoes (about 600 feet away). Touch for a list and map

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of all markers in Williston.

More about this marker. This marker is located at a small hexagonal kiosk, a relic of the Buford-Trenton Project, on the east end of the Missouri-Yellowstone Confluence Interpretive Center property. I regret that I forgot to photograph it.

Credits. This page was last revised on November 29, 2019. It was originally submitted on November 29, 2019, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 506 times since then and 31 times this year. Photo 1. submitted on November 29, 2019, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.