Downtown in Fargo in Cass County, North Dakota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
Great Northern Railway
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, September 4, 2023
1. Great Northern Railway Marker
The Great Northern Railway started out in 1857 as the Minnesota & Pacific. It was not until 1890 that it became known as the Great Northern, and this name was given in honor of rails that crossed the great territory.
The Great Northern entered Fargo in 1882, following the completion of the Great Northern Railway Bridge over the Red River. The tracks ran through Fargo about five city blocks north of the Northern Pacific tracks.
In 1906 the Great Northern Depot was built at 425 Broadway. Today the building is listed on the National Register of Historical Places.
The Great Northern lines were of service to the grain, potato, sugar beet and soybean growing areas of the Red River Valley and North Dakota, the cattle country of North Dakota, and the regions of oil and gas, lignite and salt deposits in North Dakota.
In 1970, the Great Northern and the Northern Pacific merged to become the Burlington Northern Railroad.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Agriculture • Industry & Commerce • Notable Buildings • Railroads & Streetcars. In addition, it is included in the National Register of Historic Places series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1906.
Location. 46° 52.55′ N, 96° 47.249′
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Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Fargo & Moorhead Streetcar Railway (within shouting distance of this marker); Northern Pacific Railroad (within shouting distance of this marker); City Hall & Library (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Machinery Row (about 400 feet away); Red River Valley Crops (about 400 feet away); NDSU Agriculture (about 400 feet away); Great Northern Caboose X227 (about 400 feet away); Bonanza Farms (about 500 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Fargo.
Regarding Great Northern Railway. The 1906 Great Northern Depot is a contributing property in Downtown Fargo District, National Register of Historic Places #83004064.
From the National Register Nomination:
At the north end of the district the old Great Northern depot sits south of the tracks on Fifth Avenue North. It is Romanesque, one story, dark red brick with rusticated buff sandstone foundation; sandstone trim; porte cocheres at east andwest ends; green tile hipped roof; bright green wood window sashes and transoms; corner piers have rusticated granite bases; voussoirs and jack-arch lintels; patterned zig-zag brick terrace surrounds building. Samuel Bartlett, architect, built a string of Great Northern stations including Rugby, Minot, and Williston, North Dakota and Glacier Park, Montana.Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, September 4, 20232. Great Northern Railway MarkerLooking north across Northern Pacific Avenue.
Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker.
Also see . . .
1. Great Northern Railway. Excerpt:
The Great Northern Railway took its name on September 18, 1889, when the St. Paul, Minneapolis & Manitoba railroad of James J. Hill was renamed. The Great Northern Depot, built in 1906 at 425 Broadway, was designed in the Richardsonian Romanesque style by St. Paul architect Samuel Bartlett, a friend of James J. Hill, the founder of the Great Northern railroad. In 1970, the Great Northern and the Northern Pacific merged to become the Burlington Northern Railroad.(Submitted on February 1, 2024, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
2. Great Northern Railway (Wikipedia). Excerpt:
Running from Saint Paul, Minnesota, to Seattle, Washington, the Great Northern's route was the northernmost transcontinental railroad route in the U.S. The Great Northern had branches that ran north(Submitted on February 1, 2024, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)to the Canada–US border in Minnesota, North Dakota, and Montana. It also had branches that ran to Superior, Wisconsin, and Butte, Montana, connecting with the iron range of Minnesota and copper mines of Montana. The logo of the railroad, a Rocky Mountain goat, was based on a goat William Kenney, one of the railroad's presidents, had used to haul newspapers as a boy.Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, September 4, 20233. Great Northern Railway MarkerLooking northwest; Broadway and Northern Pacific Avenue intersection is in the background.
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, September 4, 2023
4. Great Northern Railway Depot
The former depot building is located 4 blocks north of this marker. It currently houses a bicycle shop.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 1, 2024. It was originally submitted on February 1, 2024, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 68 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on February 1, 2024, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
