When the editorial staff of this book met for the first time, the first question asked was, "Where and how do we start?"
That question was answered for us.
The 1957 and 1976 history books have presented the history of Griggs County in detail. It was agreed that this book would not attempt to duplicate the content or format of either. Instead, it would focus on some topics that had not been covered before.
Though the book was intended as a close-up view of Cooperstown and its near community; stories from other parts of the county are also included. Because of space limitations there could not be the same sort of listing of family histories carried in the 1976 book published by the Griggs County Historical Society. Yet, there are bits of family history and lore in most of the stories in the present book.
Official records at the courthouse and in city hall, and newspaper files in the courthouse and the Griggs County Sentinel - Courier office have provided facts, figures, and dates. Collections belonging to the Griggs County Historical Society and the Myrtle Porterville collection in the Institute for Regional Studies have provided more information and pictures. In putting this book together, we have once more been made aware of our debt to the late Myrtle Bemis Porterville, Griggs County's foremost historian.
Mention should also be made of private collections of history kept by people in the area, ranging from a few news clippings to scrapbooks to extensive files. People have been most generous in granting us the use of their scrapbooks and photographs. Others have shared their memories in writing or by way of tape-recorded interviews.
Some items of current information are included for readers who will use this book for reference 25 or 50 years from now.
More topics constantly suggested themselves, and the original question became "How and where do we end this book!"
That question was never answered. We only learned when to end it, at the time when time and space ran out.
It is the hope of the staff of this book that the readers will find something they like. The pleasure has been ours.
Duna Frigaard
Source: Cooperstown, North Dakota 1882-1982 Centennial Page 3