In 1882, Richard Sherman and his brother had the foundation laid for the city of Mardell, situated on the W ½ of Section 13, Washburn Township, by Samuel H. Reynolds, surveyor. The plot was filed at Cooperstown July 30, 1882. The Sherman brothers later sold their interests to George H. Ellsbury.
The streets and avenues were named and a boom map was prepared by Mr. Ellsbury, depicting Mardell as a great railway center. Inhabitants then came and business enterprises were started. In the summer of 1882, Mardell had two dry goods stores and grocery stores, a hardware store, a blacksmith shop, machinery shops, a meat shop, a schoolhouse, and a real estate and loan company. A hotel, named the Palace, was built containing 24 rooms. Captain Martin Robinson was chosen manager. School was taught by Ole Serumgard. On Sundays the schoolhouse was used for Sunday School and occasional church services conducted by Reverend Lundeby and Reverend James Baldwin. A post office was secured and a mail route connecting Mardell with Tower City was established. A few homes and barns were built of logs but lumber was hauled from Tower City or Valley City for the first buildings. It took four days to make the trip.
Mr. Ellsbury and others had personal interviews with Mr. Jas. J. Hill, Chairman of the Board of Executive Department of Great Northern Railway Company. Mr. Hill told them to have their location surveyed and if the engineer's notes showed it feasible, he would extend the line out from Hope. The county seat was located at Hope at that time. This was done and presented to Mr. Hill. He examined the notes and told those present for the interview "This is O. K. You need not fear to go ahead with your outlay and advertising. I will put my road through Mardell." Mr. Hill did not put this in writing and failed to make good his word.
In the summer of 1883 R. C. Cooper began building the Sanborn, Cooperstown, and Turtle Mountain railway. Cooperstown became the aspirant for the county seat, and with these developments, Mardell gave up the fight. Without a railroad or a county seat the town had no future and people began moving to Cooperstown.
The townsite, together with Park Avenue Hotel and a Section of land, was sold to John Pashby, formerly of Fargo, in 1885. In that clearing on the Sheyenne no remnants remain of the dream; and hopes of those pioneers of the early 1880's who once lived in the proud and aspiring city of Mardell.
Source: Griggs County History 1879 - 1976 Page 472