Griggs County's first railroad was constructed and
operated by the Sanborn, Cooperstown and Turtle Mountain Railway
Company. It was completed through Hannaford during the summer of
1883, reaching Cooperstown on August 27.
The railroad reached a point between Dazey and Hannaford
in the fall of 1882. The building crew camped over winter 1882-83,
5 1/2 miles south of Hannaford by the trestle bridge. A dugout in
the bank of the creek was the living quarters of the crew. The men
were on guard to protect the railroad material. From 50 to 60 men
camped here. There were several railroad coaches which stood on
the thus far completed tract from the south to supply the camp and a few
nearby neighbors with groceries, supplies and coal. These
neighbors and men would have had to go to the present site of Ashtabula,
east of the camp, for wood if they had not been supplied this way.
In August 1883, the Cooperstown Courier reported that
the track layers were quitting and this was the second time this had
been reported during that summer. This time the men were demanding
$2.50 a day with mince pie thrown in. As before, they were
discharged and a new crew brought in from Fargo.
The Northern Pacific Depot at Odell was moved to
Hannaford to October 1897. Odell was one of five station (Odell,
Lowry, Booth, Olive and Mattison) on the Northern Pacific and Soo Lines
which were consolidated to form the town of Rogers in 1897. This
depot still stands in Hannaford much as it was when it was moved.
The office part was fixed up in 1902. Mr. Meeker was the first
station agent. Another in the early years was W. L. Cave. C.
P. Schmidt came in November 1901, and continued until his retirement in
1946. Among the agents since have been Norman Livers, Kenneth
Stennes and Hillard Johnson.
Passenger service was discontinued in 1960, and in 1969,
the depot was closed. Hillard was the last Northern Pacific depot
agent stationed in Hannaford. Most branch line depots are closed
now. A traveling agent stationed in Valley City takes care of the
business in the various towns.
The first section foreman of the Cooperstown Branch was
Abe Lent. He was followed by Sandberg and August Olson.
Charles Cederson began as section foreman in 1899. He'd been with
the railroad since 1890. The railroad built a section house two
miles north of Hannaford near the railroad bridge in about 1899.
It got a coat of paint in May 1900. A water tank to supply the
trains was built at Bald Hill Creek in 1884. It burned in 1897,
but was rebuilt. In 1906, a water tank was erected in town between
the Monarch and Farmers Elevators. Mr. Cederson retired in 1926,
and the same fall the Hannaford section headquarters was moved to
Cooperstown.
Among the men who have worked on the Northern Pacific
Railroad section crew and who have made their homes in Hannaford are
Andrew Sonju, Wallum; Al Lind, Matt Lyngby, Peter Aalgaard and Arne
Nevland.
Source: Hannaford Area History North Dakota
Centennial 1889 - 1989 Page 12