Griggs County, North Dakota

Griggs County is a county in the U.S. state of North Dakota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 2,306. The county seat and the largest city is Cooperstown.

History

The county was created by the Dakota Territory legislature on February 18, 1881, with territories partitioned from Barnes, Foster, and Traill counties. It was not organized at that time, nor was it attached to another county for administrative or judicial purposes. It was named for Alexander Griggs, a steamboat captain who is credited with founding Grand Forks.

The county organization was effected on June 16, 1882. Its boundary was altered in 1883 when Steele County was partitioned off; it has retained its present boundary since then.

The Conrad and Sylvia Fogderud farm in Griggs County is known as "Little Tornado Alley" due to the many tornadoes that have occurred there.

thumb|Outline map of Griggs County, North Dakota, 1910

Geography

The Sheyenne River flows southward through the east-central part of Griggs County, discharging into Lake Ashtabula at the county's SE corner. The county terrain consists of low rolling hills, dotted with lakes and ponds across its central part, mostly devoted to agriculture. The terrain slopes to the south and east; its highest point is a hill at its NW corner, at 1,562' (476m) ASL.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (1.10%) is water. It is the 51st largest county and the third-smallest county in North Dakota by total area.

Major highways

25px North Dakota Highway 1
25px North Dakota Highway 45
25px North Dakota Highway 65
25px North Dakota Highway 200

Adjacent counties

Nelson County (north)
Steele County (east)
Barnes County (south)
Stutsman County (southwest)
Foster County (west)
Eddy County (northwest)

National protected area

Sibley Lake National Wildlife Refuge

Lakes

Source:

|align-fn=center

|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<br>1790–1960 1900–1990<br>1990–2000 2010–2020

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 2,306. Of the residents, 20.8% were under the age of 18 and 30.2% were 65 years of age or older; the median age was 49.2 years. For every 100 females there were 101.9 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 104.8 males.

The racial makeup of the county was 95.6% White, 0.3% Black or African American, 0.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% Asian, 0.3% from some other race, and 2.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 1.0% of the population.

There were 1,015 households in the county, of which 22.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 20.1% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 36.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 19.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

! scope="col" | Range 61

! scope="col" | Range 60

! scope="col" | Range 59

! scope="col" | Range 58

! scope="col" | Township 148

|| Rosendal

|| Willow

|| Pilot Mound

|| Lenora

! scope="col" | Township 147

|| Bryan

|| Addie

|| Tyrol

|| Romness

! scope="col" | Township 146

|| Kingsley

|| Clearfield

|| Cooperstown

|| Washburn

! scope="col" | Township 145

|| Mabel

|| Helena

|| Ball Hill

|| Sverdrup

! scope="col" | Township 144

|| Dover

|| Bartley

|| Greenfield

|| Broadview

Politics

Griggs County voters usually vote Republican. In only one national election since 1964 has the county selected the Democratic Party candidate.

Education

School districts include:

Barnes County North Public School District 7
Dakota Prairie Public School District 1
Finley-Sharon Public School District 19
Griggs County Central School District 18
Hope-Page Public School District 85
Midkota Public School District 7

Former:

Hope Public School District 10

References

External links

Griggs County – official website
Griggs County map, North Dakota DOT