Watford City (Hidatsa: abaʔaruʔush), founded in 1914, is a city in and the county seat of McKenzie County, North Dakota, United States. Its population was 6,207 at the 2020 census and was estimated to be 6,207 in 2024,
The main offices of First International Bank and the headquarters of McKenzie Electric Cooperative are in Watford City. The local newspaper is the McKenzie County Farmer.
History
In 1913, a few prospective businessmen located on the townsite of the future Watford City in anticipation of the arrival of the first Great Northern Railroad train from Fairview, Montana. The Northern Land and Townsite Company, a division of the Great Northern, platted the town and sold lots in June 1914. Building began immediately, and many businesses and homes were moved from Schafer, which eventually became a ghost town. Watford, incorporated in June 1915, was named by Vaughan G. Morris (1879–1940) for his hometown of Watford, Ontario. A year later, the town added "City" to its name to differentiate itself from Wolford in Pierce County.
The Great Northern planned to extend its line to New Rockford and in 1914 began building the Madson Grade, one of the longest dirt-filled railroad grades in the country about a mile west of town. Two years later, the grade was 90 feet high and nearly a mile long, but the project was abandoned shortly before the United States entered World War I.
Geography
Watford City is in western North Dakota, in central McKenzie County. U.S. Route 85 and North Dakota Highway 200, running concurrently, pass south and west of the city on a bypass. Williston is to the northwest, and Interstate 94 is at Belfield via US 85. North Dakota Highway 23 has its western terminus in Watford City and leads east to New Town.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which are land and (0.88%) is covered by water. The wettest time of year is late spring to early summer; winter is the driest season. Temperature variation between seasons is significant.