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History · Buffalo Township

Buffalo Township dates to 1878, and 44% of its homes were built before 1940

Below: maps from 1895 on and the census since 1890.

1878founded
0on the National Register
44%homes built before 1940
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Photo: Magicpiano · CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answers

How Buffalo Township began

When was Buffalo Township founded?

1878

Buffalo Township dates its founding to 1878 (Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history agree). The census first counted it in 1890.

First census: 177 in 18902020 census: 75148 years
Founding year: Wikidata; Wikipedia’s history section gives the same year.The full story ↓

What stands out about Buffalo Township’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenNo old photos of Buffalo Township are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.On the map since 18953 editions of the USGS map, 1895 to 1986. Watch Buffalo Township change.Boom and bustPeaked at 268 in 1920; 195 people lived here in 2020.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Buffalo Township’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Buffalo Township’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
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On the map

Buffalo Township on the map, 1895 to 1986

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Buffalo Township. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Buffalo Township on the 1895 USGS mapBuffalo Township on the 1967 USGS mapBuffalo Township on the 1986 USGS map1895Casselton sheet · 1:125,000

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Buffalo Township.

People over time

Buffalo Township, census by census

01002003001900192019401960198020002020Peak: 268

Peaked at 268 in 1920; 195 people lived here in 2020.

14 censuses, 1890–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Buffalo Township’s Wikipedia page.

The story

How Buffalo Township came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Buffalo Township.

Read it all →

The first settlement at Buffalo was made in 1878. A post office called Buffalo has been in operation since 1883. The city took its name from Buffalo, New York.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Buffalo Township, 1878 to 1920

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 19th century
  2. 1878
    FoundingBuffalo Township is established
  3. 1895On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  4. 20th century
  5. 1920CensusPopulation peaks at 268
By decade

Buffalo Township, decade by decade

Today17 recent
Buffalo, North Dakota2009Buffalo, North DakotaBuffalo, North Dakota2009Buffalo, North DakotaBuffalo, North Dakota2009Buffalo, North DakotaBuffalo, North Dakota2009Buffalo, North DakotaBuffalo, North Dakota2009Buffalo, North DakotaBuffalo, North Dakota2009Buffalo, North DakotaBuffalo, North Dakota2009Buffalo, North DakotaBuffalo, North Dakota2009Buffalo, North DakotaBuffalo, North Dakota2009Buffalo, North DakotaBuffalo, North Dakota2009Buffalo, North DakotaBuffalo, North Dakota2009Buffalo, North DakotaBuffalo, North Dakota2009Buffalo, North DakotaBuffalo, North Dakota2009Buffalo, North DakotaBuffalo, North Dakota2009Buffalo, North DakotaBuffalo, North Dakota2009Buffalo, North DakotaBuffalo, North Dakota2009Buffalo, North DakotaBuffalo2009Buffalo
Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

Buffalo2 historic placesnot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townTower TownshipIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townHowes TownshipIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townWheatland TownshipIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town

Questions about Buffalo Township’s history

What year was Buffalo Township founded?

In 1878, according to Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history of the town. the census of 1890 counted 177 people here.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
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Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021). How TownRatings grades history →

From Wikimedia Commons (17), Wikidata (1), Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.