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History · Dahlen

Dahlen’s post office opened in 1913, and 43% of its homes were built before 1940

Below: maps from 1971 on.

1913first post office
0on the National Register
43%homes built before 1940
Add an old photoShare a memory
Photo: afiler from Seattle (ex-Minneapolis) · CC BY-SA 2.0
Quick answers

How Dahlen began

When was Dahlen founded?

1913

The Dahlen post office opened in 1913, the earliest record of the town by name.

2020 census: 17113 years
Founding year: the first Dahlen post office (Blevins & Helbock, CC0).

What stands out about Dahlen’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 Dahlen are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Dahlen’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Dahlen’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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The story so far

Dahlen, in brief

Wikipedia doesn’t have a history of Dahlen yet. The photos, dates and memories neighbors add here are how it gets written.

Dahlen (Urban East Norwegian: [ˈdɑːɳ]) is a census-designated place and an unincorporated community in Nelson County, North Dakota, United States. It was not counted separately during the 2000 census, but was included in the 2010 census, where a population of 18 was reported. The population was 17 at the 2020 census. Dahlen is also the home to North Dakota's third tallest tower, the WDAZ TV Tower, which is 445.2 meters (1,461 feet) tall. The tower is used by television station WDAZ of Grand Forks. The tower was also used by KGFE of Grand Forks until an ice storm damaged equipment in 2004.

Its first post office opened in 1913. Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses its population fell from 18 to 17 (-6%).

Intro from Wikipedia. Population: U.S. Census Bureau.

By decade

Dahlen, decade by decade

Today18 recent
Dahlen, North Dakota2005Dahlen, North DakotaDahlen, North Dakota2005Dahlen, North DakotaDahlen, North Dakota2005Dahlen, North DakotaDahlen, North Dakota2005Dahlen, North DakotaDahlen, North Dakota2005Dahlen, North DakotaDahlen, North Dakota2005Dahlen, North DakotaDahlen, North Dakota2005Dahlen, North DakotaDahlen, North Dakota2005Dahlen, North DakotaDahlen, North Dakota2005Dahlen, North DakotaDahlen, North Dakota2005Dahlen, North DakotaDahlen, North Dakota2005Dahlen, North DakotaDahlen, North Dakota2005Dahlen, North DakotaDahlen, North Dakota2005Dahlen, North DakotaDahlen, North Dakota2005Dahlen, North DakotaDahlen, North Dakota2005Dahlen, North DakotaDahlen, North Dakota2005Dahlen, North DakotaDahlen, North Dakota2005Dahlen, North DakotaDahlen, North Dakota (2005)2005Dahlen, North Dakota (2005)
On the map

Dahlen on the map, 1971 to 1985

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

Dahlen on the 1971 USGS mapDahlen on the 1985 USGS map1971Dahlen sheet · 1:24,000

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

Questions about Dahlen’s history

What year was Dahlen founded?

The Dahlen post office opened in 1913, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records).

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 (18) and U.S. Geological Survey historical maps. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.