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History · Ellendale Township

Ellendale Township dates to 1882, and 11% of its homes were built before 1940

Below: 2 old photos and papers, maps from 1953 on, and the census since 1890.

1882founded
0on the National Register
11%homes built before 1940
2old photos & papers
Add an old photoShare a memory
From Ellendale Township’s archive · credits on each photo
Quick answers

How Ellendale Township began

When was Ellendale Township founded?

1882

Ellendale Township dates its founding to 1882 (Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history agree). The census first counted it in 1890.

First census: 761 in 18902020 census: 123144 years
Founding year: Wikidata; Wikipedia’s history section gives the same year.The full story ↓

What stands out about Ellendale 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 writtenOnly 2 old photos are in the public archives. The rest are in attics and albums.Boom and bustPeaked at 1,967 in 1980; 1,125 people lived here in 2020.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Ellendale Township’s collection

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

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
1 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Retake an old viewOpera Block: stand where they stood+15Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
People over time

Ellendale Township, census by census

05001,0001,5002,0001900192019401960198020002020Peak: 1,967

Peaked at 1,967 in 1980; 1,125 people lived here in 2020.

14 censuses, 1890–2020.

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

The story

How Ellendale Township came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Ellendale Township.

Read it all →

Ellendale was established as county seat of the newly formed Dickey County in 1882. That same year saw the arrival of the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad into the area.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Ellendale Township, 1882 to 1980

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

  1. 19th century
  2. 1882
    FoundingEllendale Township is established
  3. 20th century
  4. 1910In the archiveOpera Block
  5. 1953On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  6. 1980CensusPopulation peaks at 1,967
By decade

Ellendale Township, decade by decade

One decade in the archive so far: the 1910s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.

1910s2 items
Opera Blockc. 1910Opera BlockDickey County Courthousec. 1915Dickey County Courthouse
1920s–1990snothing yet
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Add from your album
Today4 recent
Ellendale, North Dakota2009Ellendale, North DakotaEllendale, North Dakota2009Ellendale, North DakotaEllendale, North Dakota2009Ellendale, North DakotaDowntown Ellendale, North Dakota 6-11-20092009Downtown Ellendale, North Dakota 6-11-2009
On the map

Ellendale Township on the map, 1953 to 1978

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

Ellendale Township on the 1953 USGS mapEllendale Township on the 1978 USGS map1953Ellendale South 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 Ellendale Township.

Then & now

Stand where they stood

No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.

Opera Block
Retake this viewOpera Block, c. 1910

Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Ellendale Township’s page.

Retake this view · +15
Stories next door

History across the town line

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

Elden TownshipIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townElm TownshipIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townVan Meter Township1 historic placenot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town

Questions about Ellendale Township’s history

What year was Ellendale Township founded?

In 1882, according to Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history of the town. the census of 1890 counted 761 people here.

Memory lane

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

Town Square →
Start a conversation
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 (6), Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps and U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.