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History · Forest River

Forest River’s post office opened in 1878, and 40% of its homes were built before 1940

Its Register listing is the Forest River State Bank. Below: maps from 1926 on and the census since 1900.

1878first post office
1on the National Register
40%homes built before 1940
Add an old photoShare a memory
Quick answers

How Forest River began

When was Forest River founded?

1878

The Forest River post office opened in 1878, the earliest record of the town by name. Wikidata gives 1887.

First census: 252 in 19002020 census: 109148 years
Founding year: the first Forest River post office (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Wikidata: 1887.

What stands out about Forest River’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 Forest River are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.Old housesHalf of Forest River’s homes were built before 1951.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Forest River’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Forest River’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
The story so far

Forest River, in brief

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

Forest River is a city in Walsh County, North Dakota, United States. The population was 109 at the 2020 census. Forest River was founded on July 13, 1887.

Its first post office opened in 1878. Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses its population fell from 125 to 109 (-13%).

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

By decade

Forest River, decade by decade

Today11 recent
Forest River, North Dakota sign2006Forest River, North Dakota signForest River, North Dakota railroad2006Forest River, North Dakota railroadGas station in2005Gas station inForest River, North Dakota sign 32005Forest River, North Dakota sign 3Forest River, North Dakota sign 22005Forest River, North Dakota sign 2Forest River, North Dakota park2005Forest River, North Dakota parkForest River, North Dakota center2005Forest River, North Dakota centerForest River, North Dakota cafe and post office2005Forest River, North Dakota cafe and post officeForest River, North Dakota cafe and post office 22005Forest River, North Dakota cafe and post office 2Forest River, North Dakota bank2005Forest River, North Dakota bankEntering2002Entering
On the map

Forest River on the map, 1926 to 1985

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

Forest River on the 1926 USGS mapForest River on the 1963 USGS mapForest River on the 1985 USGS map1926Ardoch sheet · 1:62,500

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

On the National Register

1 historic place in Forest River

The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.

place listed
1
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
1
each building in a district counts
first listed
2019
Forest River State Bank
Forest River State Bank
Buildings
Forest River State BankBuilding

National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.

People over time

Forest River, census by census

01002001900192019401960198020002020Peak: 252

Between 109 and 252 people in every census since 1900.

13 censuses, 1900–2020.

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

Famous people

Famous people close to Forest River

Nobody well known was born in Forest River itself, so here are the best known from just nearby.

See all →
John Alexander WeirAmerican-born Canadian attorney and the first D… · b. 1894
L
Lloyd OmdahlAmerican politician from North Dakota · b. 1931
J
John D. McKenzieCanadian politician · b. 1889
J
John Silas LundyAmerican physician · b. 1894

Questions about Forest River’s history

What year was Forest River founded?

The Forest River post office opened in 1878, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records). Wikidata gives 1887.

What is on the National Register in Forest River?

One place: the Forest River State Bank (listed 2019).

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 (11), Wikidata (1), the National Register of Historic Places (1), U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock) 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.