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History · Forman Township

Forman Township dates to 1883, and 21% of its homes were built before 1940

Below: maps from 1958 on and the census since 1890.

1883founded
0on the National Register
21%homes built before 1940
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Photo: JERRYE & ROY KLOTZ MD · CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answers

How Forman Township began

When was Forman Township founded?

1883

Forman Township dates its founding to 1883 (Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history agree). The census first counted it in 1890.

First census: 178 in 18902020 census: 51143 years
Founding year: Wikidata; Wikipedia’s history section gives the same year.The full story ↓

What stands out about Forman 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 Forman Township are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.
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Start Forman Township’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Forman 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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The story

How Forman Township came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Forman Township.

Read it all →

Forman was founded in 1883 by Cornelius Forman. In 1886, the county seat was transferred to Forman from Milnor.

Until 1967, Forman was the only town in North Dakota, as all other incorporated communities were either villages or cities. It had become so by a special legal process. In that year it became a city, because the state legislature declared that all incorporated communities were to be cities without distinction of rank.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

By decade

Forman Township, decade by decade

Today26 recent
Forman, North Dakota2009Forman, North DakotaForman, North Dakota2009Forman, North DakotaForman, North Dakota2009Forman, North DakotaForman, North Dakota2009Forman, North DakotaForman, North Dakota2009Forman, North DakotaForman, North Dakota2009Forman, North DakotaForman, North Dakota2009Forman, North DakotaForman, North Dakota2009Forman, North DakotaForman, North Dakota2009Forman, North DakotaForman, North Dakota2009Forman, North DakotaForman, North Dakota2009Forman, North DakotaForman, North Dakota2009Forman, North DakotaForman, North Dakota2009Forman, North DakotaForman, North Dakota2009Forman, North DakotaForman, North Dakota2009Forman, North DakotaForman, North Dakota2009Forman, North DakotaForman, North Dakota2009Forman, North DakotaForman, North Dakota2009Forman, North DakotaForman, North Dakota2009Forman, North DakotaForman, North Dakota2009Forman, North DakotaForman, North Dakota2009Forman, North DakotaForman, North Dakota2009Forman, North DakotaForman, North Dakota2009Forman, North DakotaForman, North Dakota2009Forman, North DakotaForman, North Dakota2009Forman, North DakotaSARGENT COUNTY COURTHOUSE2007SARGENT COUNTY COURTHOUSE
On the map

Forman Township on the map, 1958 to 1986

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

Forman Township on the 1958 USGS mapForman Township on the 1986 USGS map1958Forman 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 Forman Township.

People over time

Forman Township, census by census

01002003004005006007001900192019401960198020002020Peak: 629

Between 178 and 629 people in every census since 1890.

14 censuses, 1890–2020.

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

Stories next door

History across the town line

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

Bowen TownshipIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townSargent TownshipIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townTaylor TownshipIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townRutland TownshipIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town

Questions about Forman Township’s history

What year was Forman Township founded?

In 1883, according to Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history of the town. the census of 1890 counted 178 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 (26), 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.