Cass County

Cass County is flanked on its eastern border by the Red River of the North. Created by retreating glaciers, Cass County is known for its exceptionally flat topography and fertile soils. Archaeological evidence indicates that the county was home to Paleo-Indian groups as far back as 9,000 years ago. More recently, many different Native American nations foraged and hunted bison in the region. Dakota Territory was created in 1861, and Cass County was organized in 1873 with Fargo recognized as the county seat in 1875. The county is named for George Washington Cass, a former president of the Northern Pacific Railroad, which entered the county in 1872. Cass County is famous for agriculture and its bonanza farms, enormous commercial wheat farms unique to the Red River valley from the 1870s to the 1890s.

Cass County displays the county’s rich history with more than 200 photographs that date from around the 1880s to the 1960s. Tim Hoheisel is an author, national award–winning historian, and former executive director of the Cass County Historical Society. Andrew R. Nielsen is currently the assistant curator of the Cass County Historical Society.