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Excerpt From "DAUNTLESS DUNN - 1970" Author Unknown  Early in October 1914, construction of the Mandan-Killdeer branch line of the Northern Pacific Railroad Company stopped on the Northwest quarter of Section 23, Township 145, Range 95. This parcel of land and the West half of the Northeast quarter is the original townsite and at one time was in the huge land grant given to the Northern Pacific Railroad Company by the Congress of the United States on July 2nd, 1864. The purpose of the land grant was to enable the railroad company to sell the land to investors and settlers to provide the financing necessary for building a railway to the Pacific.
Prior to the coming of the railroad, the homesteaders in this area were getting mail service from Brooks Post Office [Postmaster was Emma M. Brooks, wife of Walter P. Brooks] located on the homestead of W. P. Brooks to the North of the original townsite. This land is now [1970] known as the Brooks Addition to the City of Killdeer. Mr. Brooks was the first Clerk of Court of Dunn County.
It is not quite certain how the name of the townsite was chosen or who named it. It‘s proximity to the historic Killdeer Mountains to the north and west is no doubt the reason. A post office was established in 1911, named Killdeer, on the Isaac Tift [the postmaster was his wife, Ida] homestead in the southeast corner of Section 24, Township 147, Range 96. Mail came from Oakdale three times weekly. A number of early arrivals had already established themselves in business even before the rails were laid, and the site surveyed and platted. One of the first of these was John Malmstad who bought grain, weighed it on a platform scale on the open prairie, and piled it on the ground waiting the arrival of the railroad. Others were Reed Brothers, of Dickinson, who opened a branch store; Hanke and Coombes, Hardware; Morris Ruder of Manning, a branch “general" store.
The rush to the newly platted townsite really started after November 12, 1914, when lots were offered for sale by the Tuttle Land Company, Alf 0. Nelson, Agent. Others coming from Manning were D. J. Price, who built what is now the Killdeer Hotel. He established the Price Furniture Store, and also an undertaker‘s parlor. He sold the building in 1920 to the Clyde Smith‘s of Oakdale converting the interior to a hotel. Perry Marker, Deering Farm Equipment; Harvey Owens, Banker; Dr. and Mrs. Oscar Smith; Mr. & Mrs. Thomas G. Johnson, Atty, E. K. Jenkins. publisher of the Killdeer Tribune first issued on October 9. 1914; I. L. Doherty, publisher, founder of the present day [1970] Killdeer Herald. Heaton of Dickinson, lumber yard, Clarence Gudgel, Manager; Mandan Mercantile Co. Lumber yard; C. E. Peterson, Manager; Dunham Lumber Co., C. C. Tweed, Mgr. Mr. Tweed died during the 1918 influenza epidemic, and was replaced by Fred Oberg. Prchal and Dolezal Blacksmith shop; Reiter and Bodwin, Blacksmith shop. Mrs. Bodwin operated a restaurant later in the building now known as the Killdeer Coffee Shop. L. R. Gilbert. One of her specialties was "Hungarian Goulash." The Shannon Hotel built and operated by Jack Whetstone who was soon to become the first mayor of the village. Albert Linn who built and operated a livery stable; Marshall-Malaise Lumber yard, G. A. Boetcher, Mgr; the Killdeer Equity Elevator, S. V. McCarthy the first manager. 0. H. Larson was secretary of the board of directors
who later became the manager, he also served as postmaster for a number of years. The Occident elevator, H. P. Hendrickson as manager is now the Peavey grain division. R. S. Davidson, Elevator and flour mill was also ably assisted by Fred Spath. The Northwestern State Bank of Oakdale, North Dakota with A. B. Curry. Cashier, and Albert E. Lubke, assistant. The bank building, a frame structure, was moved to the townsite as well as Curry's house. R. H. Poff joined the bank staff later. Today's Bank of Killdeer is the result of several mergers and stock purchases. E. W. Jones, a farmer druggist from Sisseton, South Dakota, who had homesteaded on land north of Killdeer and ranched, built a drug store, called the Killdeer Drug, with living quarters on the second floor. His brother-in-law, Fred Hollingsworth came here from Chicago, forming a partnership in the firm.
Jones sold his interest in the firm later to Hollingsworth. Another first was the Motor Inn, built and operated by Charles Maas, Joe Hoye, Sr. and Chris Figeuskau bought him out in 1916. Figeuskau sold his interest to Hoye, who later sold out to L. C. Ross. It is now known as the Motor Implement with Roy Boomer owner and operator. John Deere Agency. Figeuskau operated the Standard
Oil Bulk Station for about 10 years upon his return from War. L. B. Kuykendahl moved in from his ranch to build a home and a pool hall. Wils Norred, built and operated a hotel by that name. His wife was appointed postmaster with the post office in the building. Fire destroyed the frame structure in October of 1918 and was never rebuilt. Other ranchers in the area built substantial homes in town for their families to provide them with educational and religious facilities during the school year. Mr. and Mrs. T. G. Saunders, now [1970] living in California, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Monroe, Sr. (Mrs. Anna Gould Monroe) living in Killdeer, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Wilcox, Mr. and Mrs. A. E. Lawhead, A. G. Elfstrom. Others who bought homes are Mr. and Mrs. Tom Christensen, Mr. and Mrs. Rasmus Jensen, Mr. and Mrs. Sam Rhodes, Mrs. Rhodes living in Killdeer with her son Richard, who is postmaster at the present time [1970]. Sam built and operated a livery stable here, maintaining a string of his favorite saddle horses for himself and others. Sam was a well known rodeo promoter and arena director in this area. Some of the pioneer business and professional people who are living in Killdeer are Mrs. Clara Malmstad, Mrs. Elizabeth Wetsch, Mrs. Matilda
Meredith, Mr. and Mrs. Adolph Wetsch, Mrs. Helen Dolezal, Mrs. Mary Prchal, Mr. and Mrs. Earl David, Mrs. Idah Edwards, Dr. and Mrs. Oscar Smith, living in Dickinson; Mrs. Laura Doherty, Dickinson; D. J. Price. Florida; Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Poff, Oregon; Mrs. Ralph Kopp, California; Howard Ellsworth, Montana; Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Peterson, Oregon; Mr. and Mrs. Robert Clement, Oregon; Mrs. Kate Shaffer Lubke, Mandan; Mrs. Fred Oberg, Elgin; Mrs. Anne Boyer Hulsether,
Willmar, Minnesota; A. J. and Cora Christerson Palmer, Bismarck; A. F. and Frances Seidl, Killdeer; Mr. and Mrs. Jim Olijnyk, Killdeer; Mr. and Mrs. John Zimbrick, Killdeer: Mr. and Mrs. H. M. Weydahl, Killdeer.
A host of other well known names contributing to the growth and development in the early days are: Dr. Fred Neil, Dentist; A. L. Pastoret, Dentist; Dr. Plant; M. O. Ray Pinkham, Attorney; Frank A. Cleveland, C. J. Ranney, Chas. Burda, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Funk, Hugh McGowan, Rev. Webster Clement, Rev. John Ziegler, Rev. Fr. Krank, Rev. Fr. Weigand, Rev. Ralph Conrad, Rose Sullivan, Murle Hill, Mable Gould, Paul Busenbark, Miriam Gayner, C. E. Christerson, Mr. and Mrs. E. L. Marsh, Mr. and Mrs. George L. Grayson, Sr., Mr. Chris
J. Kunz, John Gunderson, J. Grant Kooker, Mr. and Mrs. Joe Hoye, Jr., Mr. and Mrs. Jack Jesty, Mr. and Mrs. Joe J. Zankl, the Covlin Bros. (Carl and Mark), C. R. Meredith, Mr. and Mrs. A. L. Washburn Mr. and Mrs. 0. S. Hougen, Mr. and Mrs. A. B. Lonien, Joe Oukrop and his sons, Lawrence and Sylvia Oukrop Malmstad, Frank and Edna Wierson Oukrop, Senester and Florence Rhoade‘s Anderson, Wetsch Brothers (Anton & Adolph).
In 1915, one year after the railroad came, 700 people had moved to town. There were three banks, three hotels, two drug stores, two tailor shops, a bakery, a dime store, two harnessshops, a shoe shop, six restaurants, three pool halls, two barber shops, two blacksmith shops, one mortician, a furniture store, one dentist, two doctors,
two lawyers, four lumber yards, a millenery shop, two livery stables, three churches, two meat markets, three general stores, two newspapers, two hardware stores, five grain elevators, two farm equipment dealers, several dray lines, one garage, several building contractors, etc.. etc.
The town held its first 4th of July celebration in 1915. Coming in from the ranch where I [unknown] was working by saddle horse, the weather was awful; rain, snow, sleet, windy and cold. I [unknown] had to wear a sheepskin coat, cap, chaps, and gloves to keep warm and dry. I [unknown] also came in with one of the first beef cattle shipments to go out of Killdeer that fall.
Another never to be forgotten recollection of the past was the sight of hundreds of wagons and teams loaded with grain coming to town from all directions. Surely these pioneers have left a priceless heritage. The town had more than it‘s share of disastrous fires, also, through the years, slowing down progress. but never stopping it!
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