Many settlements came into being in the ensuing years after the 1879 Territorial Legislature. Two of them being "Thule" and "Hope." The two communities though separated by 17 miles and later by a state line, shared a common bond in that they were both of Dutch descent and of the Reformed faith. In 1884 Henry Van Beek opened the first country store on Section 4, Township 129, Range 76 in the center of Hope. He then applied for the U.S. Post Office but was informed there was already a post office by the name of Hope, so the name Westfield was chosen. The Post Office was established on February 18, 1888, with Henry Van Beek as Postmaster. The town was named for Westfield, Iowa, former home of some of the local residents. The town never incorporated. At one time Westfield had, besides the U.S. Post Office, a church (Hope Reformed Church) (Page 92), school, telephone central office, a blacksmith shop, and a service station. Because of their Dutch ancestry, Westfield was often called the "wooden shoe" or "dutch shoe" community. The Post Office was discontinued in 1964, and mail sent to Hague. The church, still [1988] the social center of the area, is all that remains of the business district.
More Westfield History (Emmons County History - 1976 (Page 92) Westfield in Pictures of Small North Dakota Towns |