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McKenzie County NDGenWeb is a free genealogical site about the history of the county. It is a member of NDGenWeb, which is a member of USGenWeb®. We hope you find helpful clues for your research of McKenzie County ancestors.

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State Coordinator: Michelle Savre

Assistant State Coordinator: Linda Ziemann

COUNTY FORMATION

McKenzie County was originally created from Howard County in 1883. It was named after Alexander McKenzie, an early North Dakota politician. In 1885, the east end of the county became part of newly created Dunn County. From 1896-1901 McKenzie County became part of Billings County. The county was reformed in 1901, and the last boundary change for McKenzie County occurred in 1905.

In 1905 only one new county, McKenzie, was created. McKenzie county was bounded on the west by the western boundary of the state; on the north, by the Missouri river; on the south, by the eleventh standard parallel; and on the east by a line described as follows: beginning at the intersection of the eleventh standard parallel with the line between ranges 97 and 98; thence north along the line between ranges 97 and 98 to the twelfth standard parallel; thence east along the twelfth standard parallel to its intersection with the line between ranges 93 and 94; thence north along the line between ranges 93 and 94 to the Missouri river. The new McKenzie county was comprised of territory formerly included in Allred, Wallace, and the old McKenzie county."

Collections of the State Historical Society of North Dakota, Volume V, 1923

Watford City is the County Seat.