Dogtooth, North Dakota
Encyclopedia
Dogtooth is a ghost town
in Grant County
, North Dakota
, United States
. It was so named because the shape of the nearby butte
s resembled the molars
of a dog
's lower jaw. The town was located in Section 11 of survey township
T133 North, Range 85 West.
in the area. A post office was established and operated by Robert Pearce March 20, 1900. The November 26, 1909, edition of the Mandan Pioneer
reported that Dogtooth had "a great out look for a thriving metropolis as the Milwaukee have surveyed a town near where Dogtooth now stands . . . this part of the country is settled with people who will do all in their power to make it a good town as they will certainly appreciate so near a town after having to haul their grain fifty and sixty miles to a railroad." The Pioneer on April 8, 1910, described the new town of Raleigh
, located just two miles to the east along the Milwaukee Railroad with "a few buildings have already been built, including a store and blacksmith shop. The population is mixed, largely Scandinavian."
In 1910 Charles Leonard, who operated a store in Dogtooth, moved his business to Raleigh and opened a post office that October. Dogtooth slowly died out as Raleigh grew. The Carson Press
reported on January 12, 1911, about Mr. Leonard's decision to move his store and establish a post office in Raleigh, suggesting that this move put "the finishing touches on Dogtooth."
Ghost town
A ghost town is an abandoned town or city. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economic activity that supported it has failed, or due to natural or human-caused disasters such as floods, government actions, uncontrolled lawlessness, war, or nuclear disasters...
in Grant County
Grant County, North Dakota
-Major highways:* North Dakota Highway 21* North Dakota Highway 31* North Dakota Highway 49-National protected areas:*Cedar River National Grassland *Pretty Rock National Wildlife Refuge-Demographics:...
, North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It was so named because the shape of the nearby butte
Butte
A butte is a conspicuous isolated hill with steep, often vertical sides and a small, relatively flat top; it is smaller than mesas, plateaus, and table landform tables. In some regions, such as the north central and northwestern United States, the word is used for any hill...
s resembled the molars
Molar (tooth)
Molars are the rearmost and most complicated kind of tooth in most mammals. In many mammals they grind food; hence the Latin name mola, "millstone"....
of a dog
Dog
The domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...
's lower jaw. The town was located in Section 11 of survey township
Survey township
Survey township, sometimes called Congressional township, as used by the United States Public Land Survey System, refers to a square unit of land, that is nominally six miles on a side...
T133 North, Range 85 West.
History
Dogtooth was first established in 1876 as a station along the Deadwood - Bismarck Trail. The station closed in 1880 when the Northern Pacific Railroad was completed, but settlers continued to homesteadHomestead (buildings)
A homestead is either a single building, or collection of buildings grouped together on a large agricultural holding, such as a ranch, station or a large agricultural operation of some other designation.-See also:* Farm house* Homestead Act...
in the area. A post office was established and operated by Robert Pearce March 20, 1900. The November 26, 1909, edition of the Mandan Pioneer
Mandan, North Dakota
As of the census of 2000, there were 16,718 people, 6,647 households, and 4,553 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,642.8 per square mile . There were 6,958 housing units at an average density of 683.7 per square mile...
reported that Dogtooth had "a great out look for a thriving metropolis as the Milwaukee have surveyed a town near where Dogtooth now stands . . . this part of the country is settled with people who will do all in their power to make it a good town as they will certainly appreciate so near a town after having to haul their grain fifty and sixty miles to a railroad." The Pioneer on April 8, 1910, described the new town of Raleigh
Raleigh, North Dakota
Raleigh is a census-designated place in Grant County, North Dakota, United States. An unincorporated community, it was designated as part of the U.S. Census Bureau's Participant Statistical Areas Program on March 31, 2010...
, located just two miles to the east along the Milwaukee Railroad with "a few buildings have already been built, including a store and blacksmith shop. The population is mixed, largely Scandinavian."
In 1910 Charles Leonard, who operated a store in Dogtooth, moved his business to Raleigh and opened a post office that October. Dogtooth slowly died out as Raleigh grew. The Carson Press
Carson, North Dakota
As of the census of 2000, there were 319 people, 154 households, and 83 families residing in the city. The population density was 79.4 people per square mile . There were 201 housing units at an average density of 50.1 per square mile . The racial makeup of the city was 96.87% White, 1.25% from...
reported on January 12, 1911, about Mr. Leonard's decision to move his store and establish a post office in Raleigh, suggesting that this move put "the finishing touches on Dogtooth."