Milnor

Milnor Officially Named in 1883 City records show that the name honored William Edward Milnor, the first telegrapher at the Milnor Station, and WM Milnor Roberts, a famous civil engineer of the day. Written History on the City of Milnor During the summer of 1863, Sibley's army camped on the shores of Storm Lake (Camp Buel), little knowing that twenty years later the town of Milnor would be settled there. The Northern Pacific Railroad was the first to enter Sargent County, being built from Wahpeton to Linton, a point about three miles east of where the City of Milnor is now located. When platting of the railroad could not be negotiated with a Linton settler, Northern Pacific officials sent their surveyor to plat a townsite near the center of Section 9, Township 132, Range 54, in what is now Milnor Township. The railroad was extended to that location and the buildings at Linton were transported on wagons to the end of the line in August 1883. The town thus located, and the township in which it was located, were named Milnor. The office of the Northern Pacific and the North Dakota Historical Society were not clear as for whom the City of Milnor was named. City records show that the name honored William Edward Milnor, the first telegrapher at the Milnor Station, and W M Milnor Roberts, a famous civil engineer of the day. On January 1884, the Sargent County Teller reported Milnor now had between 300 - 400 inhabitants and a variety of different businesses along it's main street. Milnor became a town officially on July 8, 1884. The first election for town officers was held on July 21, 1884. In 1914, Milnor became a city with L W. Intlehouse as the first Mayor and on June, a 75 foot flagpole was erected on what is now Main and 5th Avenue. Everyone who grew up in Milnor remembers the flagpole. In November of 1929, talkies were installed in the Iris Theater. Many people from the Milnor area remember the "Galloping Goose" passenger train that served Milnor for many years. Proceedings of March 24th, 1914 A petition having been filed to submit the question of whether or not the incorporated Town of Milnor, Sergeant County, North Dakota, shall be incorporated as a City under the General Law. Now therefore, Harley Christopherson, made the motion that the President of the Board of Trustees of the Town of Milnor be instructed to call an election according to law and conformity with said petition, which motion carried unanimously. Motion made and seconded that Phil Dietzler, Anton Berger and A. Summerfield act as judges and E. H. Intlehouse and Anton Nelson act as clerks of the election aforesaid, with carried unanimously. Motion and seconded that the elction as called for in the petition on file and in conformity with motion herein shall be held Tuesday, the 21st day of April, 1914 in the fire hall in the Town of Milnor, Sergeant County, North Dakota which carried unanimously. Signed by the board of Trustees of the Town of Milnor, Sergeant County, North Dakota and attested by the Clerk of said Town this 21st day of April 1914. Attest: Otto Miller, Clerk Lavus W. Intlehouse, President Chas A. Hanson Harley Christopherson