The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1889-09-12
w IA IL i IL i ON {,
Is Geographically Located to
Make a City, Having the
Soil and Surrounding
Advantages.
M. T. Rich Located the Gate.
way City in 1869, it taking
the name of Cha.
hinkapa,
But was Changed to Wahpe.
ton in 1873 and the Great
Indian Reservation
Thrown Open.
In 1869 MIR. Rich and Hon.
EnoS StutSman Outlined
and Named Richland
County.
First Store in ia, Second in
10, and 80 Brought Men
and Capital.
RAILWAY IN 1851 and GREAT PROSPERITY,

"A stereoscopic view of this 'grcat
upper country" northwest of the
Twin Cities naturally leads to Wah-
peton as especially favored for
the establishment of distribut-
ing point, and in truth would in
dicato that it is destined to become
even more than has ever been ap-
parent to the casual observer, the
GATEWAY CITY
to the superb Dakotahs! Away
back in the early days, say
the forties and the lifties and tho
sixties the stage coach and the ma
tive two wheeled cart, plying he.
tween st. Paul and the unknown
interior and especially Fort Gerry,
nearly 300 miles north of here on
the Red river and GO miles beyond
the boundary line, touched at the
confluence of the Ottertail and Bois
des Sioux rivers, forming the famous
Red River of the North, where now
stands the proud Wahpeton on the
west side and her sister city Breck-
enrldge ON the the east side of the
Sioux, both in fact being on the
west side of the Ottertail the Sioux
being the dividing line between
Minnesota and Dakota. It was at
the confluence of these streams that
the first flat boats were built and
from which point they carried sup
plies to the pioneers and pioneer
villages and U. S. forts settling
along the Red River, even extend
ing to Fort Gerry into the Canadian
northwest, as these needs outgrew
the capacity Of the stage lines and
carts mentioned. Thus it is seen
that Chahinkapa, the native ap-
pellation meaning the end of the
Big Woods, has long borne marked
distinction; was the pride of and
lettering grounds of the Aboriginee,
prior to the advent of civilization.
Through the latter sixties people
settled along the streams Of the
country and portions Of what is now
ltlchland county, and IN the spring
of 1869 M. Il. Rich located a claim
right at the confluence of the rivers
above mentioned, and taking his
bearings from surveyors stakes on
the Minnesota side, found that
natural advantages admitted of a
chance to locate the Gateway City
at the confluence of these streams,
rendering such quarter section very
valuable in case it were possible to
carry out the opportunities nature
had so admirably provided. it
being known that the St. Paul &
Pacific, (now the st. p. NJ. & MY
railway was headed for this point,
at once erected sod shanty in
which he made his home to 1871,
putting in his time from '69 to ~
working for milling company,
Messrs. Burbank, Wilder & Nc
Caulcy, located at McCauleyville,
opposite to Fort Abercrombie. And
it was while passing Chahinkapa
or Richville with a drive of saw
logs that he ran enough timber up
the Bois des Sioux to build him a
house, it being apparent that the
cunning white man was headed this
way, and that unless his claim was
held down it would be jumped,
erected q log house, AXIS, and the
St. Paul & Pacific having reached
the Rabbit River. near Campbell,
sent for Mrs. Rich, who had not
ventured into this country from
Red Wing. Minnesota, and meeting
her at Morris came on, and taking
) up their home where now stands