RAILROADS

Northwest Minnesota faced challenges in building a positive reputation during the late 1870s. General Hazen, a scientific authority on the upper Midwest, reported in 1872 that the Red River Valley was "a barren waste." The following year, a sudden snowstorm caused the death of 70 people and left hundreds with frostbite. Ninety-four people were so severely affected that the state appropriated $5,000 for their relief. Additionally, the first of five locust swarms devastated all vegetation.

However, amidst these difficulties, the train finally arrived! On October 22, 1879, at 3 p.m., the first train reached Nashville, also known as East Grand Forks. On January 13, 1880, eight flat cars successfully crossed the Red River into Grand Forks. After having only a temporary depot, the Northern Pacific finally opened an official depot in 1887.

Ruby on the Red: East Grand Forks, Minnesota by Dr. Stephen B. Sylvester. East Grand Forks Centennial Committee East Grand Forks, Minnesota 1988. A Meeting of the Reds, Vol. 1