Hettinger County, North Dakota

{{Infobox U.S. county

| county = Hettinger County

| state = North Dakota

| ex image = Hettinger County Courthouse.jpg

| ex image cap = Hettinger County Courthouse

| seal =

| founded = March 9, 1883 (created)
April 19, 1907 (organized)

| seat wl = Mott

| largest city wl = New England

| named for = Mathias Hettinger

| area_total_sq_mi = 1134

| area_land_sq_mi = 1132

| area_water_sq_mi = 1.6

| area percentage = 0.1

| population_as_of = 2020

| population_total = 2489

| pop_est_as_of = 2022

| population_est = 2406 {{decrease}}

| population_density_sq_mi = auto

| time zone = Mountain

| web = http://www.hettingercountynd.com

| district = At-large

}}

Hettinger County ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|h|ɛ|t|ɪ|ŋ|ɡ|ər}} {{respell|HET|ing-gər}}) is a county in the U.S. state of North Dakota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 2,489.{{cite web|title=State & County QuickFacts |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/hettingercountynorthdakota/PST045222 |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=April 5, 2023}} Its county seat is Mott.{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx|access-date=June 7, 2011|title=Find a County|publisher=National Association of Counties|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx|archive-date=May 31, 2011}}

The city of Hettinger, North Dakota, is in nearby Adams County.

History

The Dakota Territory legislature created the county on March 9, 1883, with territory partitioned from Stark County. Its government was not organized at that time. The county name was chosen by territorial legislator Erastus A. Williams, to honor his father-in-law, Mathias K. Hettinger (1810-1890), who had been a banker and public figure in Freeport, Illinois. A settlement on the Cannonball River was selected as the county seat (Mott).

The county boundaries were reduced in 1885 and 1887. The county was dissolved on November 3, 1896, but was re-created on May 24, 1901, by an action of the state supreme court. This re-creation slightly altered the county's boundaries, due to the redefinition of its boundary lines: a sliver of non-county area between 46°N latitude and the south boundary line of North Dakota was added; a sliver on the west boundary was lost when the definition of the line shifted from 103°W longitude to the survey line dividing Ranges 98 and 99 (to allow the county lines to be defined by federally-surveyed lines).

Since the county's government was still unorganized, it was attached to Stark County for administrative and judicial purposes on March 10, 1903.

On April 17, 1907, the southern half of the county was partitioned off to form Adams County. On April 19 the Hettinger County governmental organization was effected and the county was administratively detached from Stark County.

=Efforts to dissolve Hettinger County=

In 1891, the North Dakota Legislature approved legislation to dissolve Hettinger County and add its territory to Stark County,{{cite web|url=http://historical-county.newberry.org/website/North_Dakota/documents/DAKs_Individual_County_Chronologies.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071111113432/http://historical-county.newberry.org/website/North_Dakota/documents/DAKs_Individual_County_Chronologies.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 11, 2007|title=Dakota Territory, South Dakota, and North Dakota: Individual County Chronologies|access-date=February 20, 2019|last=Long|first=John H.|year=2006|work=Dakota Territory Atlas of Historical County Boundaries|publisher=The Newberry Library}} but the law was vetoed by Governor Eli C. D. Shortridge.{{cite web|url=http://historical-county.newberry.org/website/North_Dakota/documents/ND_Consolidated_Chronology.htm|title=North Dakota: Consolidated Chronology of State and County Boundaries|access-date=January 31, 2008|last=Long|first=John H.|year=2006|work=North Dakota Atlas of Historical County Boundaries|publisher=The Newberry Library|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071127222529/http://historical-county.newberry.org/website/North_Dakota/documents/ND_Consolidated_Chronology.htm|archive-date=November 27, 2007}}{{cite news|title=State of Stark|publisher=Bismarck Daily Tribune|page=3|date=May 19, 1899}}

Annexation was attempted a second time in 1895, when the legislature passed legislation expanding the boundaries of Stark, Billings and Mercer Counties, subject to approval by the counties' voters.N. Dak. Laws 1895, 4th sess., ch. 25/pp. 21–23; The vote was approved, annexation went into effect November 3, 1896, and Hettinger County was eliminated. However, Wilson L. Richards, a cattle rancher in one of the annexed counties, sued to overturn the annexation because he and other landowners were now subject to taxation by Stark County. The case went to the North Dakota Supreme Court, which ruled the law unconstitutional on May 18, 1899.{{cite court|litigants=Richards v. Stark Co.|vol=8|reporter=N.D.|opinion=392}}, {{cite court|vol=79|reporter=N.W. Rep.|opinion=863|court=N.D.|date=1899}}{{cite news|title=State of Stark|publisher=Bismarck Daily Tribune|page=3|date=June 19, 1899}} The annexation remained in effect, however, due to a replacement law approved by the legislature March 9, 1899 in anticipation of the court's decision.N. Dak. Laws 1899, 6th sess., ch. 57/p. 67 The second annexation law was overturned by the Supreme Court in 1901 because the annexation was not referred to the voters of the affected counties as required by the North Dakota Constitution.{{cite court|litigants=Schaffner v. Young|vol=10|reporter=N.D.|opinion=245}}, {{cite court|vol=86|reporter=N.W. Rep.|opinion=733|court=N.D.|date=1901}}{{cite news|title=Act of 1895 and Curative Act of 1899 are Both Unconstitutional and Void.|publisher=Bismarck Daily Tribune|page=2|date=May 24, 1901}}

File:Map of Hettinger County, N.D., 1917.jpg

The Legislature passed a third annexation law in 1903, this time submitting it to the voters in Stark County and the unorganized counties of Dunn and Hettinger for approval.N. Dak. Laws 1903, 8th sess., chs. 68–69/pp. 77–80 The annexation was approved by 502 votes in Stark County and 65 votes in Hettinger County, but it failed by 1 vote in Dunn County.{{cite court|litigants=State of North Dakota v. Stark County|vol=14|reporter=N.D.|opinion=368}}, {{cite court|vol=103|reporter=N.W.|opinion=913|court=N.D.|date=1905}} Stark County claimed the annexation vote valid, since the legislation required a majority of the aggregate votes cast. However, the North Dakota Constitution required a majority vote in each affected county subject to annexation, so the state of North Dakota sued Stark County on the grounds that the enabling legislation was unconstitutional and that the "no" vote in Dunn County meant the annexation failed. The North Dakota Supreme Court ruled the 1903 law unconstitutional in 1905, which ended further attempts at annexation.

Geography

The Cannonball River flows east-southeasterly through the central part of the county. The county terrain consists of semi-arid rolling hills, mostly devoted to agriculture.{{Cite web |title=Hettinger County · North Dakota |url=https://www.google.com/maps/place/Hettinger+County,+ND/@46.3504055,-102.3714489,19210m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x5328c09501403e0f:0x9f2cf01b0d5c4125!8m2!3d46.3771987!4d-102.4557007 |access-date=2024-04-27 |website=Google Maps |language=en}} The terrain slopes to the east and south; its highest point is a hill at the northwestern corner, at {{convert|2,897|ft|m|abbr=on}} ASL.{{Cite web |url=https://www.daftlogic.com/sandbox-google-maps-find-altitude.htm |title="Find an Altitude/Hettinger County ND" Google Maps (accessed February 20, 2019) |access-date=February 21, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190521043409/https://www.daftlogic.com/sandbox-google-maps-find-altitude.htm |archive-date=May 21, 2019 |url-status=dead}} The county has a total area of {{convert|1134|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|1132|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|1.6|sqmi}} (0.1%) is water.{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_38.txt|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150129045530/http://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_38.txt|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 29, 2015|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=January 28, 2015|date=August 22, 2012|title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files}}

=Major highways=

=Adjacent counties=

Stark County (north)
Grant County (east)
Adams County (south)
Slope County (west)

=Lakes=

Source:

Dry Lake
Jung Lake
Larson Lake

Demographics

{{US Census population

|1910= 6557

|1920= 7685

|1930= 8796

|1940= 7457

|1950= 7100

|1960= 6317

|1970= 5075

|1980= 4275

|1990= 3445

|2000= 2715

|2010= 2477

|2020= 2489

|estyear=2022

|estimate=2406

|estref={{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-counties-total.html|title=Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2022|access-date=April 5, 2023}}

|align-fn=center

|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=U.S. Decennial Census|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=January 28, 2015}}
1790-1960{{cite web|url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu|title=Historical Census Browser|publisher=University of Virginia Library|access-date=January 28, 2015}} 1900-1990{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/nd190090.txt|title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990|publisher=United States Census Bureau|editor-last=Forstall|editor-first=Richard L.|date=April 20, 1995|access-date=January 28, 2015}}
1990-2000{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100327165705/http://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-date=March 27, 2010 |url-status=live|title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000|publisher=United States Census Bureau|date=April 2, 2001|access-date=January 28, 2015}} 2010-2020

}}

=2020 census=

As of the census of 2020, there were 2,489 people.

=2010 census=

As of the census of 2010, there were 2,477 people, 1,056 households, and 682 families in the county. The population density was {{convert|2.2|PD/sqmi}}. There were 1,414 housing units at an average density of {{convert|1.2|/mi2|/km2|adj=pre|units }}. The racial makeup of the county was 96.2% white, 2.1% American Indian, 0.2% black or African American, 0.1% Pacific islander, 0.0% from other races, and 1.3% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 0.5% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 71.1% were German, 15.8% were Norwegian, 6.1% were Russian, 5.9% were Czech, 5.4% were Irish, 5.3% were Hungarian, and 3.2% were American.

Of the 1,056 households, 22.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.6% were married couples living together, 4.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 35.4% were non-families, and 33.1% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.75. The median age was 49.4 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $38,393 and the median income for a family was $49,605. Males had a median income of $33,155 versus $26,549 for females. The per capita income for the county was $24,928. About 8.2% of families and 11.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.3% of those under age 18 and 13.1% of those age 65 or over.

=Population by decade=

Colors=

id:lightgrey value:gray(0.9)

id:darkgrey value:gray(0.8)

id:sfondo value:rgb(1,1,1)

id:barra value:rgb(0.55,0.0,0.0)

ImageSize = width:600 height:300

PlotArea = left:50 bottom:50 top:30 right:30

DateFormat = x.y

Period = from:0 till:8800

TimeAxis = orientation:vertical

AlignBars = late

ScaleMajor = gridcolor:darkgrey increment:2200 start:0

ScaleMinor = gridcolor:lightgrey increment:1100 start:0

BackgroundColors = canvas:sfondo

BarData=

bar:1910 text:1910

bar:1920 text:1920

bar:1930 text:1930

bar:1940 text:1940

bar:1950 text:1950

bar:1960 text:1960

bar:1970 text:1970

bar:1980 text:1980

bar:1990 text:1990

bar:2000 text:2000

bar:2010 text:2010

bar:2020 text:2020

bar:2022 text:present

PlotData=

color:barra width:25 align:left

bar:1910 from: 0 till:6557

bar:1920 from: 0 till:7685

bar:1930 from: 0 till:8796

bar:1940 from: 0 till:7457

bar:1950 from: 0 till:7100

bar:1960 from: 0 till:6317

bar:1970 from: 0 till:5075

bar:1980 from: 0 till:4275

bar:1990 from: 0 till:3445

bar:2000 from: 0 till:2715

bar:2010 from: 0 till:2477

bar:2020 from: 0 till:2489

bar:2022 from: 0 till:2406 color:darkblue

PlotData=

bar:1910 at:6557 fontsize:S text:6557 shift:(-14,5)

bar:1920 at:7685 fontsize:S text:7685 shift:(-14,5)

bar:1930 at:8796 fontsize:S text:8796 shift:(-14,5)

bar:1940 at:7457 fontsize:S text:7457 shift:(-14,5)

bar:1950 at:7100 fontsize:S text:7100 shift:(-14,5)

bar:1960 at:6317 fontsize:S text:6317 shift:(-14,5)

bar:1970 at:5075 fontsize:S text:5075 shift:(-14,5)

bar:1980 at:4275 fontsize:S text:4275 shift:(-14,5)

bar:1990 at:3445 fontsize:S text:3445 shift:(-14,5)

bar:2000 at:2715 fontsize:S text:2715 shift:(-14,5)

bar:2010 at:2477 fontsize:S text:2477 shift:(-14,5)

bar:2020 at:2489 fontsize:S text:2489 shift:(-14,5)

bar:2022 at:2406 fontsize:S text:2406 shift:(-14,5)

TextData=

fontsize:S pos:(20,20)

text:Data from U.S. Census Bureau

Communities

=Cities=

Mott (county seat)
New England
Regent

=Unincorporated community=

Bentley
Burt

=Townships=

=Defunct townships=

Source:{{Cite web|url=http://www.census.gov/popest/geographic/boundary_changes/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041001053602/http://www.census.gov/popest/geographic/boundary_changes/|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 1, 2004|title=Population Estimates Boundary Changes|date=October 1, 2004|access-date=April 12, 2018}}

Alden
Indian Creek Township

Politics

Hettinger County voters have traditionally voted Republican. In only one national election since 1936 has the county selected the Democratic Party candidate.

{{PresHead|place=Hettinger County, North Dakota|source={{cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS|title=Atlas of US Presidential Elections|last=Leip|first=David|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=April 12, 2018}}}}

Gallery

File:Bentley, North Dakota church.jpg|Church building in Bentley

File:Neuberg_Congregational_Church.JPG|Neuburg Congregational Church

References

External links

[http://www.hettingercountynd.com/ Hettinger County official website]
[http://digitalhorizonsonline.org/cdm/compoundobject/collection/ndsl-books/id/40086/rec/1 50th anniversary, Hettinger County, North Dakota :a tribute to our pioneers : 50 years of progress (1957)] from the [http://digitalhorizonsonline.org/ Digital Horizons website]
[https://www.dot.nd.gov/docs/maps/base-maps/counties/hettinger.pdf Hettinger County map], North Dakota DOT

{{Geographic Location

|Centre = Hettinger County, North Dakota

|North = Stark County

|East = Grant County

|South = Adams County

|West = Slope County

}}

{{Coord|46|26|N|102|26|W|type:adm2nd_region:US-ND|display=title}}

Category:1907 establishments in North Dakota

Category:Populated places established in 1907

Category:1883 establishments in Dakota Territory

Category:1896 disestablishments in North Dakota