Cecil Township, Bottineau County, North Dakota

Cecil Township
Township
Location of Cecil Township
Location of Cecil Township
Coordinates: 48°40′32″N 100°12′41″W / 48.67556°N 100.21139°W / 48.67556; -100.21139[1]
CountryUnited States
StateNorth Dakota
CountyBottineau
Organized1910
Area
[2]
 • Total
35.35 sq mi (91.6 km2)
 • Land35.19 sq mi (91.1 km2)
 • Water0.16 sq mi (0.4 km2)
Elevation
[1]
1,535 ft (468 m)
Population
 (2000)[2]
 • Total
28
 • Density0.8/sq mi (0.3/km2)
Time zoneUTC-6 (Central (CST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-5 (CDT)
Area code701
FIPS code38-009-13060[3]
GNIS feature ID1759269[4]

Cecil Township is a civil township in Bottineau County in the U.S. state of North Dakota. As of the 2000 census, its population was 28.[6]

Geography

Cecil Township is located in survey township 160N, Range 74W.[5]

Streams

  • Miller Creek
  • Willow Creek

History

Cecil Township was organized in 1910 from Lincoln School Township.[5]

The Soo Line Railroad was a major transportation route in the township. Overly, North Dakota in the eastern part of the township was a railroad hub, including a roundhouse for servicing locomotives. Overly also served as a way station for rail crews traveling east and west.[7]

In 1908 railroad officials established a second siding 5 miles (8.0 km) west of the city of Overly, and named the site Tasco ("clay earth"). It was reportedly named after the town of Tasco in Sheridan County, Kansas. Grain elevators were constructed and operated at the site, but the area saw little development.[8] Tasco is located at 48°41′14″N 100°15′18″W / 48.68722°N 100.25500°W / 48.68722; -100.25500 (Tasco, North Dakota).[9]

French settlers moved to Cecil Township around 1900 and established a small community about 4 miles (6.4 km) south of Overly that they named Little Fargo. The settlers originally moved to the area from Wild Rice, then a French settlement near Fargo. Settlers built a church they called the "Mission of St. Genevieve," which was moved to Overly in 1921.[10] Today, all that remains of Little Fargo is its cemetery, located at 48°38′39″N 100°11′20″W / 48.6441°N 100.1890°W / 48.6441; -100.1890 (Little Fargo Cemetery).[11]

Schools

  • Cote School No 2
  • Lincoln School No. 2 (Abandoned)

Cities and populated places

References

  1. ^ a b "Township of Cecil". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  2. ^ a b U.S. Census Bureau. Census 2000, Summary File 1. "GCT-PH1. Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2000 - County -- Subdivision and Place". American FactFinder. <http://factfinder2.census.gov>. Retrieved January 31, 2008. {{cite web}}: External link in |work= (help)
  3. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  4. ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  5. ^ a b c U.S. Census Bureau (1913). "Number of Inhabitants, North Dakota" (PDF). Thirteenth Census of the United States: 1910. Government Printing Office. p. 324. Retrieved July 20, 2008.
  6. ^ U.S. Census Bureau. Census 2000. "Census Demographic Profiles, Cecil Township" (PDF). CenStats Databases. Retrieved January 31, 2009.[dead link‍]
  7. ^ Brovald, Ken C. (1999). Silent Towns on the Prairie: North Dakota's Disappearing Towns and Farms. Missoula, Montana: Pictorial Histories Publishing Co. pp. 79–80. ISBN 1-57510-048-7. OCLC 41545361.
  8. ^ Wick, Douglas A. (1988). North Dakota Place Names. Hedemarken Collectibles. p. 191. ISBN 0-9620968-0-6.
  9. ^ "Tasco, North Dakota". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  10. ^ Sherman, William C. (1983). Pairie Mosaic: An Ethnic Atlas of Rural North Dakota. Fargo, North Dakota: North Dakota Institute for Regional Studies. p. 64. ISBN 0-911042-27-X. OCLC 256228966.
  11. ^ "Little Fargo Cemetery". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.