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Benson County, North Dakota

67 topographic sheets cover 24 settlements here, and 6 properties are on the National Register of Historic Places.

Research this county

From the record

6 National Register listings published here.

Sources: the National Register database, National Park Service

North Dakota within the United States
Benson County within North Dakota

What the record shows

  • 209 topographic sheet readings cover the county's settlements.
  • 6 properties here are on the National Register of Historic Places: 5 buildings and 1 structure.
  • 3 of the 6 listings were added during the 1970s.
  • The Geographic Names Information System records 24 populated places in this county; 24 are covered by at least one topographic sheet.

Places on the National Register

6

Every property in this county listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with the year it was listed and the federal nomination document.

Photograph PropertyType ListedReference
Benson County Courthousebuilding197878001988
Fort Tottenbuilding197171000629
Grace Episcopal Churchbuilding199494001072
Pierson Farmbuilding198585001939
Viking Lutheran Churchbuilding197979001768
West Antelope Bridgestructure199797000171

Wildfire, 1992 to 2020

6,861 fires

Every wildfire the federal occurrence database records inside this county: 6,861 of them, burning about 36,169 acres. 9 started naturally and 6,379 were recorded as arson. Each settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it.

Reported cause Fires
Arson/incendiarism6379
Debris and open burning313
Fireworks62
Missing data/not specified/undetermined51
Equipment and vehicle use18
Misuse of fire by a minor14
Natural9
Other causes7
Smoking4
Power generation/transmission/distribution2
Recreation and ceremony2

The five largest, by the area the report gives. Every one of them was set deliberately.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
14 April 2008Arson/incendiarism1,900 acresFort Totten Agency104
16 April 2006Arson/incendiarism1,303 acresDevil's Lake Wetland Management DistrictBROWN WF
1 November 1999Arson/incendiarism1,190 acresFort Totten AgencyLD2305
15 May 2014Arson/incendiarism640 acresFort Totten AgencyOBERON
13 May 1996Arson/incendiarism630 acresDevil's Lake Wetland Management DistrictWARWICK
18 April 2007Arson/incendiarism489 acresFort Totten Agency181
14 April 2006Arson/incendiarism480 acresDevil's Lake Wetland Management DistrictHAY PRAIRIE
12 April 2003Arson/incendiarism475 acresFort Totten AgencyLD2706

Every settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it - see the settlement index below.

Storms, 1958 to 2026

60 of 551 shown

The NOAA Storm Events Database holds 551 reports for this county, causing no deaths, no injuries and about $14,873,250 in recorded property damage. Each settlement page carries the reports that name it.

Kind of event Reports
Hail297
Thunderstorm Wind152
Tornado49
Flood25
Flash Flood21
Funnel Cloud6
Heavy Rain1

The most serious of them, by death, then injury, then recorded damage. The accounts are quoted exactly as the forecast office filed them.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
June 2005Thunderstorm WindEsmond$6,450,000Downburst winds and tornadoes tore down 31 miles of 230 kV power transmission lines crossing far eastern Pierce and western Benson counties. The 25 mile section from the Pierce county line to 2 miles northwest of Minnewaukan was blown down between 5:00 am to 5:20 am CDT by winds of 90 to 110 mph. The Great River Power Company estimated property loss in Benson county at $6.45 million.
June 2009FloodLeeds$2,000,000no account filed
July 2009FloodLeeds$2,000,000no account filed
August 2000Thunderstorm WindFt Totten$1,000,000Wind damage also occurred around the Fort Totten area. Several planned housing developments under construction sustained heavy damage. The Spirit Lake Casino also reported some damage.
June 2005Thunderstorm WindLeeds$600,000A large 80,000 bushel grain bin was blown down at the BTR elevator complex near the Niles railroad spur. A grain dryer and several smaller hopper bottom bins were also blown over.
August 2001Tornado (F2)Maddock$300,000A grain elevator was heavily damaged and will likely be shut down for the rest of the year. Many trees were uprooted and a camper was overturned. 1.5 miles of powerline was blown down with 24 poles snapped.
September 2019Flash FloodMaddock$250,000Over 2 inches of rain fell in less than an hour, flooding streets and intersections.
July 2011FloodLeeds$250,000no account filed
August 2011FloodLeeds$250,000no account filed
July 1984Tornado (F1)not stated$250,000no account filed
May 1974Tornado (F2)not stated$250,000no account filed
June 2017Thunderstorm WindMinnewaukan$240,000A deputy reported 18 to 20 power poles snapped along the highway west of Minnewauken. An accompanying photo showed a damage pattern associated with an apparent microburst with very strong outflow. Peak winds were estimated at 110 mph.
June 2017Tornado (EF2)Knox$200,000This tornado and corresponding rear flank downdraft wind produced widespread dust, which greatly reduced the visibility. Numerous ash, poplar, cottonwood, and evergreen trees were snapped or uprooted in shelterbelts and groves along its path. Peak winds of 119 mph were measured by a mobile system.
June 2011FloodLeeds$200,000no account filed
July 2020FloodMinnewaukan$100,000Portions of highway 281 and highway 2 were flooded, along with local county and township roads. Basement flooding was reported in Leeds, Minnewaukan, and Maddock.
July 2008Thunderstorm WindTokio$100,000Several large twelve to fourteen inch diameter trees were blown down or uprooted along Black Tiger Bay. Some trees fell on vehicles and campers in the area.
July 2018Tornado (EF2)Warwick$50,000This tornado began in Eddy County at 0129 am CST, with about half its total path length occurring in Eddy County. The total path length was about three miles. The tornado likely initiated in a bowing section of a squall line and passed just east of Warwick. Multiple power poles were snapped on both north and south sides of highway 20. Large trees were snapped in and around Warwick. Metal sheathing was torn off a grain cleaning structure. Peak winds were estimated at 115 mph.
June 2008Thunderstorm WindMaddock$50,000The trained spotter reported a lot of dust on the leading edge of the storm and a prominent shelf cloud.
June 2008Thunderstorm WindOberon$50,000A rolling dust storm preceded the wind.
June 2008HailMaddock$50,000The hail was reported by a North Dakota ARB observer. Several sections of cropland received damage across Hesper and North Viking townships.
August 2001Tornado (F2)Maddock$50,000The tornado began northwest of Maddock and travelled along a path intermittently to near Flora and near Oberon. A 40x60 foot metal shed was demolished. About 2 miles northeast of Maddock, a grain bin was pulled from its foundation and thrown about 500 yards. A hopper bin and concrete pad were also turned on end at this location. Many large trees were flattened all along the path until the tornado weakened from Flora to near Oberon.
July 1987Tornado (F1)not stated$25,000no account filed
May 1958Tornado (F3)not stated$25,000no account filed
July 2020Tornado (EF1)Niles$20,000A tornado briefly touched down near highway 2, snapping trees in a shelterbelt. A nearby RWIS mesonet sensor reported a wind gust to 101 mph. The tornado was likely wrapped in heavy rain and downburst winds. Peak winds were estimated at 105 mph.
June 2008HailFillmore$20,000Hail fell for twenty minutes, resulting in several sections of damaged crop land in Impark Township.
June 2008HailEsmond$20,000Several large sections of cropland received damage in Esmond and Rich Valley Townships.
August 2008HailTokio$15,000no account filed
August 2000Thunderstorm WindFt Totten$10,000The wind blew down large tree branches, damaged a barn roof, and moved an empty grain bin several feet.
May 2009FloodLeeds$10,000no account filed
August 1994HailMinnewaukan$10,000no account filed
August 2000Thunderstorm WindMinnewaukan$5,000Numerous trees were uprooted in Minnewaukan. One tree fell on a porch roof. Power was out for 5 hours.
March 2009FloodPleasant Lake$5,000no account filed
April 2009FloodPleasant Lake$5,000no account filed
July 2011Thunderstorm WindLeeds$2,000A NOAA wind profiler at Leeds measured the 2 minute average sustained wind speed.
August 2016Flash FloodOberon$1,000Fields and farm access roads were flooded across southern Rock Township.
July 2011Flash FloodTokio$1,000Several sections of roadway and farm access roads were made impassable by water flowing across.
June 2010Flash FloodBrinsmade$1,000Areas of 4 to 5 inches of rainfall produced flash flooding in fields and farm access roads in southern Normania Township.
August 2002Thunderstorm WindMaddock$1,000Trees were blown down.
July 2001Thunderstorm WindWarwick$1,000A tree was blown down.
July 2000Thunderstorm WindOberon$1,000Several antennas and trees were blown down north of Oberon.
August 2002Thunderstorm WindMinnewaukan$500Trees and power lines were blown down. Some customers lost power for 10 hours.
June 2001Thunderstorm WindLeeds$500Tree branches were blown down.
August 2001Thunderstorm WindMaddock$500Branches were blown down.
August 2001Thunderstorm WindMaddock$500Branches were blown down.
August 2001Thunderstorm WindOberon$500Several trees were blown over.
July 2001Thunderstorm WindEsmond$500Tree branches were blown down.
July 2001Thunderstorm WindOberon$500A large tree was blown down.
August 2000Thunderstorm WindWarwick$500Tree branches were blown down.
August 2000Thunderstorm WindMaddock$500Tree branches were blown off in the Maddock area.
August 2000Thunderstorm WindMaddock$500Tree branches were blown down.
June 1966Tornado (F1)not stated$250no account filed
April 2026Thunderstorm WindMaddock Muni Arpt-Measured wind gust of 58 mph on 10m sensor at NDAWN station located near Maddock, ND.
July 2025HailOberon-Report relayed through social media. Time estimated by radar.
September 2025HailLeeds-Social media report - Time estimated via radar. Handful of nickel to quarter sized hail with one larger stone of at least half dollar size.
September 2025HailLeeds-Social media report of hail up 1.25 inches.
July 2024Thunderstorm WindEsmond-Nearby personal weather station measured maximum sustained winds of 53 MPH, with gusts to 72 MPH.
July 2024HailNiles-Public reports 1.25 inch hail. Time estimated from caller and radar.
July 2024HailTokio-Public reports quarter sized hail. Time estimated from radar.
July 2024HailNiles-Emergency Manager reports 1 inch hail. Time estimated from radar.
July 2024HailYork-Half dollar to ping pong ball sized hail. Covered 15 to 20% of the ground.

Mines and quarries

4 recorded

The Survey's mineral resources record lists 4 workings inside this county. 3 still produce and 1 is closed or unrecorded. Each settlement page carries the workings within five miles of it.

Commodity Workings
Sand and Gravel, Construction4

The least common of them first, because a county's hundredth gravel pit says nothing its first ten did not.

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Benson County PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Cavanaugh PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Clairmont Const PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Siou Sand & Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer

Every populated place in the county

24

Named settlements recorded in the Geographic Names Information System, each with the topographic sheets covering it. Villages, hamlets and abandoned places alike. Each is shown with the nearest named watercourse or landform and the survey quadrangle it falls on.

Provenance

  • Topographic sheets. USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection, county index, measured from the bulk metadata.
  • Fire insurance maps. Library of Congress Sanborn collection, faceted to this county.
  • Photographs. Each place queried individually against the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs search.
  • Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
  • Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
  • Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.