Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1991.
“Research Plot 2, located near Centennial Ave. and 18th St. N. on the North Dakota State University campus in Fargo, North Dakota.”
Wikipedia article Research Plot 2, CC BY-SA 4.0.
One of 38 National Register listings published here for Cass County · listed in 1991 · category: Site.
Sources: the Wikipedia article · the case file at the National Archives · the National Register database, National Park Service
Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 9 fires within 5 miles of Research Plot 2 between 2005 and 2020, burning about 23 acres in total. None started naturally. None was recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Reported cause | Fires |
|---|---|
| Debris and open burning | 6 |
| Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 2 |
| Equipment and vehicle use | 1 |
The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.
| Date | Cause | Size | Reported by | Name on the report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 August 2005 | Equipment and vehicle use | 10 acres | North Dakota State Forest Service | not named |
| 9 July 2020 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 1.0 acres | North Dakota State Forest Service | 38 ST S DITCH FIRE |
| 9 July 2020 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 1.0 acres | North Dakota State Forest Service | 64TH AVE. N. & 25TH ST. N. FARGO |
| 4 May 2017 | Debris and open burning | 2.0 acres | North Dakota State Forest Service | 2017310 |
| 27 April 2019 | Debris and open burning | 1.0 acres | North Dakota State Forest Service | CTY 17 AND CTY 22 |
| 31 March 2017 | Debris and open burning | 2.0 acres | North Dakota State Forest Service | 100096 |
| 15 March 2015 | Debris and open burning | 5.0 acres | Detroit Lakes Wetland Management District | COUNTY 141 |
| 10 November 2020 | Debris and open burning | under an acre | North Dakota State Forest Service | 25 ST FIELD FIRE |
Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Fargo, the town this property stands in, in 146 storm reports between 1994 and 2025: 58 thunderstorm wind, 43 hail, 29 flash flood, 7 flood. No death or injury is recorded in these reports. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.
| When | Event | Place named | Harm | What the report says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 2000 | Flash Flood | Fargo | $100,000,000 | A series of training thunderstorms brought heavy rain to the Fargo area. A total of 6.82 inches was reported at the ASOS site at the Fargo airport. 7.31 inches was reported by the official observer in north Moorhead. This is believed to be a new 24 hour rainfall record for the Fargo-Moorhead area. The heavy rain halted traffic, inundated storm sewers, and knocked out electricity and phones. 20,000 customers lost power when a power station was submerged. This knocked out power to those customers with sump pumps. A state of emergency was declared in the city at 3 am. At one point, 50 percent of the city streets were flooded. The major traffic arteries, Interstates 29 and 94, were flooded and closed for several days. The Fargodome sustained major damage when flooding along 19th Avenue North overflowed into th e parking lot and into the lower level of the building. 8 to 12 feet of water, roughly 51.8 million gallons, filled the bottom level. This was up to the first row of seats. There was an unconfirmed report of a man injured from a flying manhole cover that blew out from the force of the sewer line backup. Damage was particularly high at North Dakota State University, where nearly all 88 buildings took on water. Four feet of water in the campus library damaged the periodical section. The telephone and internet services for the campus was also disrupted. 54 percent of the residences in the city of Fargo had water damage. |
| July 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | Fargo | $80,000,000 | Thunderstorms producing strong winds hit the Fargo area, causing widespread damage. On the north side of town, Hector Airport had winds in excess of 50 knots for 39 minutes, with a peak speed of 79 knots at 0642 CST. A dozen airplanes at Hector Airport were damaged, some landing upside down. Several hangers were also damaged. The NDSU station just west of campus reported a maximum wind speed of 51 knots. Power was knocked out to the ASOS unit at the airport for 2 days. 35,000 people in Fargo were without power for various times. Apartment buildings were hit particularly hard, with roof damage quite common. This was especially true in the West Acres area on the west side of Fargo. Huge chunks of roofs were blown off, exposing individual apartment units. A 48 unit apartment building under construction was completely blown down. One apartment garage blew off its foundation and into a parked car nearby. At NDSU, the Dairy Research Facility lost parts of its roof and a wall was blown in. Many stop lights, satellite dishes, and advertising signs were twisted or damaged. Several garages were also blown down. A seasonal greenhouse along 13th Avenue southwest was ripped apart. The JCPenney store at West Acres Shopping Center lost a portion of its roof, allowing the rain to damage some contents inside. Skateland, a roller-skating facility, had its roof torn halfway off, exposing its maplewood floor. The rain caused the floor to instantly warp. This business alone estimated damages at $1 million. Several extra large transmission poles just west of West Acres were also toppled. There were reports of some minor cuts to people, but nothing was officially confirmed. |
| September 2007 | Hail | Fargo | $30,000,000 | Baseball sized hail fell at the intersection of 19th Street and 33rd Avenue South. The large hail damaged many vehicles and homes. |
| June 2000 | Flash Flood | West Fargo | $5,000,000 | After 5 to 7 inches of rain fell across the West Fargo area, flash flooding occurred in low lying neighborhoods. The Meadow Ridge area suffered quite a bit of damage, with numerous basements flooded. Many streets and cars were also flooded. |
| July 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | West Fargo | $5,000,000 | Strong winds hit the West Fargo area, knocking down trees, power lines, and signs. A motel on Main Avenue was damaged as well as numerous roofs. A block of storage sheds were blown apart, with debris damaging vehicles and apartments in the area. 4300 people were without power. At the West Fargo airport, a hanger was demolished, wrecking the Cessna 182 parked inside. A skydiver group who owned the hanger lost most of their equipment inside, some blowing over a half mile away. Some contents of the hanger were found inside a home to the east of the airport. This home had its roof torn off and windows blown in. This allowed some of the debris from the airport hanger to get inside the house. A fireworks tent was flattened, with most of the fireworks inside destroyed because of the rain. 55 power poles were knocked down in the West Fargo area, some snapped at ground level. Several motorhomes at the West Fargo Fairgrounds were overturned, with no injuries reported. A set of bleachers and a press box at the old West Fargo High School were also flattened. On Main Avenue, a 100,000 bushel grain bin was wrecked. |
| July 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | West Fargo | $1,000,000 | A Squall Line with damaging downburst winds raked across West Fargo and into Fargo through the early morning hours. Winds flipped over two semi trailors parked near the fair grounds and completly tore off a large metal section of city garbage transfer station along U.S. Highway 10. Industrial business roofing damage and the movement of small machinery items in various lots indicated the occurence of one or more small surface eddies in the overall downburst pattern. |
| April 2023 | Flood | Fargo | $951,000 | Fargo - Crest of 29.76 ft occurred on 4/22. Flooding extended into May.|NOTE: Damages dollar amount is for the entire county. Not separated by specific river basin or damage type. |
| April 2023 | Flood | West Fargo | $951,000 | West Fargo - Sheyenne River - Crest of 21.06 ft occurred on 4/24. A second crest of 18.24 ft occurred on May 10th, which is included in the May storm data.||NOTE: Damages dollar amount is for the entire county. Not separated by specific river basin or damage type. |
| May 2011 | Tornado (EF2) | West Fargo | $750,000 | This tornado tracked northward and brushed the west edge of the industrial park of northwest Fargo and the east edge of Reiles Acres before lifting east of Harwood. The tornado was likely enshrouded in downburst winds and heavy rains for part of this track. Two guyed radio towers collapsed, several empty semi-trailers and travel trailers were flipped and thrown, steel wall and roofing panels were torn from industrial buildings, and numerous power poles and trees were snapped. peak winds were estimated at 135 mph. |
| July 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Fargo | $500,000 | Significant damage occurred to apartments in south Fargo, along Amber Valley Parkway. |
| June 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Fargo | $500,000 | The wind knocked down a tree onto a trailer home near 48th Street West and bent railroad crossing signs. |
| September 1997 | Hail | Fargo | $500,000 | The hailstorm hit several car dealerships along Interstate 29 in Fargo, causing damage to numerous cars and trucks. |
| June 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Fargo | $300,000 | The wind knocked down a medium sized tree across 6th Street and 1st Avenue North. Power lines were also blown down around town. |
| June 1998 | Flash Flood | West Fargo | $250,000 | 3 to 5 inches of rain fell in less than three hours, resulting in rapid flooding problems across West Fargo. Several parking lots and low areas filled with water, covering some cars. Water also covered a few streets and filled several basements with 3 1/2 feet of water. Power went out for most of West Fargo, causing sewer and sump pump failure. |
| June 1998 | Flash Flood | Fargo | $250,000 | 3 to 5 inches of rain fell in less than 3 hours across portions of Fargo. The Fargo airport reported 3.03 inches of rain. The western edge of the city was hit the hardest. The interchange between Interstates 29 and 94 was closed due to high water. Several garages in the basement levels of apartment buildings flooded. Major underpasses around the city also had to be closed. |
| June 2008 | Flash Flood | Fargo | $100,000 | Street flooding was reported in Fargo. |
| May 1996 | Flash Flood | Fargo | $100,000 | no account filed |
| June 2013 | Flash Flood | Fargo | $50,000 | Three to four inches of rain in three hours produced widespread street flooding, flooding of underpasses, storm sewer backup, and basement flooding across the Fargo area. Water was reported to be up to the bases of fire hydrants near 45th Street and 12th Avenue North, making the roads impassable. River levels in town were already above minor flood stage due to previous heavy rainfall in the area, which meant that storm sewer flap gates were closed and pumping stations were likely overwhelmed by the high local runoff rates. |
| June 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | West Fargo | $50,000 | The winds were sustained at forty-nine miles per hour with wind gusts up to sixty-four miles per hour. |
| June 2010 | Flash Flood | West Fargo | $25,000 | Roads flooded from about four inches of rain in an hour and a half. The busy east-west route of 13th Avenue South was temporarily closed to traffic around the noon hour, making traffic a mess. Several basement flooding was also reported. |
| July 2011 | Flash Flood | Fargo | $20,000 | Two to three inches of rain fell in less than an hour causing extensive street flooding. |
| April 2008 | Lightning | Fargo | $20,000 | Lightning struck a home in north Fargo. The strike blew out many of the home's windows, tore a hole in the roof, and caused water damage in the basement. |
| August 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | Fargo | $20,000 | The strong wind blew down a building under construction. The Fargo ASOS recorded a peak wind of 41 knots. |
| August 1994 | Thunderstorm Wind | West Fargo | $20,000 | no account filed |
| September 2014 | Flash Flood | Fargo | $15,000 | Numerous streets were closed due to flooding. The water was four feet deep in low spots. |
| May 2013 | Flood | West Fargo | $15,000 | Many roads in Fargo were water covered and closed. Sections of 12th Avenue North from the 3900 to 4200 block were closed with two feet of water covering it. Street and basement flooding was also reported in West Fargo. Two to five inches of rain was reported in a short amount of time. |
| July 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | West Fargo | $15,000 | A barn roof was blown off and several large trees were downed. |
| July 1999 | Flood | Fargo | $15,000 | Many underpasses around the Fargo area were flooded. Several cars were stalled in the high water. |
| July 2019 | Flash Flood | Fargo | $10,000 | Two to four inches of rain fell quickly, flooding low lying areas throughout the Fargo area. |
| August 2010 | Flash Flood | Fargo | $10,000 | Street flooding occurred around the Fargo area from the heavy rain. |
| August 2008 | Hail | Fargo | $10,000 | The one inch hail was reported by a Cass County deputy at 19th Avenue North and Interstate 29. |
| September 2007 | Lightning | Fargo | $10,000 | Lightning struck a home in south Fargo, tearing a hole through the roof and causing insulation to fall onto the floor. Several light fixtures were knocked out of the ceiling, but no fire was reported. |
| July 2011 | Flash Flood | Fargo | $5,000 | Two to three inches of rain fell within an hour causing local street flooding. Several sections of farmland and farm access roads near the confluence of the Wild Rice River (ND) and the Red River were also inundated as these local rivers were already above local flood stage. |
| August 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Fargo | $5,000 | Trees fell on power lines, knocking out power to 3,180 customers for about 90 minutes. |
| August 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | Fargo | $5,000 | Roof damage was reported. |
| June 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | West Fargo | $5,000 | A small tree fell on a house. |
| October 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | West Fargo | $5,000 | Power lines were blown down. |
| May 1994 | Thunderstorm Wind | Fargo | $5,000 | no account filed |
| May 1994 | Thunderstorm Wind | Fargo | $5,000 | no account filed |
| June 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | Fargo | $2,000 | Six inch diameter tree branches were blown down. |
| June 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | West Fargo | $2,000 | Gusty winds blew down a billboard-sized video screen at the Red River Valley Fair. |
| August 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Fargo | $1,000 | Trees were blown down, blocking several roads. |
| March 2009 | Flash Flood | Fargo | $1,000 | no account filed |
| August 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | Fargo | $500 | Large branches were blown down. |
| June 2025 | Hail | Fargo | - | Hail reported at North Dakota State University. |
| June 2025 | Hail | Fargo | - | Public report relayed by broadcast media of 1 inch hail at Lewis & Clark Elementary School. |
| June 2025 | Hail | Fargo | - | Hail reported on the south side of North Dakota State University. |
| June 2025 | Flash Flood | West Fargo | - | Multiple stalled out vehicles due to street flooding in Fargo. |
| May 2023 | Flood | Fargo | - | Fargo - Crest of 29.76 ft occurred on 4/22. Flooding began in April. (Crest noted in April Storm Data). |
| May 2023 | Flood | West Fargo | - | West Fargo - Sheyenne River - Flood stage was reached on May 10th, and crested at 18.24 ft on May 10th. This was the second crest of the season, with the first crest of 21.06 ft occurring on April 24th. |
| July 2023 | Hail | West Fargo | - | Public reports ping-pong ball sized hail, with about 60 cars with damage in a parking lot. |
| July 2023 | Hail | Fargo | - | Delayed report of half dollar sized hail from COOP Observer. |
| December 2023 | Flood | Fargo | - | The Fargo gage on the Red River of the North (FGON8) crested at 18.64 feet on December 31st at 9 am. |
| June 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | Fargo | - | Power outages were reported around central Fargo. Report was relayed via broadcast media. |
| July 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | Fargo | - | Received a public report of tents blown over at the Fargo Street Fair. |
| June 2021 | Hail | Fargo | - | Relayed via broadcast media. |
| July 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | Fargo | - | Peak wind gust measured at Hector International Airport KFAR. |
| July 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | Fargo | - | Strong winds blew tree branches down onto power lines, resulting in sporadic power outages. |
| September 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | Fargo | - | The wind gust was measured at the Fargo airport. |
| September 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | Fargo | - | The roof of a vacant steel clad building near the 2300 block of main avenue was blown off. |
No historic map-sheet match is published for this property yet. That does not mean no map exists. This record needs a coordinate-quality review before it can be joined to a sheet boundary. Browse the county's mapped places while that work is pending.
Other National Register properties close enough to walk or drive between, ordered by distance from this one. Both positions come from the same geocoding pass that matched these properties to their map sheets.
| Photograph | Property | Distance | Listed |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Research Plot 30 | 0.1 miles | 1991 |
 | North Dakota State University District | 0.4 miles | 1986 |
 | Woodrow Wilson School | 1.1 miles | 2012 |
 | James Holes House | 1.1 miles | 1987 |
 | North Side Fargo High Style Residential Historic District | 1.1 miles | 1987 |
 | Great Northern Freight Warehouse | 1.2 miles | 1990 |
| National Archives record | The nomination case file for reference 91001474 in Record Group 79. |
| Wikipedia article | Community-written account of this property, licensed CC BY-SA. |
| Cass County | All 38 listed properties in this county. |
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