New Town to celebrate 75th anniversary
Submitted Photo A sign welcomes people to New Town “HOME OF THE EAGLES” on the east side of town. Photo courtesy of New Town City Library.
Submitted Photos This is a sample of benches to be auctioned off during New Town’s 75th anniversary on Saturday, Aug. 29. Proceeds will go to restoring the Soo Line train engine in New Town.
Submitted Photo This photo shows the city of New Town in 1953, facing east. Photo courtesy of New Town City Library-Gerald and Esther Ranum.
Submitted Photo City of New Town townsite committee founders are, back row: Lyle Johnson, L.G. Larson, Alfred Thompson, W.R. Olson, W.H. Murphy, Gilbert Rohde, Fred Aisenbrey, Marius Aubol; and front row: Soren Sjol, Frank Traynor, Gertie Elam, Arvid Olson, Marshall Taylor. Photo courtesy of New Town City Library-Gerald and Esther Ranum.
Submitted Photo This photo shows the city of New Town in 2026, facing east. Photo courtesy of Kimberly Blue, New Town city librarian.
Submitted Photo A sign welcomes people to New Town “HOME OF THE EAGLES” on the east side of town. Photo courtesy of New Town City Library.
Submitted Photos This is a sample of benches to be auctioned off during New Town’s 75th anniversary on Saturday, Aug. 29. Proceeds will go to restoring the Soo Line train engine in New Town.
Submitted Photo This photo shows the city of New Town in 1953, facing east. Photo courtesy of New Town City Library-Gerald and Esther Ranum.
Submitted Photo City of New Town townsite committee founders are, back row: Lyle Johnson, L.G. Larson, Alfred Thompson, W.R. Olson, W.H. Murphy, Gilbert Rohde, Fred Aisenbrey, Marius Aubol; and front row: Soren Sjol, Frank Traynor, Gertie Elam, Arvid Olson, Marshall Taylor. Photo courtesy of New Town City Library-Gerald and Esther Ranum.
Submitted Photo This photo shows the city of New Town in 2026, facing east. Photo courtesy of Kimberly Blue, New Town city librarian.
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NEW TOWN - This year, as the nation marks its 250th anniversary, the people of New Town are celebrating a milestone of their own - 75 years of community, progress and growth.
On Jan. 1, 1951, New Town was a modest stubble field with only one small building located on what was to be Main Street. Its origins are tied to a unique chapter in North Dakota history, shaped by changing environmental conditions, infrastructure development and the creation of a reservoir that reshaped communities across the region. What followed was a remarkable story of a community built on planning, perseverance and a shared vision for the future.
Years ago, when this region was opened for settlement, spring flooding up and down the Missouri River ranged from minor to colossal, sometimes causing devastating loss of lives and property.
During the drought of the 1930s, thoughts turned to harnessing the mighty Missouri River as a potential source of water for irrigation. Surveying crews worked along the river throughout the late 1930s and early 1940s, evaluating potential locations for future infrastructure projects.
After years of discussion, Congress authorized the Garrison Dam and reservoir project in 1944. Its purpose was to provide flood control, irrigation, hydroelectric power and a means of diversion eastward to the James and Cheyenne river basins, as well as facilities for recreation and fish and wildlife preservation.
The planned dam would create the second largest reservoir in the world, measuring 200 miles long and 14 miles at its widest point, with 1,500 miles of shoreline.
The downstream news was the town of Sanish was in the path of the reservoir.
In 1948 and 1949, residents of nearby Van Hook learned their community could also experience substantial changes as a result of this project.
Community leaders traveled to Washington, D.C., to secure the same relocation assistance being offered to Sanish residents, ultimately allowing the two towns to unite in building a new community from the ground up.
After the formation of the Sanish-Van Hook Relocation Company, the location of the new town site was of immediate concern.
They evaluated seven possible locations before selecting the current site. It offered room to grow, access to transportation, a dependable water supply and a location near the future Four Bears Bridge. The land was purchased from Anna Wuttke for $75 an acre.
On Sept. 10, 1950, a ground breaking ceremony and celebration was held at the proposed town site. Marius Aubol, mayor of Sanish, and Reuben Ulrich, mayor of Van Hook, assisted in the ribbon cutting ceremony.
The first lot was sold to Nora E. Lenartz and she built the first home in New Town. Centralized sites for the school and church lots were also donated, accelerating building efforts.
A third community impacted by the creation of Lake Sakakawa was Elbowoods, along with farms and homes throughout the Missouri River bottomlands. Elbowoods was the heart of reservation life with schools, churches, businesses, a hospital, fairgrounds, a power plant and the original Four Bears Bridge.
As the reservoir took shape, residents prepared for a period of transition and change. Families relocated homes and businesses, marking the end of one chapter and the beginning of another. Through this adversity, a new beginning emerged.
Over the past 75 years, New Town has grown from a single building on Main Street into a thriving community more than doubling its original footprint.
It has seen two major oil booms, expanded its schools and businesses, welcomed a tribal college and replaced the original Four Bears Bridge with a modern crossing that supports the region's growth.
Through it all, New Town has continued to evolve alongside the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation.
Today, New Town continues to invest in its future. In 2025, New Town became home to the 4 Bears Roar, a semipro basketball team and North Dakota's only professional basketball team. This year, the longtime civic center was replaced with a new City Hall and Police Department. Community celebrations and events previously held here have moved to a new facility, The Venue.
The story of New Town has never been simply about buildings or streets. It is a story of a community that came together to establish a new beginning, now known as New Town. Now, 75 years later, that same spirit continues to shape the community.
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Schedule of Events
NEW TOWN -- This year is the 75th anniversary of New Town, and a celebration will be held Saturday, Aug 29.
The schedule of events is as follows:
-- 11 a.m., City of New Town Celebration Parade
-- Noon, Missing Lynx performance, opening of vendor booths “The Venue” with history of New Town, inflatables, 3 on 3 basketball tournament, cornhole tournament and tour of New Town High School new additions.
-- 1:30 p.m., New Town City Hall, New Town Police Department and The Venue ribbon cutting.
-- 2 p.m., New Town City Hall facility tour
-- 2:30 p.m., Missing Lynx performance
-- 3:30 p.m., Bench auction
-- 4 p.m., Missing Lynx performance
-- 5 p.m., MHA tourism dancers performance
-- 6 p.m., Parade of Champions
-- 8 p.m., Dance
A group from H1 Unlimited will be in New Town during the celebration and will bring two boats that will be in the parade and will be displayed on Main Street. Efforts are being made to bring national hydroplane races again to New Town as they were in 1964-65.
Preceding the anniversary celebration, the New Town Chamber will host a free business networking sunset cruise event on Friday, Aug. 28, on the 4 Bears Casino & Lodge "River Willow" boat, west of New Town. Boarding is at 5:30 p.m. Reserve a spot with the chamber by Tuesday, Aug. 26.