Minot (pronounced
/'ma?n?t/,
listen&_160;
(help·info)) is a city located in north central
North Dakota in the
United States. With a population of 36,567 at the
2000 census, Minot is the fourth largest city in the state. The city is the
county seat of
Ward County[3] and is a trading center for a large portion of northern
North Dakota, southwestern
Manitoba, and southeastern
Saskatchewan. Minot is also known as the "
Magic City", and was founded in 1886 during the construction of the
Great Northern Railroad.
Minot is the principal city of the Minot Micropolitan Statistical Area, a micropolitan area that covers McHenry, Renville, and Ward counties[4] and had a combined population of 67,392 at the 2000 census.[1]
Minot came into existence in 1886, when James J. Hill's Great Northern Railroad ended its push through the state for the winter, after having difficulty constructing a trestle across Gassman Coulee. A tent town sprung up over night, as if by "magic", thus the city came to be known as the Magic City, and in the next five months, the population increased to over 5,000 residents, further adding to the nickname's validity.
The town site was chosen by the railroad to be placed on the land of then-homesteader Erik Ramstad. Ramstad was convinced to relinquish his claim, and became one of the city leaders.
