Slope County, North Dakota

Slope County
County
Former Slope County Courthouse in Amidon
Location within the U.S. state of North Dakota
North Dakota's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 46°27′N103°28′W / 46.45°N 103.46°W / 46.45; -103.46
Country	United States
State	North Dakota
Founded	November 3, 1914 January 14, 1915 (organized)
Seat	Amidon
Largest city	Marmarth
Area
• Total	1,219 sq mi (3,160 km2)
• Land	1,215 sq mi (3,150 km2)
• Water	4.2 sq mi (11 km2)  0.3%
Population  (2020)
• Total	706
• Estimate  (2022)	672
• Density	0.58/sq mi (0.22/km2)
Time zone	UTC−7 (Mountain)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−6 (MDT)
Congressional district	At-large
Website	www.slopecountynd.gov

Slope County is a county in the U.S. state of North Dakota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 706, ^[1] making it the least populous county in North Dakota and the 18th-least populous county in the United States. The county seat is Amidon. ^[2]

History

The vote to create Slope County, by partitioning the lower portion of Billings, was held on November 3, 1914. This was the final (as of 2019) alteration to that once-large Dakota county, as Bowman had been partitioned off in 1883, and Golden Valley was split off in 1910. The unorganized Slope County was not attached to another county for administrative or judicial purposes during the interregnum; on January 14, 1915, the county organization was effected. ^{[3] [4] [5]} The name refers to the Missouri Slope, a geographical feature that is also a popular designation for western North Dakota, particularly the area west of the Missouri River.

Geography

White Butte in Slope County

Slope County lies on the lower west side of North Dakota. Its west boundary line abuts the east boundary line of the state of Montana. The Little Missouri River enters the county's south boundary line from Bowman County near the Montana border and flows north until it loops very briefly into Golden Valley County. Then it flows east to near the midpoint of the north boundary of Slope County and then turns north into Billings County. Cedar Creek drains the southeastern portion of the county, flowing south into Bowman county.

Slope County terrain consists of semi-arid rough hills and gullies interspersed with lower hills, part of which is dedicated to agriculture. ^[6] The terrain slopes to the east and south; its highest area (except for isolated prominences, such as White Butte) is its northwestern corner, at 3,104 ft (946 m) ASL. ^[7] The county has a total area of 1,219 square miles (3,160 km²), of which 1,215 square miles (3,150 km²) is land and 4.2 square miles (11 km²) (0.3%) is water. ^[8]

White Butte, the highest natural point in North Dakota at an elevation of 3,506 ft (1,069 m), is in southeast Slope County.

Major highways

• U.S. Highway 12
• U.S. Highway 85
• North Dakota Highway 21
• North Dakota Highway 67

National protected areas

• Little Missouri National Grassland (part)
• Stewart Lake National Wildlife Refuge
• White Lake National Wildlife Refuge

Adjacent counties

• Billings County - north
• Stark County - northeast
• Hettinger County - east
• Adams County - southeast
• Bowman County - south
• Fallon County, Montana - west
• Golden Valley County - northwest

Lakes ^[6]

• Cedar Lake
• White Lake

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1920	4,940		—
1930	4,150		−16.0%
1940	2,932		−29.3%
1950	2,315		−21.0%
1960	1,893		−18.2%
1970	1,484		−21.6%
1980	1,157		−22.0%
1990	907		−21.6%
2000	767		−15.4%
2010	727		−5.2%
2020	706		−2.9%
2022 (est.)	672	[9]	−4.8%
U.S. Decennial Census [10] 1790-1960 [11] 1900-1990 [12] 1990-2000 [13] 2010-2020 [1]

2020 census

As of the census of 2020, there were 706 people.

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 727 people, 326 households, and 224 families in the county. The population density was 0.60 people per square mile (0.23 people/km²). There were 436 housing units at an average density of 0.36 units per square mile (0.14/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 97.5% white, 2.2% American Indian, 0.0% from other races, and 0.3% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.7% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 53.9% were of German, 30.7% Norwegian, 9.9% English, 7.4% Swedish, 5.5% Polish and 2.8% American ancestry.

Of the 326 households, 22.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.7% were married couples living together, 4.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 31.3% were non-families, and 29.4% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.74. The median age was 49.2 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $43,625 and the median income for a family was $55,833. Males had a median income of $36,458 versus $31,172 for females. The per capita income for the county was $24,824. About 6.8% of families and 10.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.3% of those under age 18 and 11.7% of those age 65 or over.

Slope County has the highest decline from its peak population of all US counties.

Population by decade

Communities

Cities

• Amidon (county seat)
• Marmarth

Unincorporated communities ^[6]

• De Sart
• Mound
• Pierce

Politics

Slope County voters have traditionally voted Republican. In no national election since 1964 has the county selected the Democratic Party candidate (as of 2024). In 2024 Donald Trump received 90% of the vote in Slope County.

United States presidential election results for Slope County, North Dakota ^[14]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	351	90.23%	33	8.48%	5	1.29%
2020	380	88.99%	44	10.30%	3	0.70%
2016	362	84.19%	43	10.00%	25	5.81%
2012	341	78.03%	83	18.99%	13	2.97%
2008	297	72.26%	106	25.79%	8	1.95%
2004	335	77.55%	89	20.60%	8	1.85%
2000	316	71.49%	85	19.23%	41	9.28%
1996	260	58.43%	123	27.64%	62	13.93%
1992	226	42.24%	145	27.10%	164	30.65%
1988	315	59.43%	202	38.11%	13	2.45%
1984	419	69.26%	174	28.76%	12	1.98%
1980	462	71.41%	128	19.78%	57	8.81%
1976	355	48.90%	347	47.80%	24	3.31%
1972	413	59.86%	249	36.09%	28	4.06%
1968	379	55.57%	238	34.90%	65	9.53%
1964	329	43.01%	436	56.99%	0	0.00%
1960	475	52.43%	431	47.57%	0	0.00%
1956	433	51.98%	397	47.66%	3	0.36%
1952	682	69.38%	290	29.50%	11	1.12%
1948	447	50.51%	388	43.84%	50	5.65%
1944	434	49.43%	439	50.00%	5	0.57%
1940	801	57.58%	585	42.06%	5	0.36%
1936	331	23.29%	896	63.05%	194	13.65%
1932	461	27.77%	1,136	68.43%	63	3.80%
1928	873	60.88%	542	37.80%	19	1.32%
1924	616	39.09%	47	2.98%	913	57.93%
1920	1,143	76.56%	235	15.74%	115	7.70%
1916	516	34.84%	867	58.54%	98	6.62%

Education

School districts include: ^[15]

• Bowman County Public School District 1
• New England Public School District 9
• Scranton Public School District 33
• Marmarth Public School District 12 (elementary only)

Former school districts:

• Central Elementary Public School District 32 ^[15] (Amidon Elementary School ^[16] ) - Scheduled to dissolve on July 1, 2020. ^[17] It was divided between Bowman County School District No. 1 and New England School District No. 9. ^[18]
• Sheets Public School District 14 ^[19] (Cottage School ^[20] )

The Amidon and Cottage schools were the final two schools remaining in the county. ^[19]

Gallery

• 
  US Highway 12 bridge over the Little Missouri River
• 
  Three V Crossing across the Little Missouri River
• 
  Old house
• 
  Pierce Congregational Cemetery in Woodberry Township

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Slope County, North Dakota
• Yule Ranch

References

Specific

1. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 4, 2023.
2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
3. "Slope County, North Dakota". North Dakota GenWeb Project. Retrieved September 14, 2012.
4. "County History". Official Portal for North Dakota State Government. Archived from the original on February 2, 2015. Retrieved May 4, 2011.
5. "Dakota Territory, South Dakota, and North Dakota: Individual County Chronologies". Dakota Territory Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. The Newberry Library. 2006. Archived from the original on April 2, 2018. Retrieved February 1, 2015.
6. "Slope County · North Dakota". Google Maps. Retrieved April 27, 2024.
7. ""Find an Altitude/Slope County ND" Google Maps (accessed February 21, 2019)". Archived from the original on May 21, 2019. Retrieved February 21, 2019.
8. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on January 29, 2015. Retrieved February 1, 2015.
9. "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2022" . Retrieved April 4, 2023.
10. "United States Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 1, 2015.
11. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved February 1, 2015.
12. Forstall, Richard L., ed. (April 20, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 1, 2015.
13. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved February 1, 2015.
14. Leip, David. "Atlas of US Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved April 13, 2018.
15. "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Slope County, ND" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 14, 2021. Retrieved July 23, 2022. - Text list - The map reflects the state before July 1, 2010, when the Central Elementary Public School District 32 dissolved. 2010 map - 2010 text list
16. Henson, Kayla (November 17, 2018). "One-room western ND schoolhouse may close despite parents' wishes". Bismarck Tribune . Retrieved August 13, 2021. - See copy at Grand Forks Herald
17. "STATE BOARD OF PUBLIC SCHOOL EDUCATION MINUTES OF MEETING July 15, 2019" (PDF). Government of North Dakota. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 18, 2020. Retrieved August 13, 2021. This dissolution would not take effect until July 1, 2020 so there is time to review this information.
18. "STATE BOARD OF PUBLIC SCHOOL EDUCATION MINUTES OF MEETING JUNE 15, 2020" (PDF). Government of North Dakota. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 19, 2020. Retrieved August 13, 2021.
19. Hoffner, Joseph (November 14, 1999). "One room schools are alive and well". The Bismarck Tribune . Bismarck, North Dakota. Associated Press. p. 3C. - Clipping from Newspapers.com - Text view A, Text view B, and Text view C
20. "NORTH DAKOTA SCHOOL PLANTS 2000-01" (PDF). North Dakota Department of Public Instruction. November 25, 2001. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 25, 2001. Retrieved August 13, 2021. RR 1 Box 21 Bowman ND 58623-9203 Sheets 14

General

• "Slope Saga", Slope Saga Committee, 1976, Pioneer Print, Bowman County Pioneer

External links

46°27′N103°28′W / 46.45°N 103.46°W / 46.45; -103.46