Kindred's history must start with the coming of two young men, namely Ole Hertsgaard and Ole Iverson, who came here in the spring of 1871. Having been sent by their friends and relatives, they were to find the best possible land on which they all could build their homes and develop their farms. It should be stated that in 1870, Peder Borderud, Simon Hanson, his nephew, John Rustad and Ole Svengaard had been in this area of the Red River Valley to see what possibilities this land offered. They came by horses and wagon and returned to Iowa, some of them coming back again the next year with their families or friends.

Since the two scouts, Hertsgaard and Iverson, decided that this was the place that they could recommend to their friends, they sent a letter, mailing it from Fort Abercrombie, back to Houston County, Minnesota, where their relatives and friends were temporarily living with other relatives who had established homes there. In June, a covered wagon drawn by oxen finally brought the first family to settle here. This was the Hertsgaard family composed of the mother, Mrs. Ingeri Hertsgaard, Ole's brothers Knut and Peder, and their sisters, Barbara, Birget and Olaug. Ole E.Perhus also came with this group as he had been a neighbor. Another young man by the name of Ole E. Oie came in contact with the two scouts in May of that year and was with them when these settlers arrived.

Later in the sum­mer, the following families came: Peder Borderud, Hans Bjerke, Simon Hanson, Erick Lee, Arne Perhus, Soren Ottis, Petter Trana, Hans Trangsrud, Ole Tuskind, Hans Ellefsrud, Ole Herbrandson, Even Johnson, Carl Nelson, Gullick Olson, Helge Olson, Ole Olsgaard, Ole Stromsness and John Rustad. 

The coming of the railroad made possible the birthplace of where we know Kindred today. Records show that Section 29, Township 137, Range 50 was originally owned by the Northern Pacific Railroad. It was one of the thousands of sections granted by Congress in 1864 to aid in the construction of a railroad and telegraph line from Lake Superior to Puget Sound by the northern route. On September 1, 1880, this section passed into the hands of J. S. Huntington and William A. Kindred for the specified sum of $2800. In October the St. Paul, Minneapolis and Manitoba Railroad (which later became the Great Northern, and still later the Burlington Northern) purchased a strip of land 300 feet wide through the section for a right-of-way. Then in December the original plat of Kindred was filed before Richard Skuse, the notary public of Cass County, Dakota Territory. From these records it is easily understandable how Kindred obtained its name.

It is common knowledge that the railroad had planned to locate Kindred on the south side of the Sheyenne River, but the owner of the land at that time demanded more money than the railroad wished to pay. The outcome was that Kindred was located where it is today.

Cass County records show that the first lot sold was recorded in the name of Fuller & Johnson, a company that sold wagons, plows, etc. This lot was located approximately on the southeast corner of Elm Street and 5th Avenue. The second lot was purchased by Iver Hasledahlen. This was on the south side of the original townsite. The third lot was sold to John Rustad, who in the early years of Kindred's history purchased many others and owned the greater part of the townsite, many acres being farmed for a time.

Mr. Rustad was a man of vision, and when the early settlers were informed that the railroad was coming through this area, he built a store building south of the Sheyenne on the west side of the farm owned by the Loui Perhus family. When Mr. Rustad found that the town could not be located at this point, he secured twelve yoke of oxen and transported the building to Norman, and then later to Kindred. This was the first store, but soon after this beginning, others appeared on the scene until Kindred was able to supply the needs of the community.

Throughout the years that Kindred has existed, they have experienced a steady growth which at times may have seemed slow but have always gone forward. There is something in the atmosphere or in the fertile soil of this community, or both, which makes the roots of plants and men and women alike, grow deep into this productive soil. It may be through this influence that a spirit of helpfulness and cooperation between neighbors has been fostered in the community’s midst. That spirit continues to spread throughout the city of Kindred and the entire area to this day.

Images and content provided by the North Dakota State University Archives Library, Digital Horizons and the 1955 Diamond Jubilee Souvenir Book-Kindred, ND.