The present townsite of Hunter was purchased from the U.S. Government, described as the northwest quarter of sec. 24, township 143 north of range 52 west, and containing 160 acres, at the rate of $2.50 per acre, amounting to $400.00. Even Johnson made payment for this amount on August 7, 1880. Even Johnson and his wife Oleanna sold by warranty deed, four acres on south side of said tract to William Kindred and is listed as the original townsite. This tract was caused to be surveyed by Newton Hubbard and William Kindred in October of 1880 and was surveyed by Evert Lewis. On October 16, 1880, the original townsite was platted. This location was originally called Delano, named after the superintendent that oversaw the construction work on the railroad. This was registered May 28, 1881, at 4 PM at the Cass County Courthouse. Hunter was named after John C. Hunter, an extensive landholder in the area, when the post office was established in June of 1881.

The community of Hunter started growing very rapidly from the start. The Gale and Duffany general merchandise store was built in 1881, a store owned by L. C. Barrett, the school, Citizens Bank, and one after another it grew. In 1885, the 109 voters in the area containing 2,500 acres, voted in the school house on the 16th day of June and favored the incorporation of Hunter. A village election was then held and first members of the town board were - Trustees, J. Hollis Gale, Frank Moody, Peter Erickson, John Daley and D. H. McComb; clerk, Charles McKay; treasurer, L. C. Barrett; assessor, James Symington; marshal, George Smith; justice of the peace, John Daley; night policeman, Joseph Wekner.

By 1887, the population had grown considerably, and so had the business section, which by this time consisted of two general stores, a grocery store, hardware store, 2 hotels, a bank, lumber yard, 3 harness shops, 2 saloons, 2 livery stables, a barber shop, 2 blacksmith shops, a meat market, 3 machinery depots, a jewelry store, a drug store, 4 grain elevators, 2 churches in the process of construction, a school house, railroad service. Also, a thriving lodge of L.0.0.F., GAR Post, WCTU, a brass band of 10 pieces and an orchestra of 5 pieces.

The crops marketed here in 1887 were about 300,000 bu. of wheat, besides vast amounts of other crops and farm products, with wheat selling at 58 cents a bu. The population in 1887 was about 400. By 1899, Hunter had six grain elevators, with a capacity of 225,000 bu., and with an average shipment of 500,000 bu., three churches, one of the best graded schools with four teachers, a bank with capital of $10,000, two hotels, 2 weekly newspapers, long distance telephone and a private line connecting with Arthur, Amenia and Casselton, the population was 500. The stores boasted of carrying the most complete stock of goods of any town in the country. The Great Northern Railroad had ample passenger and freight facilities. The annual passenger and freight reciepts for the railroad station was $30,000.

Tragedy struck the booming community on December 28, 1899, when at 4 PM on Saturday morning a fire, discovered by Dr. Critchfield (just going on a sick call), was burning in the Gray's meat market. The alarm was spread but too late to save the building and the adjoining ones. The town was not provided with much fire protection, so the efforts were to save goods and furniture of the adjoining buildings. By heroic work the fire was confined to the block on front street. The livery barn, owned by L. Turner, across the street to the north was saved by a lot of hard work. The total loss of the fire was $45,450. With only $17,450 worth of insurance coverage. The fire wall saved the Gale and Duffany general store.

There was enough meat in the Gray meat market to supply Hunter for the balance of the winter. The office of the tribune sought refuge at the Herald office and the Herald published their last paper. This fire, which burned most of the block on main street was a cruel blow to the pioneers who worked so hard to build their town, but they didn't let it get them down. In 1901 and 1902 the projects of graveling the streets and building cement sidewalks was started. The population continued to grow until its peak of close to 600 in 1906. By this time we had two banks, four churches a creamery, high school, a new and important business enterprise in town was the Disc Grader and Plow Co., a corporation with $300,000 capital, whose business is to place on the market a disc grader and plow, invented in Hunter, manufactured in Moorhead and sold all over the United States. This corporation was owned by David Houston.

In 1917, in a Cass County publication said "It is safe to say that Hunter is one of the most beautiful little villages in North Dakota". The roads were all graveled throughout the town, and for one half a mile in each direction they were graveled, cement sidewalks connect nearly every home in town with the business section, and is the smallest city or village in the state to support a first class high school.

April 6, 1917, President Woodrow Wilson read a proclamation of war against Germany, the beginning of World War I. The first to enlist from Hunter were George Hogenson, Clarence Fisk and Albert Wallner. Wallner was killed in the last half hour of the war, the legion post is named after him. After the war was over, area men came back to their home. There were seven from our area who gave their lives; Martin Vos, Scott Berdell, Walter Bloom, Albert Wallner, Bernard Berdell, Walter C. Alberts and Almer Thompson.

Since 1906, when Hunter had reached its peak in population, there was more decline in population, many persons moved to California during the war years and did not move back. By 1950 the population in Hunter was 417 with 117 in Hunter township.

Hunter is and always has been a good place to live. Surrounded by some of the richest farmland in the country, energetic and hardworking people who have great love of family, neighbor and community continue to make Hunter a "great" place to live.

Images and content provided by the North Dakota State University Archives Library and Digital Horizons.
Book Title: Hunter, North Dakota: Bicentennial Community, 1976.