| Summary: | DIVIDE COUNTY AND CROSBY HISTORY During the 1800's this country was occupied by roving bands of Indians who later moved northward into Canada, attested to by Writing Rock in Writing Rock township, south of Alkabo, Hieroglyphics on this rock have not been made out by many learned men. In the latter part, of the 1800's the territory west of the Turtle Mountains, which is 150 miles east of here, was the grazing ground for large herds of cattle owned by the Stevens Cattle Company of St. Paul, Minn. They ranged as far west as the Montana line which is located 40 miles west of here. This country was then known only as the Great Northern country. At the turn of the century settlers began arriving and settling here, having noted the rich soil of the area. Among the first settlers in this area were: Dee Feeney, Knute Stokke, Jack Buck, Miles Henderson, the Hectors, Frank Gallaghe", Orlando Henderson, near Long Creek, northeast of present Crosby, in 1902. Among these names you will recognize both the Irish and the Norwegian. In 1903 S. A. Crosby, a partner in tlie firm of Hassie & Crosby, came here from Portal and drove a stake where the dump grounds are now located a mile west and posted a notice in the presence of A. H. MaKce and a .Mr. Sinclair that this 40 acres was to be a townsite. Crosby received its name from him. He promised to locate a store there and in the spring of 1904 S. S. Nelson opened the Crosby store. This was; the beginning of Crosby. S. S. Nelson was appointed postmaster June 25, 1904. The first 4th of July celebration at Old Crosby saw the Hendersons conic by wagon, a distance of 10 miles, with butter churns filled with water. Coffee was cooked in lard cans and about 40 homesteaders joined them for dinner, 'flic few ladies present in those days had baked goodies Bachelors baked bread in drum-type ovens which were built; into stove pipes. These same pioneers saw many prairie fires and hard times. They traveled many miles for supplies. Portal, 42 miles away, a two — or three — day trip, was their closest supply point. In 1906, the Soo Railroad built track lo Imperial, which was one mile east and a little north of the present: location of Crosby. In 1907, the Great Northern built into fhe present Crosby townsite. Then Old Crosby moved t.o the present location in 1907. Great rivalry existed between Crosby and Imperial. Trade seemed t.o flow to Crosby with its good Irish promoters and even though Imperial had a post office established in February of 1907 it was discontinued in November of 1907. Imperial was gradually abandoned and moved to Crosby. Tlie Irish were always noted for their fighting spirit and this brings up an Irish story: An Irish mother who was very proud of her son, Pat, who was in the armed forces in France, met a priest who asked her how Pat was doing. She answered, "Pat got killed". "Oh, I am so sorry", said the priest. "Did the war department notify you?" "Oh no, Pat wrote himself" said the mother. The priest was dismayed and asked to see the letter where he read, "Dear mother — I am now in the Holy Land. Your son, Pat." Williams county divided and Divide county was established in 1910. Tliere are many versions of how Divide county got its name. Some think it was named because of the division from Williams county. Others think it was so named because of a Continental Divide running from northwest to southeast through the county. It is said that tlie water to the north of the divide goes to the Hudson Bay while the water to the south goes to the Gulf of Mexico. However, it seems there was a contest to name the new county in which Attorney Gilmore of Williston submitted Divide county. It might also be sighted that Divide county borders on Canada six miles north of Crosby and that tlie Montana line is 40 miles to the west. Old Crosby got to be quite a town before the railroad pronounced its death sentence by building to its present location. Divide County Court House 347 Scanned with a Zeutschel Zeta book scanner at 300 dpi. Edited in Multi-page TIFF Editor.
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