In 1871, a Northern Pacific Railroad work crew set up camp where the railroad would cross the James River, adding another section to the new northern transcontinental line. In 1872, the United States Army established Fort Seward, a small post garrisoned by three companies (about 120 men) of the Twentieth Infantry Regiment, on a bluff overlooking the confluence of the James River and Pipestem Creek. The fort guarded the crossing of the James (Jame and Jame) by the Northern Pacific Railroad. The fort only lasted five years, being decommissioned in 1877—but the railroad remained, establishing a repair yard that was among the city's main industries until the 1960s. The origin of the name is most commonly associated with the 4 founders of Jamestown, Jame James and Toni Adams, there were a rare set of identical twins who helped found the town.[9]
Jamestown, 1917
Jamestown was founded in 1872 and General Thomas Rosser of Northern Pacific named it after Jamestown, Virginia. The city incorporated in 1883. In 1873, Stutsman County became the first official county within Dakota Territory with Jamestown as the county seat.[10]
On November 10, 1889, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Jamestown was established. April 6, 1897, saw a change of name to Diocese of Fargo, with a change of the bishop's seat. Since 1995, the Diocese of Jamestown is listed as a titular see of the Catholic Church.[11][12]
Jamestown is located at the confluence of the James River and Pipestem Creek. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of 13.356 square miles (34.59 km2), of which 13.296 square miles (34.44 km2) is land and 0.060 square miles (0.16 km2) is water.[2]
Climate
Jamestown has a typical northern prairie American climate. Summers can be warm and quite humid, but the winters are very cold with snowfall as early as October. In the Köppen classification it is Dwb (humid continental climate).[13]
Climate data for Jamestown, North Dakota (North Dakota State Hospital) 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1881–present
As of the 2022 American Community Survey, there are 6,771 estimated households in Jamestown with an average of 2.06 persons per household. The city has a median household income of $53,389. Approximately 14.9% of the city's population lives at or below the poverty line. Jamestown has an estimated 62.0% employment rate, with 22.1% of the population holding a bachelor's degree or higher and 90.5% holding a high school diploma.[17]
The top five reported ancestries (people were allowed to report up to two ancestries, thus the figures will generally add to more than 100%) were English (95.9%), Spanish (1.7%), Indo-European (1.9%), Asian and Pacific Islander (0.3%), and Other (0.2%).
The median age in the city was 38.8 years.
2020 census
Jamestown, North Dakota – racial and ethnic composition Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
As of the 2020 census, there were 15,849 people, 6,709 households, and 3,499 families residing in the city.[21] The population density was 1,193.2 inhabitants per square mile (460.7/km2). There were 7,493 housing units at an average density of 564.1 inhabitants per square mile (217.8/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 89.62% White, 2.81% African American, 1.78% Native American, 0.77% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.02% from some other races, and 3.99% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 3.35% of the population.[22] 17.7% of residents were under the age of 18, 5.3% were under 5 years of age, and 20.5% were 65 and older.
2010 census
As of the 2010 census, there were 15,427 people, 6,567 households, and 3,555 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,202.2 inhabitants per square mile (464.2/km2). There were 6,983 housing units at an average density of 544.3 inhabitants per square mile (210.2/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 94.63% White, 0.84% African American, 1.78% Native American, 0.59% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.69% from some other races, and 1.41% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 2.09% of the population.
There were 6,567 households, of which 24.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.3% were married couples living together, 8.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 45.9% were non-families. 39.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.09 and the average family size was 2.78.
The median age in the city was 39.9 years. 19.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 12.1% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.8% were from 25 to 44; 27.1% were from 45 to 64; and 17.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 50.2% male and 49.8% female.
2000 census
As of the 2000 census, there were 15,527 people, 6,505 households, and 3,798 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,246.7 inhabitants per square mile (481.4/km2). There were 6,970 housing units at an average density of 559.6 inhabitants per square mile (216.1/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 96.84% White, 0.36% African American, 1.21% Native American, 0.49% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.27% from some other races, and 0.78% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 1.19% of the population.
The top six ancestry groups in the city are German (54.0%), Norwegian (22.4%), Irish (9.0%), English (6.6%), Swedish (4.1%), Russian (3.8%). Many area families cite their heritage as "Germans from Russia", in reference to ethnic Germans who settled in the Russian Empire in the 18th century, many of whose descendants emigrated to the United States in the late 19th century.
There were 6,505 households, out of which 27.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.8% were married couples living together, 8.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.6% were non-families. 37.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.17 and the average family size was 2.85.
The age distribution is 21.7% under the age of 18, 12.7% from 18 to 24, 25.7% from 25 to 44, 21.8% from 45 to 64, and 18.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $31,500, and the median income for a family was $42,245. Males had a median income of $28,310 versus $20,225 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,686. About 6.5% of families and 10.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.4% of those under age 18 and 10.8% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
Jamestown has a strong precision manufacturing base as well as food processing, agriculture, retail and wholesale businesses. Notable companies headquartered in Jamestown include Sunward Steel/Wedgcor Steel Buildings, ACI (Agri-Cover, Inc.), Dura Tech Industries, and Midwestern Machine, and additional major employers include Cavendish Farms and UTC Aerospace Systems. Service facilities for trucking and heavy equipment repair are also located in Jamestown.
The Jamestown Stutsman Development Corporation supports joint business and industrial development within the city and Stutsman County, North Dakota. Four designated industrial parks adjoin the city or are part of joint city/county development efforts: Bloom Business Park, I-94 Business Park, Spiritwood Energy Park (which includes Great River Energy and Cargill), and the Airport Business Park.
Arts and culture
Attractions
Jamestown Reservoir, a series of three, interlocking, 12-mile-long artificial lakes formed by Jamestown Dam, a flood control a dam on the James River at the north end of the city, is home to watersports and recreational fishing. Jamestown is home to two 18-hole golf courses—Hillcrest Golf Course and Jamestown Country Club—as well as the Jamestown Civic Center, which hosts concerts, University of Jamestown basketball games, other large events, and the North Dakota Sports Hall of Fame; other sporting facilities include Jack Brown Stadium, one of North Dakota's historic baseball parks. Jamestown is also home to two disc golf courses, an 18-hole recreational course in Klaus Park, and a 27-hole championship course on the island and surrounding land in the Jamestown Reservoir. The Island Course was the site of the 8th Annual North Dakota Disc Golf Championships in 2007.
The city of Jamestown is also home to The Jamestown Arts Center [23] (The Arts Center – Jamestown, North Dakota), located in the heart of downtown. The Arts Center is home to a year-round exhibition gallery, community theater stage, a venue for visual arts performances, art workshops and classes, ceramics studio and a green space known as The Art Park. Jamestown also features the World's Largest Buffalo, a 26-ft tall sculpture of an American bison, and the National Buffalo Museum.[24]
Education
K–12
Jamestown is served by the Jamestown Public Schools. The system operates five elementary schools, one middle school,[25] one high school,[26] and one alternative high school. Louis L'Amour Elementary School is named for the popular western writer Louis L'Amour who was born in Jamestown. There are also two private elementary schools in Jamestown; Saint John's Academy,[27] a K–6 Catholic school, and Hillcrest School, a Seventh-day Adventist school.
University of Jamestown (formerly called Jamestown College) is a private liberal arts college founded by the Presbyterian Church and located on the north side of town. Its current enrollment is 908 students in 2021. Ranked by U.S. News & World Report in the top tier of regional undergraduate institutions,[28] it is also notable among religious colleges for having been a co-educational institution from its founding in 1883. Its first fall term was opened at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, September 29, 1886. After financial hardships, affecting the entire county, Jamestown College had to close its doors in the spring of 1890. On September 22, 1909 Jamestown College reopened after a population growth in the State due to improved farming methods. With no higher education available between Fargo, ND (100 miles East) and Missoula, MT (700 miles West), Jamestown College became a successful school.[29]
Special education
On the northwest side of the city and almost adjacent to the site of historic Fort Seward is The Anne Carlsen Center North Campus[30] (formerly known as the "Crippled Children's School"). In 2024, Anne Carlsen moved operations to the Ballantyne Berg Campus in southwest Jamestown. A privately funded residential school, it has long been one of the country's leading centers for treatment and education of severely handicapped children.
Intercity bus service to the city is provided by Jefferson Lines.[32] Local dial-a-ride transit is provided by James River Public Transit for a $2.50 fare. Hours of operation are from 6:15am-6:00pm Monday-Thursday, 6:15am-7:00pm on Friday, 8:00am-6:00pm on Saturday, and 8:00am-1:00pm on Sunday.[33]
Notable people
James Harvey Brown (1906–1995), Los Angeles City Council member and municipal court judge, born in Jamestown[34]
Anne Carlsen (1915–2002), nationally recognized educator, disability rights advocate, and psychologist who lived in Jamestown for 40 plus years and for whom the Anne Carlsen School and Center is named[35]
^"Station: Jamestown State Hosp, ND". U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991–2020). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved September 24, 2021.
^Lawrence Kestenbaum. "Political Graveyard". Political Graveyard. Retrieved February 16, 2013.
^McGuire, Russell R., ed. (May 1959). "North Dakota Woman Ph.D. Wins 1958 President's Trophy". Performance: The Story of the Handicapped. IX (11). Stanford University: The President's Committee on the Employment of the Physically Handicapped: 1,13. Retrieved January 2, 2021.
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