Title
HISTORY OF BELFIELD, N.D.
Creator
A student of Belfield Public School
Coverage
TOWNSHIP 139N RANGE 99W
Text
HISTORY OF BELFIELD, N.D.
By a student of Belfield Public School
A site was selected by the U.S. government on the banks of the Heart River and a fort was built by the name of Fort Houston. This is the first that is known of the city of Belfield. At that time it was occupied by soldiers to help preserve peace among the Indians, as most of the roving Indians were on the war path.
Around 1885 when settlers first came here, all that was left of the fort was the foundation trench and by looking over the ground closely one was able to see evidences of the fort. Later this place was given the name of Belfield after a railroad official's daughter by the name of Belle Field.
This community is full of interesting early history. General Custer camped here, and the knoll overlooking Belfield from the east is known as Custer's hill. It is from here that General Custer left for the south on his final campaign. In the same year General Sully and General Sibley went through here on their expedition.
The community grew slowly until about 1910, when farmers began to come in. A company of Dutch under the leadership of Mr. Gabias came here directly from Holland. They lived in tents until their homes were built. The Gabiases built a home on the northeast edge of the city which is still one of the old land marks. This house is also one of the largest in the city and is a combination of Holland-American style of architecture. Most of these people settled around South Heart; a few went back to Holland.
We enjoy listening to old timers tell about these people. They dressed in native costumes — large bloomer like pants and wooden shoes. They spoke their native language, knowing little or no English. Today some of the most thrifty people are these or descendants of these Hollanders.
The first brick school building was built, 1907, and was known as the Roosevelt School. The statue of Theodore Roosevelt that used to stand in our grade building is not here anymore. 1914, a new addition was added. Then again 1936, there was need for more room, so a separate high school was built. Since then another floor was added to the high school and another addition was added which consists of a gym, shop rooms, science rooms and more classrooms.
After 1910 Belfield grew from a few buildings to a good sized town. Belfield, the gateway to the Badlands, is wonderfully located for scenic grandeur. The Painted Canyon is only a few miles to our west. Painted Canyon offers the visitor or the tourist as great variety of interests as may be found in a similar area anywhere in the United States.
Belfield, situated on U.S. 85, is an ideal stop-over point for travelers going to or from the Black Hills, Badlands and the Yellowstone Park. Belfield is also situated on U.S. 94 and Interstate highway. Belfield is the one spot that the Badlands may be explored conveniently from every direction.
Post Script 1977 (by a Belfield native) Caroline Buckman. Today people of varied ages, backgrounds and skills continue to expand the site which was chosen for this settlement on the Heart River banks nearly a century ago.
Shops in early Belfield, on the south side of the railroad tracks, gradually moved north to become “Main Street” Fire in 1922 destroyed several businesses which were later rebuilt; cloudbursts flooded basements and shops in 1953 and later until the city fathers collaborated with engineers to control the Heart. Late model fire and rescue equipment, housed in a modern block fire-hall, aided citizens during destructive blazes of a downtown shop and elevator.
Dirt and scoria paths gave way to neat sidewalks, paved and numbered streets, vapor mercury lights, sewer and water lines and homes with shinny, new numbers on their front doors. Presently a grant has been approved to provide sewer and water installations to south Belfield residents and lot-owners.
June 1977, citizens approved expanding public school facilities with passage of a bond issue. Demolition of the aging building in August 1977, will be followed by construction of new buildings on school premises. Tree-shaded St. Bernard's Elementary School nearby also served educational needs of area youngsters.
According to your age or inclination, you may be a Boy Scout, a 4-H Club member, an athletic hero or heroine, a cheerleader, a Catholic Daughter, a Luther Leaguer, a Squire, a Jaycee or Jaycette, a Lion, a square dancer, a bowler, a homemaker club member, a fisherman, a hunter, a whist expert, or a senior citizen in this area.
The “Hollander” house of earlier years, presently Mrs. Mildred Kessel's home overlooks the city of Belfield. Colorful lawns, shrubs and flowers delight the senses and reflect the pride of Belfield's citizens in their churches, homes, new apartments and community center.
Old timers still tell about other old-timers along “Main Street” Wandering along you will encounter sunshine, The Treasers, Pete Lindemann's Coming to Town, a 13-cent Liberty Bell stamp, pink-pink petunias, smoky bacon smells, a farmer getting a hair-cut, trucks with tarps covering their cargoes near the elevator scales, a steaming cup of coffee, sale bills in windows, a shinny new Chevrolet, your face reflecting in the bank's doors, a plastic steer braving high winds, vases in a shop window, raindrops, organ music emanating from an open door, a huge White tractor chugging along and people stopping to chat. Ukrainian eggs and needlework and handcrafted cedar articles are sought out and treasured by tourists and local folk alike.
At dusk one evening a young tourist greeted me near the city park as I crossed the bridge on the pedestrian's side. He summed up his feelings by remarking, “This is a quaint little town!”
By a student of Belfield Public School
A site was selected by the U.S. government on the banks of the Heart River and a fort was built by the name of Fort Houston. This is the first that is known of the city of Belfield. At that time it was occupied by soldiers to help preserve peace among the Indians, as most of the roving Indians were on the war path.
Around 1885 when settlers first came here, all that was left of the fort was the foundation trench and by looking over the ground closely one was able to see evidences of the fort. Later this place was given the name of Belfield after a railroad official's daughter by the name of Belle Field.
This community is full of interesting early history. General Custer camped here, and the knoll overlooking Belfield from the east is known as Custer's hill. It is from here that General Custer left for the south on his final campaign. In the same year General Sully and General Sibley went through here on their expedition.
The community grew slowly until about 1910, when farmers began to come in. A company of Dutch under the leadership of Mr. Gabias came here directly from Holland. They lived in tents until their homes were built. The Gabiases built a home on the northeast edge of the city which is still one of the old land marks. This house is also one of the largest in the city and is a combination of Holland-American style of architecture. Most of these people settled around South Heart; a few went back to Holland.
We enjoy listening to old timers tell about these people. They dressed in native costumes — large bloomer like pants and wooden shoes. They spoke their native language, knowing little or no English. Today some of the most thrifty people are these or descendants of these Hollanders.
The first brick school building was built, 1907, and was known as the Roosevelt School. The statue of Theodore Roosevelt that used to stand in our grade building is not here anymore. 1914, a new addition was added. Then again 1936, there was need for more room, so a separate high school was built. Since then another floor was added to the high school and another addition was added which consists of a gym, shop rooms, science rooms and more classrooms.
After 1910 Belfield grew from a few buildings to a good sized town. Belfield, the gateway to the Badlands, is wonderfully located for scenic grandeur. The Painted Canyon is only a few miles to our west. Painted Canyon offers the visitor or the tourist as great variety of interests as may be found in a similar area anywhere in the United States.
Belfield, situated on U.S. 85, is an ideal stop-over point for travelers going to or from the Black Hills, Badlands and the Yellowstone Park. Belfield is also situated on U.S. 94 and Interstate highway. Belfield is the one spot that the Badlands may be explored conveniently from every direction.
Post Script 1977 (by a Belfield native) Caroline Buckman. Today people of varied ages, backgrounds and skills continue to expand the site which was chosen for this settlement on the Heart River banks nearly a century ago.
Shops in early Belfield, on the south side of the railroad tracks, gradually moved north to become “Main Street” Fire in 1922 destroyed several businesses which were later rebuilt; cloudbursts flooded basements and shops in 1953 and later until the city fathers collaborated with engineers to control the Heart. Late model fire and rescue equipment, housed in a modern block fire-hall, aided citizens during destructive blazes of a downtown shop and elevator.
Dirt and scoria paths gave way to neat sidewalks, paved and numbered streets, vapor mercury lights, sewer and water lines and homes with shinny, new numbers on their front doors. Presently a grant has been approved to provide sewer and water installations to south Belfield residents and lot-owners.
June 1977, citizens approved expanding public school facilities with passage of a bond issue. Demolition of the aging building in August 1977, will be followed by construction of new buildings on school premises. Tree-shaded St. Bernard's Elementary School nearby also served educational needs of area youngsters.
According to your age or inclination, you may be a Boy Scout, a 4-H Club member, an athletic hero or heroine, a cheerleader, a Catholic Daughter, a Luther Leaguer, a Squire, a Jaycee or Jaycette, a Lion, a square dancer, a bowler, a homemaker club member, a fisherman, a hunter, a whist expert, or a senior citizen in this area.
The “Hollander” house of earlier years, presently Mrs. Mildred Kessel's home overlooks the city of Belfield. Colorful lawns, shrubs and flowers delight the senses and reflect the pride of Belfield's citizens in their churches, homes, new apartments and community center.
Old timers still tell about other old-timers along “Main Street” Wandering along you will encounter sunshine, The Treasers, Pete Lindemann's Coming to Town, a 13-cent Liberty Bell stamp, pink-pink petunias, smoky bacon smells, a farmer getting a hair-cut, trucks with tarps covering their cargoes near the elevator scales, a steaming cup of coffee, sale bills in windows, a shinny new Chevrolet, your face reflecting in the bank's doors, a plastic steer braving high winds, vases in a shop window, raindrops, organ music emanating from an open door, a huge White tractor chugging along and people stopping to chat. Ukrainian eggs and needlework and handcrafted cedar articles are sought out and treasured by tourists and local folk alike.
At dusk one evening a young tourist greeted me near the city park as I crossed the bridge on the pedestrian's side. He summed up his feelings by remarking, “This is a quaint little town!”