About Benson County

Benson County North Dakota was created by the 1879 Territorial legislature. It was named for Bertil W. Benson, a Valley City North Dakota merchant and land dealer who served in the House of Representatives. The government was organized June 4th 1884. The County seat is located in Minnewaukan.

When North Dakota became a state in 1889, one half the population was foreign born and one third of these were from Norway. In 1910, Norwegians comprised 18% of the state's population with the dominant Scandinavian population of 123,000 residents. Swedes numbered 27,000 (3.9%), Danes 12,500, Icelanders 2,800 and Finns 2,500. The Scandinavian's came late into the settlement process with the first arrivals coming by rail and river in 1869 and 1870. While many other ethnic groups settled in enclaves, the Norwegians washed across the state, leaving a residue of farms in almost every locality. Fort Totten, was established in 1870 for the Sioux tribe.

Towns still in existence are Brinsmade, Esmond, Knox, Leeds, Maddock, Minnewaukan, Oberon, Warwick and York. Other communities in Benson County are St. Michael and Tokio.