A rural post office established Aug 15, 1913 with Fred Horstman pm at his home sixteen miles SW of Alexander.  Mr. Horstman had submitted the names Frederick, Ida, Joe, Gunder, Center, and Horse Creek, and postal officials chose Joe, which honors Joe Stroud who came here from TX in 1891 with his brother Robert.  The post office closed June 30, 1916 with mail to Moline.

The junction of ND23 and ND73, sixteen miles east of Watford City. There have been several Johnson families in this area over the years, but the name is thought to honor LL Johnson, who lived just west of the rural, as early as 1916. Johnson' Corner and Johnson Corners are alternate spellings.