Pierce County Between Railroad History and Birdlife

Pierce County brings together themes that can be given different weight in a travel itinerary: railroad and agricultural history, architecture, bird habitats, and fishing waters. Museums, an Amtrak station in Rugby, a bell tower, and a monument offer a variety of cultural points of interest.

Museums, Technology, and Architectural History

At the Prairie Village Museum, railroad history comes to life through places, vehicles, and human experiences: you can explore the historic railroad depot from Penn, North Dakota, step inside a Great Northern caboose, and discover artifacts about the lives of people who worked in the railroad industry and traveled by train. The Dale & Martha Hawk Museum presents local history, community heritage, traditional farming methods, and the history of transportation in the region. The museum also preserves the 1917 Hackney Auto-Plow, considered the only operational two-way plow of its kind in the world.

For choosing a theme, the Prairie Village Museum focuses on the railroad, including its depot and caboose; the Dale & Martha Hawk Museum takes a broader view of agriculture, community, and regional transportation history. Those interested in specific machinery will find a different focus here than in a museum devoted to broader local history.

The Pierce County Courthouse was built in 1908. It was the first courthouse in North Dakota designed by Buechner & Orth to use brown stone for the foundation and lighter-colored brick walls. Its construction date and choice of materials offer two different historical points of reference: one places the building in time, while the other describes its distinctive design.

Rugby and Other Cultural Points of Interest

Passengers continue to board and disembark Amtrak trains at the jointly restored station in Rugby. If you are planning a train journey, check Amtrak’s current boarding arrangements before you travel. The Niewoehner Bell Tower in Rugby stands 30 feet tall and contains 15 bells. The theater history of Rugby’s historic Lyric Theatre dates back to 1922.

The Northern Lights Interpretive Center features photographs by aurora expert Jay Brausch. An interactive kiosk also displays actual footage of the aurora. Photographs and moving images thus offer two different ways to experience the subject. The Geographical Center of North America Monument in Pierce County is marked by a stone cairn.

Nature and Waters

Buffalo Lake National Wildlife Refuge is located in Pierce County and is managed under the J. Clark Salyer National Wildlife Refuge. If you are planning a visit, check the latest information on the refuge’s administration. Pierce County provides seasonal and year-round habitat for birds; the groups mentioned include hawks, eagles, falcons, marsh birds, shorebirds, pheasants, ducks, geese, and sharp-tailed grouse. A 2020 environmental assessment classified Balta Dam as a Class III warmwater fishery.

Discover more destinations: Ramsey, Cass, Eddy County, Walsh, Billings County, Williams County, Barnes County.

For the main travel overview: North Dakota.