Homesteaders Gap facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Homesteaders Gap, North Dakota
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|---|---|
| Country | United States of America |
| State | North Dakota |
| County | McKenzie County |
| Elevation | 2,274 ft (693 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-7 (Mountain) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-6 |
| ZIP | |
| Area codes | +1 701 (ND) and +1 406 (MT) |
| GNIS feature ID | 1035183 |
Homesteaders Gap is a very small community, sometimes called a hamlet. It's located in McKenzie County, North Dakota, right on North Dakota Highway 16. Part of it even stretches into Montana, where it used to be known as West Squaw Gap.
Even though it's small, Homesteaders Gap has important places like a school building and a community center. The community center is a place where people can gather.
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What is Homesteaders Gap?
Homesteaders Gap is an unincorporated village. This means it doesn't have its own local government like a city or town. Instead, it's managed by the county. It's a quiet place where people live and work.
The School
The school in Homesteaders Gap has a long history. It first opened way back in 1904! For many years, it taught students from kindergarten through sixth grade. However, by 2006, only two students were attending.
The school is now closed. Today, students from Homesteaders Gap travel to Rau School in Sidney, Montana to continue their education. A small trailer on the old school property, which once housed the teacher, is now used by a local resident.
Getting Connected: Telephones!
Imagine a time when not everyone had a phone! Homesteaders Gap was one of the very last places in the main part of the United States to get landline telephone service. This happened on December 15, 1971.
To celebrate, a special event was broadcast on NBC. The first phone call from Homesteaders Gap was made to the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Earl Butz, in Washington, D.C. It was a big moment for the community, finally connecting them to the rest of the world by phone!
A New Name for a New Era
For a long time, this community was known by a different name: Squaw Gap. However, in January 2023, the United States Department of the Interior announced a change. Homesteaders Gap, along with six other places, was given a new name.
The old name was considered offensive because it contained words that were disrespectful to certain groups of people. The government chose the new name, Homesteaders Gap, because it connects to the area's history. It reminds people of the "homesteaders" who settled the land long ago. This change helps make sure that place names are respectful and welcoming to everyone.
