Niles, North Dakota facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Niles, North Dakota
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 Niles, North Dakota
Location in North Dakota
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| Country | United States |
| State | North Dakota |
| County | Benson |
| Elevation | 1,522 ft (464 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-7 (Mountain (MST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-6 (MDT) |
| Area code(s) | 701 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1030409 |
Niles is a small, quiet place in Benson County, North Dakota, United States. It is known as an unincorporated community. This means it's a settlement that doesn't have its own local government, like a city or town does. Instead, it's governed by the county.
Niles was once located along the Great Northern Railway, which was a very important train line. Today, it sits right next to U.S. Route 2. You can find Niles about 10 miles east of the city of Leeds. People who live in Niles sometimes call themselves Nilesite.
Contents
A Look Back: Niles' History
Niles has a history closely tied to the railway. In the early 1900s, train lines were like the highways of today. They were crucial for moving goods and people across the country.
Around 1903, there was a disagreement between the Great Northern Railway and a local business called Farmers' Independent Elevator Co. This company had built a large grain elevator, which is a tall building used to store grain, on land that the railway claimed was theirs. This shows how important both railways and farming businesses were to communities like Niles back then.
Getting Around: Transportation in Niles
Even though Niles is a small community, it's still part of a bigger transportation network.
Train Travel Near Niles
The famous Amtrak Empire Builder train passes right through Niles. This train travels a long distance, connecting cities like Seattle and Portland on the west coast to Chicago in the Midwest. It runs on tracks owned by the BNSF Railway.
However, the Empire Builder does not stop in Niles. If you wanted to catch this train, the closest stations are in Rugby, which is about 32 miles to the west, and Devils Lake, about 26 miles to the east.
Roads and Routes
Niles is located along U.S. Route 2. This major highway helps connect Niles to other towns and cities in North Dakota and beyond.
