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Ramsey County, North Dakota facts for kids

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Ramsey County
U.S. county
Ramsey County Courthouse in Devils Lake, North Dakota.
Ramsey County Courthouse in Devils Lake, North Dakota.
Map of North Dakota highlighting Ramsey County
Location within the U.S. state of North Dakota
Map of the United States highlighting North Dakota
North Dakota's location within the U.S.
Country  United States
State  North Dakota
Founded January 4, 1873 (created)
January 25, 1883 (organized)
Named for Alexander Ramsey
Seat Devils Lake
Largest city Devils Lake
Area
 • Total 1,301 sq mi (3,370 km2)
 • Land 1,187 sq mi (3,070 km2)
 • Water 114 sq mi (300 km2)  8.8%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 11,605
 • Estimate 
(2023)
 11,463 Decrease
 • Density 8.920/sq mi (3.4441/km2)
Time zone UTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district At-large

Ramsey County is a county located in the state of North Dakota in the United States. In 2020, about 11,605 people lived there. The main city and county seat (where the county government is) is Devils Lake.

History of Ramsey County

The county was first created on January 4, 1873, by the government of the Dakota Territory. It was formed from parts of Pembina County.

Ramsey County was named after Alexander Ramsey. He was a U.S. Senator from Minnesota and the very first governor of the Minnesota Territory.

At first, the county government wasn't fully set up. It wasn't until January 25, 1883, that the county officially started its government operations. The county's borders changed a few times in the 1880s, but they have stayed the same since 1890.

Map of Ramsey County, N.D., 1909
An old map showing Ramsey County, North Dakota, from 1909.

Geography and Nature

Ramsey County is located in North Dakota. Its southwest edge touches Devils Lake, a large lake. The land here has rolling hills and many small lakes and ponds. Most of the land is used for farming.

The highest point in the county is in the northeast corner. It is about 1,631 feet (497 meters) above sea level. The county covers a total area of about 1,301 square miles (3,370 square kilometers). About 114 square miles (295 square kilometers) of this area is water, which is about 8.8% of the total.

Ramsey County is beautiful “pothole country” In the center of the migratory bird flyway
Ramsey County is known for its "pothole country," which is great for migratory birds.

Main Roads in Ramsey County

  • US 2.svg U.S. Highway 2
  • US 281.svg U.S. Highway 281
  • ND-1 (2015).svg North Dakota Highway 1
  • ND-17 (2015).svg North Dakota Highway 17
  • ND-19 (2015).svg North Dakota Highway 19
  • ND-20 (2015).svg North Dakota Highway 20
  • ND-57 (2015).svg North Dakota Highway 57

Train Travel

  • Amtrak's Empire Builder train stops at the Devils Lake station.

Neighboring Counties

Protected Natural Areas

  • Lake Alice National Wildlife Refuge (part of it is in Ramsey County)
  • Silver Lake National Wildlife Refuge (part of it is in Ramsey County)

Lakes in Ramsey County

  • Chain Lake
  • Creel Bay
  • Dry Lake
  • East Devils Lake
  • Lake Alice
  • Lake Irvine
  • Mikes Lake
  • Morrison Lake
  • Sixmile Bay
  • Sweetwater Lake

Population and People

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
1880 281 —
1890 4,418 1,472.2%
1900 9,198 108.2%
1910 15,199 65.2%
1920 15,427 1.5%
1930 16,252 5.3%
1940 15,626 −3.9%
1950 14,373 −8.0%
1960 13,443 −6.5%
1970 12,915 −3.9%
1980 13,048 1.0%
1990 12,681 −2.8%
2000 12,066 −4.8%
2010 11,451 −5.1%
2020 11,605 1.3%
2023 (est.) 11,463 0.1%
U.S. Decennial Census
1790-1960 1900-1990
1990-2000 2010-2020

How Many People Live Here?

In 2020, the census counted 11,605 people living in Ramsey County. There were 4,947 households and 2,883 families. The county had about 9.8 people per square mile (3.8 people per square kilometer). There were also 5,843 homes available.

In 2010, there were 11,451 people. Most people were white (87.7%), and 8.7% were Native American. People from German and Norwegian backgrounds were the largest groups.

Population Changes Over Time

Towns and Communities

Cities in Ramsey County

Other Communities

These are smaller places that are not officially cities:

Townships

Townships are smaller areas within the county, often with their own local government:

  • Bartlett
  • Cato
  • Chain Lakes
  • Coulee
  • Creel
  • De Groat
  • Dry Lake
  • Fancher
  • Freshwater
  • Grand Harbor
  • Hammer
  • Harding
  • Highland Center
  • Hope
  • Klingstrup
  • Lawton
  • Lillehoff
  • Minnewaukan
  • Morris
  • Newbre
  • Newland
  • Noonan
  • North Creel
  • Northfield
  • Odessa
  • Ontario
  • Overland
  • Pelican
  • Poplar Grove
  • Prospect
  • Royal
  • South Minnewaukan
  • Stevens
  • Sullivan
  • Triumph
  • Webster

Education

Here are the school districts that serve students in Ramsey County:

  • Dakota Prairie Public School District 1
  • Devils Lake Public School District 1
  • Edmore Public School District 2
  • Lakota Public School District 66
  • Leeds Public School District 6
  • Minnewaukan Public School District 5
  • North Star School District
  • Starkweather Public School District 44
  • Warwick Public School District 29

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Condado de Ramsey (Dakota del Norte) para niños

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Ramsey County, North Dakota Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.