Schafer, North Dakota facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Schafer
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Fenceline along a road in Schafer
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 Schafer
Location in North Dakota
Schafer
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | North Dakota |
| County | McKenzie |
| Elevation | 2,005 ft (611 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| Area code(s) | 701 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1031373 |
Schafer is a small place in North Dakota, United States. It's known as an unincorporated area, which means it doesn't have its own official town government. Schafer used to be a very important place because it was the county seat for McKenzie County. A county seat is like the main office for a county, where important government decisions are made.
Schafer's Past
Schafer was once the center of McKenzie County. However, the county seat was later moved to Watford City. After this move, Schafer became what is often called a ghost town. A ghost town is a place where most people have left, and many buildings are empty.
Why Schafer Changed
Schafer's story is quite interesting. The town might have continued to grow if not for a disagreement. This disagreement was a land dispute between the Schafer family, who owned land there, and a big company called the Great Northern Railway.
The Railroad's Role
The Great Northern Railway was planning to build train tracks through the area. Train tracks are super important for towns because they help bring in supplies and people. They also help businesses send out their products. Because of the land dispute, the railway never actually laid down the tracks in Schafer. They did some early work, like leveling the ground, all the way to the Missouri River. But without the tracks, the town couldn't grow as much as it might have.
