Moorhead, Minnesota, was founded in 1872 as a major stop on the Northern Pacific Railroad during its push toward the Pacific Ocean. The town grew to prominence in western Minnesota because of its location at the intersection of the rail line and the commercially important Red River of the North. Garnering an unenviable reputation in its early years as a wide-open town, dominated by its saloons, Moorhead subsequently developed as an important rural service center. Tracing the history of Moorhead from its founding in 1872 to the present day, the images in this volume reveal the experiences of this small Midwestern community within a framework of change and continuity.
Moorhead, Minnesota, was founded in 1872 as a major stop on the Northern Pacific Railroad during its push toward the Pacific Ocean. The town grew to prominence in western Minnesota because of its location at the intersection of the rail line and the commercially important Red River of the North. Garnering an unenviable reputation in its early years as a wide-open town, dominated by its saloons, Moorhead subsequently developed as an important rural service center. Tracing the history of Moorhead from its founding in 1872 to the present day, the images in this volume reveal the experiences of this small Midwestern community within a framework of change and continuity.