Contains an area of 150,932 square miles, and is
considerable larger than the six New England States, with the great Empire
State, New York included; it lies between 43 degrees and 99 degrees north
latitude, and between 96 degrees, 25 minutes and 109 degrees west longitude. The
great Missouri River, with its windings included, runs one thousand miles
diagonally across the territory and navigable the entire distance. There are
numerous lakes scattered throughout the territory, of which Devils Lake in the
Turtle Mountain region is the largest. East of the Missouri River the country is
a beautiful undulating prairie with the exception of the Coteau Hills. This
magnificent agricultural region may properly be divided into two sections: the
James or "Jim" River Valley, drained by the "Jim" River flowing south, and the
Red River Valley drained by the Red River flowing north. The watershed of the
continent dividing these streams extends through nearly the center of Marshall
County. Historical About the middle of the seventeenth century French
explorers passed through what is now Dakota, and again in the beginning of the
present century Lewis and Clark explored this region. In 1809 one of the Astor's
parties, conducted by Mr. Hunt on their way across the continent to the mouth of
the Columbia River, ascended the Missouri River to the 46 degree parallel, where
they procured horses from the Indians and traveled overland. Washington Irving
gives a glowing description of this region in his Astoria and in 1835 gives it
as his opinion that this magnificent country would ever be the home of Indians
and outlaws because so far from civilization. |
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