Incredible marketing and entrepreneurship in 1900 started the happy little town of Golden Valley. Out of nothing, the town started and grew – and to this day Golden Valley gives you a reason to pull off Highway 200 between Hazen and Killdeer.
The disappearing tribute to North Dakota’s indigenous people — the Indian Head State Highway Sign. Just one or two remain along Highway 200 near Golden Valley.
We like stopping there because it has a peaceful and protected feel to it. Nestled in a valley, noise, weather and outside traffic is minimal. Plus, it has a couple of interesting shops for browsing and a great little place for food and libations.
Sunrise at Golden Valley, North Dakota
The town is a tribute to perseverance and entrepreneurship.
George V. Bratzel took lemons a corporation served him and turned them into proverbial lemonade. He was a rail agent for the Northern Pacific Railroad in Hebron, North Dakota. The company shipped him to the far end of the state, to Beach. Then, yanked him back to Hazen a couple of years later and fired him. It turns out his supervisor at the railroad wanted his son to have a job, so Danielson was fired to make room for the son.
“Ha!” Bratzel said. “I’m just gonna make my own town!”
Northern Pacific told him, “Go right ahead, and we’ll build a rail line to your town.”
(I suspect NP didn’t think Bratzel would succeed – but he did.)
Bratzel searched for a location for his town; he traveled and surveyed the prairie north of Hebron, North Dakota. One late summer day, he spotted a valley about 40 miles north of his home. The colors of the valley were – you guessed it, golden. And since the initials of his first and last name were GV, he named the town Golden Valley.
The First Golden Valley before it was moved next to the Northern Pacific Rail Line. (from the ND Historical Society collection.)
He called the Northern Pacific on its bluff, and it responded. It built the line along the best route engineers could find. It was about one-and-a-half miles from where George had set up his town. So again, turning those lemons into lemonade, he picked up the town and moved it to the railroad.
From NDSU library: paul-weiracuk (left) and james-opsahl (right) at the weiracuk homestead near golden valley- Permission of the Germans from Russia Heritage Collection, NDSU Libraries, Fargo, ND – www.ndsu.edu/grhc
He promoted the town heavily, even sponsoring a free dance for all the region’s ranchers and farmers. Isolated across the rolling prairie, families, as well as single men, looked for any chance they could find to socialize. A community dance, in 1914 was a rare event. That’s why all the neighbors from across the rolling prairie and distant towns came to see what he had built — Golden Valley. Some even moved to the new town.
Golden Valley about 30 years after it was moved to be near the RR tracks. Permission from the Germans from Russia Heritage Collection, NDSU Libraries, Fargo, ND – www.ndsu.edu/grhc
Once the town was set up along the tracks, farmers brought their grain to town where they could make more money than if they hauled it many miles down the road. They were willing to work for it even without a grain elevator. They loaded rail cars one shovel at a time, pitching their grain from their wagon into rail cars.
Later, the grain elevator was built and the town became a commercial and transportation center. One of the more successful businesses was an earth-moving company that did much of the work on the Garrison Diversion projects.
One of the success stories of the region is marked with an antique truck.
Now the town’s main draw is the Saddle Sore Saloon where festivities are hosted, even outdoor street dances and wedding parties.
The Saddle Sore Saloon in Golden Valley is the central gathering point. The Saloon’s Facebook Page includes this photo and other like it.
For example, on Valentine’s Day, the dining room serves Prime Rib with baked potato, salad bar, and a desert for $24.00.
From the Saddle Sore’s Facebook page, a summer evening collection of motorcycles and vintage cars.
Across the street from the Saddle Sore is a curio store, a flea market of antiques and collectibles.
Around the corner, one of the most brilliant Gems in the United States – a Harley-Davidson museum, with a motorcycle from each year – all of them in running order and operational. The museum is bright, clean, and more impressive than most small town museums of any sort. Ya gotta know the guy, to see it. It’s his private collection, but he’s willing to open it to let you in.
The private collection of Harley-Davidson motorcycles is a worthy attraction to the community.
That’s why motorcyclists who like to explore the 2-lane highways of the prairie can put this on their destination list. Anyone who likes photographic road trips, any time of the year will be rewarded with a trip to Golden Valley. They may give a tip of the hat to tribal elder, historian and businessman August Little Soldier who did much to provide industry to the Three Affiliated Tribes.
And give a tip of the hat to the famous roadside bronc of Wayne Herman world bareback rider who will greet you.
North Dakota 365 