Crogen, Ole, Farm District
4 mi. NW of Bottineau, Carbury & Bottineau, NDThe former Ole and Ingeborg Crogen farmstead is significant in its representation of a successful historic farmstead in Bottineau County, North Dakota. The high degree of integrity exhibited by the site and its individual buildings create a standard against against which future survey in the area should be evaluated. Its association with Norwegian settlement efforts should be explored to determine whether it may serve as a model for future study of ethnic agricultural practices.
Ole Crogen, born July 22, 1860, in Sondre Fron, Gudbrandsdalen, Norway, emigrated to Pope County Minnesota in 1867 with his parents, sisters, and a brother. Sources do not offer reasons why the Crogens left Norway and what attracted them to Minnesota, nor do records exist to explain Ole Crogen's move into North Dakota in 1886. Possibly, the availability of homestead land in 1860's Minnesota and 1880's North Dakota offered avenues to land possession which did not exist in the locations from which Crogen emigrated. Records do indicate, however, that Ole Crogen moved to a homestead in Pickering Township, one and one-half mile southeast of Carbury (The People of Bottineau County, p. 311; Minot Daily News, 11/14/1942; Bottineau Courant, 11/8/1942, p. 1).
By 1917 Crogen had amassed a farm of about 1000 acres and was considered one of the wealthiest Norwegian property owners in the county (Redal, p. 65). Agricultural surveys completed by the land grant college in North Dakota support Redal's observation. Those surveys recorded, among other things, changes in the relative number of farms of various sizes within individual counties of North Dakota from 19001925, the period of Crogen's greatest activity. In 1900, the bulk of Bottineau County farms (70+%) were of homestead size, 100-174 acres, while no inore than 3-4% of the total number of county farms consisted in 1000 acres or more...Middle-sized farms, those of 260-499 acres, while only representing 20% of the total in 1900, became the most common sized farm after eclipsing the percentage of homestead-size farms in 1907. From 1910 onward, the relative number of farms of the various sizes remained stable, with middle-sized farms representing nearly 50% of all county farms, larger farms (500-999 acres) comprising about 22% of all county farms, and the remaining consisting of extremely large or small farms. From 1900 the percent of all farms of 1000+ acres never reached above 5% (Willard and Fuller, p. 83, see Figure 53). Thus, Crogen's farm consisted in significant acreage within the county context from the years 1900-1925.
Within the same period, the number of large farms (defined as one section or greater in extent) throughout the entire state were more numerous than in Bottineau county. That is, Crogen's farm is larger than the norm in Bottineau County, but typical among farms throughout the state, especially of those in the southwest and south central part of the state (Willard and Fuller, p. 44, 58-65, Figures 32-38).
Through the buildings extant on the farmstead and supplemental documentary and photographic information, researchers today can obtain an accurate portrait of a leading farm during the first quarter of this century. The success of Crogen's operation is evidenced by his construction of the second dwelling in 1903 which replaced the homestead cabin for family use. Quick to follow was raising of the barn for livestock.
During the second decade of this century mechanical power began to replace horsepower in agricultural planting and harvesting. Farmers no longer needed barns to house large numbers of horses, but found the buildings a functional shelter for dairy cattle. Diversification of farm processes encouraged stock raising in addition to wheat production during the same time as conversion from animal to machine power. Crogen's farm followed this pattern which was a statewide phenomenon. Thus, the barn continued in use for many years and new buildings were added to the site: the garage, chicken coop, and silo. A slowdown of general farm practices during the 1930's coincided with Crogen's advancing age. He died in 1942, close to the time when the silo, pump house (bunkhouse), and homestead cabin were removed from the site due to a loss of utility. Remaining buildings served active farming purposes for the surviving family until retirement in 1970 (Conversation with Victor Crogen, 6/14/1986).
The grouping of buildings remain today remarkably intact after having served diverse agricultural needs for more than fifty years. As impressive is the lack of modernization through the addition of new buildings to the site or by alteration of existing ones. Such changes characterize nearly all historic farms today. The integrity of the Crogen farm is unmatched by any others formally recorded within the county and generally observed across much of the state.
Crogen was Norwegian, and settled within an area which as late as 1965 was composed of 95% Norwegians and their descendants. Norwegians comprise 50% of the 1965 households of Bottineau County, with the remainder of the county made up of (in order of relative size) Anglo-Americans, Germans, Anglo-Ontarians, and French (Sherman, pp. 58-59, 125). It is apparent that while the size of Crogen's farm was atypical, its ethnic association was typical within the county context. Two interesting features on the buildings may relate to the ethnic association. Within the gable of Crogen's barn are the pair of diamond shaped windows which occur with some frequency in areas of Norwegian settlement among barns built before 1930. Crogen's chicken coop, too, contains a door and window which share a common framing member, a an arrangement common among Norwegian immigrant folk housing (Nelson, 74-5). These features on the barn and hen house could be explained within the rubric of ethnic, popular, or folk building practices in future survey work.
The potential of the farm to illustrate ethnically associated characteristics, in addition to the historical bases of the property's importance and its high degree of physical integrity, serve to define the significance of the property.
Local significance of the district:
Ole Crogen, born July 22, 1860, in Sondre Fron, Gudbrandsdalen, Norway, emigrated to Pope County Minnesota in 1867 with his parents, sisters, and a brother. Sources do not offer reasons why the Crogens left Norway and what attracted them to Minnesota, nor do records exist to explain Ole Crogen's move into North Dakota in 1886. Possibly, the availability of homestead land in 1860's Minnesota and 1880's North Dakota offered avenues to land possession which did not exist in the locations from which Crogen emigrated. Records do indicate, however, that Ole Crogen moved to a homestead in Pickering Township, one and one-half mile southeast of Carbury (The People of Bottineau County, p. 311; Minot Daily News, 11/14/1942; Bottineau Courant, 11/8/1942, p. 1).
By 1917 Crogen had amassed a farm of about 1000 acres and was considered one of the wealthiest Norwegian property owners in the county (Redal, p. 65). Agricultural surveys completed by the land grant college in North Dakota support Redal's observation. Those surveys recorded, among other things, changes in the relative number of farms of various sizes within individual counties of North Dakota from 19001925, the period of Crogen's greatest activity. In 1900, the bulk of Bottineau County farms (70+%) were of homestead size, 100-174 acres, while no inore than 3-4% of the total number of county farms consisted in 1000 acres or more...Middle-sized farms, those of 260-499 acres, while only representing 20% of the total in 1900, became the most common sized farm after eclipsing the percentage of homestead-size farms in 1907. From 1910 onward, the relative number of farms of the various sizes remained stable, with middle-sized farms representing nearly 50% of all county farms, larger farms (500-999 acres) comprising about 22% of all county farms, and the remaining consisting of extremely large or small farms. From 1900 the percent of all farms of 1000+ acres never reached above 5% (Willard and Fuller, p. 83, see Figure 53). Thus, Crogen's farm consisted in significant acreage within the county context from the years 1900-1925.
Within the same period, the number of large farms (defined as one section or greater in extent) throughout the entire state were more numerous than in Bottineau county. That is, Crogen's farm is larger than the norm in Bottineau County, but typical among farms throughout the state, especially of those in the southwest and south central part of the state (Willard and Fuller, p. 44, 58-65, Figures 32-38).
Through the buildings extant on the farmstead and supplemental documentary and photographic information, researchers today can obtain an accurate portrait of a leading farm during the first quarter of this century. The success of Crogen's operation is evidenced by his construction of the second dwelling in 1903 which replaced the homestead cabin for family use. Quick to follow was raising of the barn for livestock.
During the second decade of this century mechanical power began to replace horsepower in agricultural planting and harvesting. Farmers no longer needed barns to house large numbers of horses, but found the buildings a functional shelter for dairy cattle. Diversification of farm processes encouraged stock raising in addition to wheat production during the same time as conversion from animal to machine power. Crogen's farm followed this pattern which was a statewide phenomenon. Thus, the barn continued in use for many years and new buildings were added to the site: the garage, chicken coop, and silo. A slowdown of general farm practices during the 1930's coincided with Crogen's advancing age. He died in 1942, close to the time when the silo, pump house (bunkhouse), and homestead cabin were removed from the site due to a loss of utility. Remaining buildings served active farming purposes for the surviving family until retirement in 1970 (Conversation with Victor Crogen, 6/14/1986).
The grouping of buildings remain today remarkably intact after having served diverse agricultural needs for more than fifty years. As impressive is the lack of modernization through the addition of new buildings to the site or by alteration of existing ones. Such changes characterize nearly all historic farms today. The integrity of the Crogen farm is unmatched by any others formally recorded within the county and generally observed across much of the state.
Crogen was Norwegian, and settled within an area which as late as 1965 was composed of 95% Norwegians and their descendants. Norwegians comprise 50% of the 1965 households of Bottineau County, with the remainder of the county made up of (in order of relative size) Anglo-Americans, Germans, Anglo-Ontarians, and French (Sherman, pp. 58-59, 125). It is apparent that while the size of Crogen's farm was atypical, its ethnic association was typical within the county context. Two interesting features on the buildings may relate to the ethnic association. Within the gable of Crogen's barn are the pair of diamond shaped windows which occur with some frequency in areas of Norwegian settlement among barns built before 1930. Crogen's chicken coop, too, contains a door and window which share a common framing member, a an arrangement common among Norwegian immigrant folk housing (Nelson, 74-5). These features on the barn and hen house could be explained within the rubric of ethnic, popular, or folk building practices in future survey work.
The potential of the farm to illustrate ethnically associated characteristics, in addition to the historical bases of the property's importance and its high degree of physical integrity, serve to define the significance of the property.
Agriculture
Listed in National Register of Historic Places in 1987.
About National Register Listings
The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the Nation’s historic places worthy of preservation. Authorized by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect America’s historic and archeological resources.
North Dakota is home to several historic forts, including Fort Abraham Lincoln, which was the home of General George Custer and his troops before the Battle of Little Bighorn.
About Bottineau County
Bottineau County Timeline
Bottineau County, North Dakota, has a rich and diverse history dating back to its early settlement by Native American tribes. The land was originally inhabited by the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara tribes, who used the area for hunting and gathering. In the early 1800s, European explorers, fur traders, and missionaries arrived, leading to increased trade and interactions between Native Americans and settlers.
In the late 1800s, as railroad expansion reached the region, more settlers arrived in Bottineau County. The area was officially organized as a county in 1885, named after Pierre Bottineau, a prominent Métis fur trader and guide. Agriculture soon became the county's primary industry, as settlers cleared the land and established farms to cultivate crops and raise livestock.
Bottineau County's growth continued throughout the early 20th century. The county experienced a population boom, driven by an influx of immigrants, especially from Scandinavia. The land's fertile soil and favorable climate proved to be beneficial for farming, and the county soon became known as the "Garden Spot of North Dakota." Wheat, barley, flax, and other crops thrived, contributing to the county's economic prosperity.
Over the years, Bottineau County has also been known for its natural beauty and recreational opportunities. The Turtle Mountains, located in the southern part of the county, provide scenic views, hiking trails, and opportunities for outdoor activities, attracting tourists and visitors from near and far. Today, Bottineau County continues to embrace its agricultural heritage while also diversifying its economy, with tourism and outdoor recreation playing an increasingly important role.
In the late 1800s, as railroad expansion reached the region, more settlers arrived in Bottineau County. The area was officially organized as a county in 1885, named after Pierre Bottineau, a prominent Métis fur trader and guide. Agriculture soon became the county's primary industry, as settlers cleared the land and established farms to cultivate crops and raise livestock.
Bottineau County's growth continued throughout the early 20th century. The county experienced a population boom, driven by an influx of immigrants, especially from Scandinavia. The land's fertile soil and favorable climate proved to be beneficial for farming, and the county soon became known as the "Garden Spot of North Dakota." Wheat, barley, flax, and other crops thrived, contributing to the county's economic prosperity.
Over the years, Bottineau County has also been known for its natural beauty and recreational opportunities. The Turtle Mountains, located in the southern part of the county, provide scenic views, hiking trails, and opportunities for outdoor activities, attracting tourists and visitors from near and far. Today, Bottineau County continues to embrace its agricultural heritage while also diversifying its economy, with tourism and outdoor recreation playing an increasingly important role.
Bottineau County Timeline
This timeline provides a concise overview of the key events in the history of Bottineau County, North Dakota.
- 1884: Bottineau County is established.
- 1886: The first railroad line is built in the county.
- 1893: The city of Bottineau is incorporated.
- 1896: The first newspaper in Bottineau County, "The Bottineau Courant," is published.
- 1915: The Bottineau County Courthouse is built.
- 1930s: The Great Depression affects Bottineau County, leading to economic hardships.
- 1950s: Bottineau County experiences an agricultural boom.
- 1960: Lake Metigoshe State Park is established.
- 1975: Turtle Mountain Community College is founded in Bottineau.
- 1998: The International Peace Garden, located partly in Bottineau County, celebrates its 60th anniversary.