Sheyenne, North Dakota

On December 7, 1894 at approximately 4:30 A.M., a fire began in the George Williams Livery Barn and spread to other businesses on Main Street. Williams' billiard room and soft drink shop were the next to be consumed. The blaze then spread to the Westerlund Hotel and the Hugh Peoples General Store. The post office also caught fire, but N.U. Hanson saved all the mail that was on-hand. The fire was determined to be incendiary in origin. George Williams closed his stables at 2:00 A.M. and locked the door. When firemen arrived at the scene, they realized that the door was open, and later it was determined that the fire began in the unused box stall. In the wake of the disaster, the merchants rebuilt and continued serving the Sheyenne area.

Sheyenne was home to C.G. Hayes, a farmer by trade who lived South of the townsite. Hayes became a soldier and was stationed at Fort Totten. He became a scout during the Indian Wars in the Northwest. After that, he served under the Seventh Cavalry banner, and was one of the messengers who sent for reinforcements after The Battle of the Little Bighorn. In 1897, Sheyenne began publishing its first newspaper, The Sheyenne Star.

Settlers and immigrants continued to swarm to the area as they came via boxcar and train. They also arrived by cars and wagons. Businesses in Sheyenne included numerous department stores, meat markets, livery stables, a depot, a blacksmith shop operated by Hans Stenberg, Odegaard's Shop, a feed mill, and land companies. Sheyenne had several elevators that stored different local goods. There was a Ford dealership, numerous service stations, numerous pharmacies, cafes, a hotel, a public bath, and a lumberyard. A cream station, an opera house, and a variety store also existed in Sheyenne at one time. Many banks have come and gone over the brief period of Sheyenne's existence, including the Farmers' State Bank.

Looking north on Highway 281 in Sheyenne

The opening of the creamery in Sheyenne was the largest event in Sheyenne history in terms of turnout. The event was created to celebrate the opening of Sheyenne's creamery on June 28, 1913. Over 2000 people were present at the event. The festivities began with a parade that covered 22 blocks that included the Fort Totten Indian Band, the Boy Scouts, and numerous merchants' floats. The parade ended at the creamery, where everyone was served free ice cream and buttermilk. Over 1900 ice cream cones were served. The climax of the day was when Professor G.F. Martin of North Dakota Agricultural College, now North Dakota State University, spoke about the importance of dairy. A baseball game was then played between Sheyenne and New Rockford, and at 9:00 a grand ball was held at the opera house.

The Sheyenne area progressed through World War I and the 1918 influenza epidemic. A shock to the area came in the 1930s with the Great Depression, when the main industry of the area, agriculture, was threatened severely. Poor crop prices influenced Sheyenne's economy and the WPA was crucial to the life of Sheyenne. It created a park on the south side of Sheyenne that is now owned by the VFW, it restored the town jail, and its workers built Warsing Dam on the outskirts of the city. In the 1940s numerous residents fought in World War II, and the Sheyenne Star ceased publication. In 1955, the second irrigation experimental farm in North Dakota was planned on the land of Bruce Larson, while a major concern of the late 1950s was the high nitrate condition in the wells of Sheyenne. The problem was solved by the Northern Pacific Railway Company donating their well to the City of Sheyenne. A major event in the 1960s was the opening of the Tastee-Freez, a fast food and ice cream restaurant, in the building previously occupied by the city's fire department. Community betterment was the highlight of the 1970s in Sheyenne, when projects such as street paving, tennis courts, townhouses, a museum, and main street revitalization were finished. In 1977 Sheyenne won the North Dakota Community Betterment Award for its work on its projects.

Sheyenne celebrated its 125th with a demo-derby, BBQ dinner, parade, school reunion, fireworks, and a children's theater production, put on by the S.T.A.R.S.

Sheyenne experiences an extreme Continental climate. It experiences wide temperature changes and four distinct seasons. Its location in the center of North America and the Upper Midwest gives it distinctive upper air patterns that vary dramatically from season to season.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 0.2 square miles (0.52 km²), all land.

As of the census of 2010, there were 204 people, 103 households, and 51 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,275.0 inhabitants per square mile (492.3/km²). There were 147 housing units at an average density of 918.8 per square mile (354.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 81.4% White, 1.0% African American, 14.7% Native American, 0.5% from other races, and 2.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.0% of the population.

There were 103 households, of which 11.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.9% were married couples living together, 7.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 50.5% were non-families. 41.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 21.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.98 and the average family size was 2.73.

The median age in the city was 54.3 years. 12.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 4.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 18.1% were from 25 to 44; 40.2% were from 45 to 64; and 24.5% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.5% male and 50.5% female.

As of the census of 2000, there were 318 people, 146 households, and 85 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,042.1 inhabitants per square mile (788.5/km²). There were 187 housing units at an average density of 1,200.9 per square mile (463.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 83.96% White, 12.26% Native American, and 3.77% from two or more races.

There were 146 households, out of which 26.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.0% were married couples living together, 6.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.1% were non-families. 39.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 26.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.18 and the average family size was 2.94.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 23.9% under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 19.2% from 25 to 44, 25.5% from 45 to 64, and 24.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females, there were 80.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $22,969, and the median income for a family was $30,938. Males had a median income of $25,972 versus $24,583 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,145. About 10.7% of families and 12.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.3% of those under age 18 and 4.5% of those age 65 or over.