Talk:Williston, North Dakota

Miss North Dakota

Isn't the Miss North Dakota pageant held in different cities every year? --MatthewUND^(talk) 03:17, 15 October 2006 (UTC)

No. It has been in Williston every year for many years. Gene Nygaard 01:28, 16 October 2006 (UTC)

OK, good to know. --MatthewUND^(talk) 23:23, 16 October 2006 (UTC)

School districts

District 1 and New public district 8 are two separate school districts. The have always been that way. They have never split, as is stated. [1] —Preceding unsigned comment added by Caeide (talk • contribs)

What was wrong with the Trinity Christian article? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Leopold Samsonite (talk • contribs)

Other users deemed it non-notable. --MatthewUND^(talk) 08:21, 5 December 2006 (UTC)

Namesake conflict

According to The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States, by Henry Gannett, 1905, Williston was named after territorial judge Lorenzo P. Williston. This article currently claims it was named for Daniel Willis James, but does not provide a source. postdlf (talk) 12:45, 23 February 2010 (UTC)

I've provided a source, though it may ultimately hang on Ben Innis's history.Hi540 (talk) 23:08, 25 February 2010 (UTC)

I've now added a citation from Innis as well.Hi540 (talk) 14:16, 26 February 2010 (UTC)

Hmm, thanks. So I guess we can assume that Gannett was just wrong? But upon what was his mistake based? And do you think we should add a mention within the footnote about the conflicting earlier source? postdlf (talk) 15:37, 26 February 2010 (UTC)

I think Gannett was just guessing. I assume Lorenzo Williston served in Yankton, which is awfully far from northwest North Dakota. Hi540 (talk) 23:36, 6 July 2010 (UTC)

I have two sources that give the origin as Daniel Willis James as well. Gannet was probakbky speculating as others have said.

• Wick, Douglas A. (1988). North Dakota Place Names. Bismarck, North Dakota: Hedemarken Collectibles. ISBN 0-9620968-0-6. OCLC 191277027. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
• Williams, Mary Ann (Barnes) (1966). Origins of North Dakota Place Names. Bismarck, North Dakota: Bismarck Tribune, 1966. OCLC 431626.

I'll add these to the article, too. DCmacnut<> 03:23, 7 July 2010 (UTC)

It turns out that the Manitoba RR reached Williston in 1887, not the GN RR. Both were Hill RRs. Hill had no interest in the NP until 1896. The existing text implies that Hill had a stake in the NP but doesn't actually say so; this needs clarification. This might cast some doubt on the James theory. And, if it were true, wouldn't Hill have named Williston Jamestown? Deangup (talk) 01:40, 31 October 2017 (UTC)

No. Hill thought there were already too many towns named "Jamestown."

Hill formed the Great Northern in 1889, so technically Hill's railroad, a precursor of the Great Northern, was the St. Paul, Minneapolis & Manitoba Railway at the moment Williston was created.

Wikipedia isn't an authoritative source for Wikipedia articles.--John Foxe (talk) 14:24, 31 October 2017 (UTC)

What is the 'frac' pumping technique?

Section Economy: "with the expanding drilling (utilizing the 'frac' pumping technique) of oil". What is the 'frac' pumping technique? Can an explanation or link be added? Is it fracturing? --Mortense (talk) 16:07, 18 June 2011 (UTC)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Overnighters

The documentary film The Overnighters which was nominated for an Oscar was set in Williston — Preceding unsigned comment added by 131.191.24.204 (talk) 15:22, 30 November 2016 (UTC)

External links modified

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History

Existing text gives the impression that James J. Hill had ownership in the Northern Pacific RR in 1887. Also that the Northern Pacific was extended to Williston at that time.

The first point seems to conflict with the Northern Pacific Wikipedia article, which I now understand can't be cited. I'd like to suggest wordsmithing this sentence to something like "... by his friend, railroad magnate James J. Hill." The timing of Hill's investment in the Northern Pacific isn't important to the Williston history.

I added information to fix the second point; it was Hill's Manitoba RR. But this was reverted, altho my source seems acceptable. I'd like to have this information be part of the article, so the naming of the town won't leave the impression that the town was started by the Northern Pacific. Also, the History section is pretty barren, and a railroad's arrival is an important event. How can I do this in an acceptable way? Deangup (talk) 19:37, 31 October 2017 (UTC)

Take a look at my tweaks and see what you think. The name of the railroad doesn't have to be mentioned at all, but if you want to mention the Manitoba as the precursor to the Northern Pacific, that's fine too.--John Foxe (talk) 21:43, 31 October 2017 (UTC)

Better. It wasn't necessary to remove the info re: James' seat on the NP board. But that removes any confusion about RRs serving Williston. Was your use of NP above a typo? Deangup (talk) 21:53, 31 October 2017 (UTC)

Yes. (You've given your birth year, so you can grant pity to your elder.)--John Foxe (talk) 15:50, 1 November 2017 (UTC)