History

The Presbytery of the Northern Plains was organized in January 1977, the successor to a long series of presbyteries in the northern Dakota Territory, and later the states of North Dakota and Minnesota, which originated in the Presbytery of St. Paul. The earliest Presbyterian work in this area was conducted by the Church of Scotland in 1815 around Pembina in territory held by the Hudson Bay Company. Settlers of European descent began arriving after the railroads came through beginning in the 1870's. The oldest congregation in the Presbytery as presently aligned is the First Presbyterian Church of Moorhead, chartered in 1872.

Links about the history of PCUSA

Presbyterian 101: A General Guide to the fact about PCUSA

Presbyterian Historical Society - A Brief History of the Presbyterian Church

Presbyterian Church History-A Brief History of the Presbyterian Denomination

Today much of the area of the Presbytery continues to reflect decisions made 100 years ago. North Dakota was platted with towns and railroads before it was homesteaded, using planning models developed for climates where the average rainfall was greater than found here. This resulted in what has been called the “too much syndrome,” (too many miles of railroad and highways, and too many towns, school and churches). By 1917 there were 186 Presbyterian congregations in North Dakota alone. Today the total number of congregations is one-third of that number. In 1996, the population of North Dakota was the same as it was in 1920, 641,000. Presbyterian comprise 1.27% of the population.

The economy across the Presbytery is predominantly agriculturally-based, with wheat, sugar beets, potatoes and other crops most prevalent in the east, and ranching in the more thinly populated, drier western sections. Mining, oil, and military bases are significant contributors to the economy. The population has been declining over all with pockets of growth around Fargo, Grand Forks, Bismarck, and Rolla.

Resource for sale . . .

Presbyterian on the Northern Plains: A History chronicles the history and work of Presbyterians in North Dakota (ND) with a brief addition about Presbyterian work in the Red River Valley of Minnesota. Written by the late Dr. Stanley N. Murray, professor of history at the University of North Dakota from 1967 to 1992, it describes the struggles and hopes of Presbyterians, their disappointments and successes, and the mistakes made, lessons learned, and achievements from the time of their arrival in ND in the 18702 to the present. The book includes maps of various presbyteries as their demography changed, names of leaders in the presbytery and around the state, list of the churches - including those which have closed - mission projects, social concerns, the role of women, and ecumenical work with other denominations. Of special interest are sections on campus ministry, Jamestown College, and Presbyterians' work with Native Americans in North Dakota.

To order, please mail $15.00 to:

Presbytery of the Northern Plains

5555 S. Washington St. Suite A

Grand Forks, ND 58201

or call: 701-772-0783