McKenzie County, North Dakota

McKenzie County, North Dakota

McKenzie County, North Dakota was authorized on March 8, 1883, by the Dakota Territory legislature.

However, it was decommissioned in 1891, due to a lack of settlers.

McKenzie County, North Dakota was reestablished by the 1905 North Dakota state legislature, and officially organized on April 20, 1905.

McKenzie County, North Dakota is bordered on the north by Divide County, on the west by Montana, and on the east by Mountrail County and Dunn County, and on the south by Billings County, Dunn County, and Golden Valley County.

Alexander McKenzie

McKenzie County, North Dakota was named after Alexander McKenzie, a polarizing Republican political operator.

He reportedly had been involved in some shady dealings involving a gold mine in Alaska, was declared to be in contempt of court, and sentenced to one year in jail.

After serving three months of his jail sentence, McKenzie was pardoned by President William McKinley in May, 1901.

2012 Per Capita Income

As of 2012, the per capita personal income in the county was $82,171.

2010 Population

As of the 2010 Census, the population of McKenzie County, North Dakota was 6,360.

County Seat – Watford City

From 1905 to 1907, the county seat was Alexander – named after Alexander McKenzie.

From 1907 to 1941, the county seat was Schafer.

Since 1941, Watford City has been the county seat for McKenzie County, and is its largest city with a population of 1,923 as of the 2010 Census.

2000 Ancestry Composition

As of the 2000 Census, McKenzie County residents had the following identified ancestral heritage:

• 33.4% Norwegian;
  and
• 20.9% German.

2013 Drilling Activities

As of November 30, 2013, there were 69 active drilling rigs operating in McKenzie County.

2012 Oil Production

In 2012, McKenzie County was the second largest oil producing county in North Dakota, trailing only Mountrail County.