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Williston, North Dakota

Williston is a city in and the county seat of Williams County, North Dakota, United States.
Population 29,160

Top Events in Williston History

1
1804Infrastructure
ND 1804 runs through the southern portion of the city.
2
1887Government
== History == Founded in 1887, Williston was named for Daniel Willis James, a merchant and capitalist, by his friend, railroad magnate James J.
3
1907History
In 1907 Williston was the site of a rolling cyclone that killed two people.
4
1911Government
== Arts and culture == Sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places include: James Memorial Library, established in 1911, now James Memorial Art Center.
5
1915Government
The Old Armory, built in 1915, now used by the community theater non-profit Entertainment, Inc!, founded in 1981.
6
1934History
Precipitation is greatest in June and July and averages 14.88 in (378 mm) annually, but has ranged from 6.13 in (156 mm) in 1934 to 22.04 in (560 mm) in 1896.
7
1954Sports
The Williston Oilers played as members of the Mandak League from 1954 to 1957, winning the 1956 league championship.
8
1961Government
Williston State College was founded in 1961 as the University of North Dakota—Williston.
9
2000History
=== 2000 census === As of the 2000 census, there were 12,512 people, 5,255 households, and 3,205 families residing in the city.
10
2008History
In April 2008, the number was said to be about four billion barrels; in 2010 geologists at Continental Resources, the major drilling operation in North Dakota, estimated the res...

Historical Timeline

1804Infrastructure
ND 1804 runs through the southern portion of the city.
1887Government
== History == Founded in 1887, Williston was named for Daniel Willis James, a merchant and capitalist, by his friend, railroad magnate James J.
1907History
In 1907 Williston was the site of a rolling cyclone that killed two people.
1911Government
== Arts and culture == Sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places include: James Memorial Library, established in 1911, now James Memorial Art Center.
1915Government
The Old Armory, built in 1915, now used by the community theater non-profit Entertainment, Inc!, founded in 1981.
1934History
Precipitation is greatest in June and July and averages 14.88 in (378 mm) annually, but has ranged from 6.13 in (156 mm) in 1934 to 22.04 in (560 mm) in 1896.
1954Sports
The Williston Oilers played as members of the Mandak League from 1954 to 1957, winning the 1956 league championship.
1961Government
Williston State College was founded in 1961 as the University of North Dakota—Williston.
2000History
=== 2000 census === As of the 2000 census, there were 12,512 people, 5,255 households, and 3,205 families residing in the city.
2008History
In April 2008, the number was said to be about four billion barrels; in 2010 geologists at Continental Resources, the major drilling operation in North Dakota, estimated the res...
2010Economy
The city's population nearly doubled between 2010 and 2020, due largely to the North Dakota oil boom.
2011Government
In September 2011, the mayor estimated the actual population to be 20,000 persons.
2012Economy
Williston developed over the Bakken formation, which by the end of 2012 was predicted to be producing more oil than any other site in the United States, surpassing even Alaska's...
2014Culture
According to a February 2014 article in Business Insider, Williston had the highest apartment rents in the United States.
2020History
=== 2020 census === As of the 2020 census, there were 29,160 people, 11,706 households, and 6,570 families residing in the city.
2021History
The two districts merged into Williston Basin on July 1, 2021.
2022History
As of the 2022 American Community Survey, there are 11,410 estimated households in Williston with an average of 2.39 persons per household.

Did You Know?

1
Williston is located in the state of North Dakota.
2
Williston has a population of 29,160 residents.
3
The 2020 census gave its population as 29,160, making Williston the sixth-most populous city in North Dakota.

Famous People from Williston, North Dakota

SF
Sally Fraser
Actor, Stage Actor · Born Dec 12, 1932 · Died Jan 13, 2019 (age 86)
JA
James Alan Abrahamson
Military Officer, Aircraft Pilot · Born May 19, 1933 · Age 92
DH
Darlene Hooley
Teacher, Politician · Born Apr 4, 1939 · Age 86
BQ
Brian Qvale
Basketball Player · Born Nov 3, 1988 · Age 37
JF
Julie Fedorchak
Politician · Born Sep 28, 1968 · Age 57

Other Cities in North Dakota

View all North Dakota cities →
F
Fargo
Pop. 141,434
B
Bismarck
Pop. 76,000
GF
Grand Forks
Pop. 59,000
M
Minot
Pop. 49,000
D
Dickinson
Pop. 25,679
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