Formed March 2, 1883 (31st county)
Nelson County (3,015), Lakota (685)
The tan brick courthouse was erected in 1952. It replaced an 1885 facility, also in Lakota. There was also a courthouse in Petersburg. It is sited on B Avenue West at 2nd Street West. United States Highway 2 is six blocks to the south of the location. George A. Blewett provided the Art Deco designs. The county was established on March 2, 1883 as the 31st county. It is named for Legislator Nelson E. Nelson. Lakota is a Native American word for “allies.”
Nelson County government consists of a recorder, a sheriff, an attorney, and a treasurer (executive). It has 5 Commissioners (legislative.) Five District Court Judges serve Nelson and Grand Forks counties and a court clerk serves Nelson County (judicial.) The county is in northeast North Dakota. Grand Forks, North Dakota is directly east and Fargo, North Dakota is southeast of the county. The county center is 15.6 miles Southeast of Lakota nearer Michigan. The county is surrounded clockwise by Walsh, Grand Forks, Steele, Griggs, Eddy, Benson, and Ramsey counties.
The area of the county is 982 square miles. It is 41 out of 53 in the state. It ranks 34 out of 53 in population in the state. It has a density of 3.1 persons per square mile making it 32 out of 53 in the state. Nelson County has 64.5% of its population in its incorporated areas. United States Highway 2 goes east to west in the county from Grand Forks County to Ramsey County. The county is an overall rectangle. Lakota is located near the northwest border of the county. Lakota is the county seat and the largest city. It is 22.7% of the county population. The county seat is pronounced LA-KOE-TA.
Aneta
Lakota
McVille
Michigan City
Pekin
Petersburg
Tolna