Pierce

Formed March 11, 1887 (45^th county)

Pierce County (3,983), Rugby (2,510)

The domed Beaux Arts building was completed in 1910.  The county was founded on March 11, 1887 as the 45^th county with Rugby as the only county seat.  The county is named for Senator Gilbert Ashville Pierce.  Rugby is named for Rugby, England.  The courthouse is on 2^nd Street Southeast between 2^nd and 4^th avenues Southeast.  The courthouse was designed by Buechner and Orth and features columns.  The courthouse is four blocks east of North Dakota State Highway 3. 

Pierce County government consists of a recorder, a sheriff, an attorney, and a treasurer (executive).  It has 5 Commissioners (legislative.)  Seven District Court Judges serve Pierce, Benson, Bottineau, Cavalier, McHenry, Pembina, Ramsey, Renville, Rolette, Towner, and Walsh counties and a court clerk serves Pierce County (judicial.)  Pierce County is in northern North Dakota.  Minot, North Dakota is west and Grand Forks, North Dakota is east of the county.  The county center is 14.6 miles South of Rugby nearer Balta.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Rolette, Towner, Benson, Wells, Sheridan, McHenry, and Bottineau counties. 

The area of the county is 1018 square miles.  It is 37 out of 53 in the state.  It ranks 28 out of 53 in population in the state.  It has a density of 3.9 persons per square mile making it 25 out of 53 in the state.  Pierce County has 65.7% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 2 travels through the county east to west from Benson County to McHenry County.  The county looks like a backwards number 7.  Rugby is located in the northwest quarter of the county.  Rugby is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 63.0% of the county population.