Ransom

Formed January 4, 1873 (15^th county)

Ransom County (5,699), Lisbon (2,204)                

The masonry Art Deco courthouse was built in 1938.  There was an 1887 earlier courthouse in Lisbon, the only county seat.  The courthouse is on 5^th Avenue West at Forest Street.  Fifth Avenue is North Dakota State Highway 27 in the town.  Ira L. Rush is the building designer.  The county was established on January 4, 1873 as the 15^th county.  The county was named for Civil War General Thomas Edward Greenfield Ransom.  Lisbon is named for Lisbon, New York. 

Ransom County government consists of a recorder, a sheriff, an attorney, and a treasurer (executive).  It has 7 Commissioners (legislative.)  Seven District Court Judges serve Ransom, Barnes, Dickey, Eddy, Foster, Griggs, LaMoure, Richland, Sargent, Stutsman, and Wells counties and a court clerk serves Ransom County (judicial.)  Ransom County is in the southeast part of the state.  Fargo, North Dakota is northeast and Bismarck, North Dakota is northwest of the county.  The county center is 6.6 miles Northeast of Lisbon.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Cass, Richland, Sargent, Dickey, La Moure, and Barnes counties. 

The area of the county is 863 square miles.  It is 46 out of 53 in the state.  It ranks 22 out of 53 in population in the state.  It has a density of 6.6 persons per square mile making it 16 out of 53 in the state.  Ransom County has 57.8% of its population in its incorporated areas.  There are no Interstates or United States Highways in the county.  The county is a rectangle.  Lisbon is located slightly west of center in the county.  Lisbon is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 38.7% of the county population.