Steele

Formed June 2, 1883 (41^st county)

Steele County (1,788), Finley (399)

A 1925 tan brick and masonry Classical Revival facility is the county courthouse.  The county was formed on June 2, 1883 as the 41^st county.  Steele County is named for Land company officer Edward H. Steele.  The county seat is named for railroad officer W. W. Finley.  Steele County is the birthplace of 1 North Dakota governor; Clarence N. Brunsdale.  The facility is at the intersection of Washington and Central avenues.  North Dakota State Highway 200 is two blocks to the east.  Braseth & Houkom are the courthouse architects.  The building has faux columns.  An old Prairie House sits on the grounds.  Hope (1883), Sherbrooke (1885), and Finley (1919) have all been the county seat. 

Steele County government consists of a sheriff and 5 Commissioners.  Seven District Court Judges serve Steele, Cass, and Traill counties.  Steele County is in eastern North Dakota.  Grand Forks, North Dakota is northeast and Fargo, North Dakota is southeast of the county.  The county center is 12.8 miles Southeast of Finley nearer Blabon.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Grand Forks, Traill, Cass, Barnes, Griggs, and Nelson counties. 

The area of the county is 712 square miles.  It is 50 out of 53 in the state.  It ranks 49 out of 53 in population in the state.  It has a density of 2.5 persons per square mile making it 38 out of 53 in the state.  Steele County has 44.0% of its population in its incorporated areas.  There are no Interstates or United States Highways in the county.  The county shape is an overall rectangle.  Finley is located in the northwest quarter of the county.  Finley is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 22.3% of the county population.

Sharon