Once upon a time, our economy was mostly dependent on the railroads, and as a result, numerous towns popped up just about everywhere a railroad was built. The tiny, idyllic town of Oakes, North Dakota, was platted in 1886 and officially incorporated in 1888 as an important stop along stagecoach routes, as well as the aforementioned railroad, and today, it's managed to remain an important little place in the heart of our beautiful state. When it comes to beautiful small towns, this peaceful small town in North Dakota is a testament to just how well some of our smallest places can stand the test of time.
Welcome to Oakes, North Dakota, a small town in Dickey County with a population of about 1,800.
It's not overly large, but it's not cramped or overly tiny either. It's a beautiful place, and there's plenty to do jam-packed into this little place.
There are plenty of shops and eateries for meandering. Main Street is cute and worthy of checking out.
This little town is just big enough to need more than one day to explore, so we recommend staying the night.
And here's the perfect place: the Noonan House Bed & Breakfast, a historic bungalow built in 1924.
With five bedrooms, two fireplaces, a full kitchen, and so much more, it's the ideal home-away-from-home place to lay your head while checking out a wonderful North Dakota town.
Once you've got the accommodations nailed down, check out nearby wonders like the Sheyenne National Grassland.
Sheyenne National Grasslands consists of 70,446 acres of public land amid 64,769 acres of privately-owned land. It's the only National Grassland in the tallgrass prarire region of the United States, and it's astonishingly beautiful. Hike it for a few hours or all day - it's up to you.
There's also Hockenberry Park, where you'll find a playground and lots of room for fun and adventure.
There are lots of festivals and events held in town throughout the year, seeming to celebrate just about everything.
There's a real sense of community here, and we think that this alone makes Oakes worthy of consideration.
No matter what you're considering - a move to North Dakota, a visit to somewhere quiet, or anything else - we say you should certainly take a good, solid look at Oakes.
To learn more about Oakes, North Dakota, and all the wonders therein, you might want to check out the official town of Oakes website. If you find you can't get enough of North Dakota's small towns, you might want to do some more exploring! For example, check out some of the best small towns in ND, all of which are amazing and worthy of adventure.
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