History
Initially, the annual reports from the Main Station at Fargo were written by the Director of the NDAES and submitted to the Governor. The sub-station/research center superintendents submitted the annual reports to the Director and the information was generally incorporated into the report that went to the Governor. The reports dealt with yearly activities.

The Main Station, in Fargo, was operation in 1890, prior to the opening of the North Dakota Agricultural College in 1891. About ten years later, the first of the sub-stations became operational. In 1901, the citizens of Edgely donated a quarter section of land near the town for use as a sub-station. This gave the college a Drift Prairie location to conduct experiments and field tests. In 1905, Dickinson and Stark County offered a parcel on land to the College and thus began the Dickinson substation. This was an opportunity to do testing and experiments in the semi-arid portion of the state, west of the Missouri. The Demonstration Farms began in 1906 and locations varied state-wide during their existence. The focus was dependent upon the type of farm and the location. In 1907, the Langdon Research Extension Center, a mile east of Langdon, was established. The focus was on crop variety development, cropping systems and seed production. Williston Research Extension Center was established in 1907 (relocated in 1954) and is an 800 acre dryland farm. This is in formal cooperation with Montana and a single director runs both centers to coordinate, broaden, and enhance the research programs and educational delivery systems for the MonDak region. In 1909 the Hettinger Research Extension Center was established with a gift of 160 acres from the City of Hettinger. Early research focused on crop, dairy and poultry production.

In 1945 the 1200-acre North Central Research Extension Center, one mile south of Minot was Established, specializing in crop research. In 1949 the Agronomy Seed Farm, a mile southwest of Casselton was established, encompassing just under 600 acres. In 1960, the Carrington Research Extension Center was established as the Carrington Irrigation Branch Station. The focus of the research effort was to support the Garrison Diversion Project plan to divert water from the Missouri River for irrigation. The Center's scope expanded to include livestock research and the responsibility for dryland crop production research for central North Dakota. The Oakes Irrigation Research Site, which is part of the Carrington Research Extension Center, was established in 1970 on a 15.8-acre tract of land 4.5 miles south of Oakes. In 1993 the site was increased to 20 acres. In July of 1981 the Central Grasslands Research Extension Station, in Streeter began operation. The Land Reclamation Research Center in Mandan operated through June 1996, with its focus on soil and plant analysis.

As of today (2004), the following is a summary of the activities of the research centers, as per the NDAES web site (http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/research/recsummary.htm): Main Station (NDSU Fargo) offers fundamental research in all basic sciences providing a foundation for research center field-testing, evaluation of crop varieties adaptable to the Red River Valley (including soybean, dry edible bean, small grains, corn and sugarbeet); animal research (including dairy, beef, sheep, swine and equine); diagnostic and testing services, technology development, marketing and the economics of production; economics of natural resource use and human ecology. Agronomy Seed Farm (Casselton) produces and sells foundation grade seed of cereal crops, flax, grass seeds, soybean and other crops, It also provides initial increases of breeder seed for new lines and potential new varieties. Carrington Research Center provides research on dryland and irrigated crop production methods, crop germplasm evaluation, cropping systems and crop rotation research, alternative crop development, integrated crops and livestock systems, feedlot beef nutrition and management, intensive beef cow-calf nutrition, sustainable agricultural practices, Foundation Seedstocks Program, and horticulture and forestry variety evaluations. Oakes Irrigation Research Site investigates irrigated high-value crop production opportunities for North Dakota, develops and refines best management practices for irrigation, promotes irrigation development, provides irrigators with research data that aids efficient crop production and evaluate crop varieties suited for irrigation. Central Grasslands Research Center, Streeter provides grassland ecosystem research in a region impacted by glacial stagnation. The center evaluates changes in rangeland ecosystems due to changes in management and climate as well as impact of grazing intensity on native range species composition, soils, economics, hydrology and livestock performance. Dickinson Research Center provides research on cropping systems, crop rotation, sustainable agriculture, grazing systems and farming methods for dryland agriculture in southwestern North Dakota; native grassland and pasture improvement, beef cattle and swine breeding, feeding management and disease control. Hettinger Research Center provides information on sheep breeding, feeding management and disease control; value added beef nutrition; grazing systems research; agricultural economic research; evaluation of crop varieties adaptable for the area (including winter wheat, specialty crops and small grains). North Dakota Sheep School taught at this center. Langdon Research Center provides cooperative research with Fargo-based projects, especially potato, barley and durum breeding; crop variety and alternative crop testing; tillage and cropping system research and cereal crop and row crop disease management using cultural, chemical and nutritional control as dictated by the environment The center also produces and sells foundation grade seed. North Central Research Center, Minot provides information on crop germplasm evaluation; weed, insect and crop disease management; cropping systems, crop rotation and no-till research; alternative crop development; pulse crops, cereals, oilseeds; horticulture and forestry variety evaluations The center also produces and sells foundation grade seed. Williston Research Center evaluates dryland and irrigated crop varieties and cropping systems; soil management; malting barley variety fertility management research; hard red winter wheat variety development; weed research; safflower-variety testing and development; horticulture crops and alternative crop research, including pulse crops. The center also produces and sells foundation grade seed.

Scope and Content
The annual reports provide an in-depth glimpse at the projects and under takings of the experiment stations/research centers. Although incomplete sets with gaps, these early annual reports for the Main Station (1891-1955), Edgely (1906-1913), and the Demonstration Farms (1907-1921) as well as early and later reports, also incomplete with gaps, for Dickinson (1908-1913, 1993-2002), Langdon (1909-1913, 1990-2003), Williston (1908-1913, 1966, 1981-1984), Hettinger (1985, 1994-2001), North Central Research Extension Center – Minot (1985, 1993-2002), Carrington (1992/92, 2001), Central Grasslands Research Center - Streeter
(1983, 1985, 1986, 1993/94), Land Reclamation Research Center –Mandan (1983-1989, 1993/94) offer a view of the changing research and continuing research projects throughout the state.

See Also: North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station (Fargo) Reports
UA Acc 43 - North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station Director’s File, Fargo (c.1938-1940)

BOX 1

1 Finding Aid

Main Station - Fargo
2 Main Station - 1891 (1st)
3 Main Station - 1892 (2nd)
4 Main Station - 1893 (3rd)
5 Main Station - 1894 (4th)
6 Main Station - 1895 (5th)
7 Main Station - 1896 (6th)
8 Main Station - 1898 (8h)
9 Main Station - 1899 (9th)
10 Main Station - 1900 (10th)
11 Main Station - 1901 (11th)
12 Main Station - 1902 (12th)
13 Main Station - 1903 (13th)
14 Main Station - 1904 (14th)
15 Main Station - 1905 - Part I (15th)
16 Main Station - 1905 - Part II - Report of Food Commissioner (15th)
17 Main Station - 1906 (16TH)
18 Main Station - 1906 - Part II - Report of Food Commissioner (16th)
19 Main Station - 1908 - Part II - Report of Food Commissioner (18th)
20 Main Station - 1909 (19TH)
21 Main Station - 1910 (20TH)
22 Main Station - 1910 - Part II - Report of Food Commissioner (20TH)
23 Main Station - 1911 (21st)
24 Main Station - 1911 - Part II - Report of Food Commissioner (21st)
25 Main Station - 1912 (22nd)
26 Main Station - 1912 - Part II - Report of Food Commissioner (22nd)
27 Main Station - 1912 - Part III - Report of Food Commissioner (22nd)
28 Main Station - 1913 (23rd)
29 Main Station - 1914 (24th)
30 Main Station - 1915 (25th)
31 Main Station – 1916
32 Main Station - 1937-1938
33 Main Station - November 1938
34 Main Station - 1938-1939
35 Main Station - 1941
36 Main Station - 1943
37 Main Station - 1944
38 Main Station - 1950
39 Main Station - 1951
40 Main Station – 1955

Edgeley
41 Edgeley - 4th - 1906 (2 copies)
42 Edgeley - 5th - 1907 (2 copies)
43 Edgeley - 7th - 1909 (2 copies)
44 Edgeley - 8th - 1910 (2 copies)
45 Edgeley - 10th - 1912
46 Edgeley - 11th - 1913

Dickinson
47 Dickinson Substation - 1st - 1908 (2 copies)
48 Dickinson Substation - 2nd - 1909 (2 copies)
49 Dickinson Substation - 3rd - 1910 (2 copies)
50 Dickinson Substation - 4th - 1911 (2 copies)
51 Dickinson Substation - 6th - 1913 (2 copies)
52 Dickinson Research Extension Center – Annual Report – 1993-1994
53 Dickinson Research Extension Center – Annual Report – 1994
54 Dickinson Research Extension Center – Annual Report – 1995
55 Dickinson Research Extension Center – Annual Report – 1996
56 Dickinson Research Extension Center – Annual Report – 1997

BOX 2

1 Dickinson Research Extension Center – Annual Report – 1998
2 Dickinson Research Extension Center – Annual Report – 2000
3 Dickinson Research Extension Center – Annual Report – 2001
4 Dickinson Research Extension Center – Annual Report – 2002

Demonstration Farms (statewide locations varied)
5 Demonstration Farms - 1st - 1907
6 Demonstration Farms - 2nd - 1908
7 Demonstration Farms - 3rd - 1909
8 Demonstration Farms - 4th - 1910
9 Demonstration Farms - 5th - 1911
10 Demonstration Farms - 6th - 1912
11 Demonstration Farms - 8th - 1913
12 Demonstration Farms - 9th - 1914
13 Demonstration Farms - 11th - 1916
14 Demonstration Farms - 12th - 1917
15 Demonstration Farms - 15th - 1920
16 Demonstration Farms - 16th - 1921

Langdon
17 Langdon Substation - 1st - 1909 (2 copies)
18 Langdon Substation - 3rd - 1911 (2 copies)
19 Langdon Substation - 4th - 1912 (2 copies)
20 Langdon Substation - 5th - 1913 (2 copies)
21 Langdon Research Extension Center- Annual Research Report – 1990
22 Langdon Research Extension Center- Annual Research Report – 1991
23 Langdon Research Extension Center- Annual Research Report – 1992
24 Langdon Research Extension Center- Annual Research Report – 1994
25 Langdon Research Extension Center- Annual Research Report – 1995
26 Langdon Research Extension Center- Annual Research Report – 1996
27 Langdon Research Extension Center- Annual Research Report – 1997
28 Langdon Research Extension Center- Annual Research Report – 2000
29 Langdon Research Extension Center- Annual Research Report – 2001
30 Langdon Research Extension Center- Annual Research Report – 2002
31 Langdon Research Extension Center- Annual Research Report – 2003

Williston
32 Williston Substation - 1st - 1908 (2 copies)
33 Williston Substation - 2nd - 1909 (2 copies)
34 Williston Substation - 3rd - 1910 (2 copies)
35 Williston Substation - 4th - 1911 (2 copies)
36 Williston Substation - 5th - 1912 (2 copies)
37 Williston Substation - 6th - 1913 (2 copies)
38 Williston Research Extension Center – Annual Report – 1966
39 Williston Research Extension Center – Annual Report – 1981
40 Williston Research Extension Center – Annual Report – 1983
41 Williston Research Extension Center – Annual Report – 1984

BOX 3

1 Williston Research Center – Annual Report – 1985
2 Williston Research Extension Center – Annual Report – 1986
3 Williston Research Extension Center – Annual Report – 1987
4 Williston Research Extension Center – Annual Report – 1988
5 Williston Research Center – Annual Report – 1993

Hettinger
6 Hettinger Research Extension Center – Annual Report – 1985
7 Hettinger Research Extension Center – Annual Report – July 1, 1993 – June 30, 1994
8 Hettinger Research Extension Center – Annual Report – July 1, 1994 – June 30, 1995
9 Hettinger Research Extension Center – Annual Report – July 1, 1995 – June 30, 1996
10 Hettinger Research Extension Center – Annual Report – July 1, 1996 – June 30, 1997
11 Hettinger Research Extension Center – Annual Report – July 1, 1999 – June 30, 2000
12 Hettinger Research Extension Center – Annual Report – July 1, 2000 – June 30, 2001

BOX 4

North Central Research Extension Center - Minot
1 North Central Research Extension Center (Minot) – Annual Report – 1985
1a North Central Research Extension Center (Minot) – Annual Report – 1993
2 North Central Research Extension Center (Minot) – Annual Research Report #12 – 1994

3 North Central Research Extension Center (Minot) – Annual Report – 1994
4 North Central Research Extension Center (Minot) – Annual Research Report #13 – 1995
5 North Central Research Extension Center (Minot) – Annual Report – 1995
6 North Central Research Extension Center (Minot) – Annual Research Report #14 – 1996
7 North Central Research Extension Center (Minot) – Annual Report – 1996
8 North Central Research Extension Center (Minot) – Annual Report – 1997
9 North Central Research Extension Center (Minot) – Annual Report – 1998
10 North Central Research Extension Center (Minot) – Annual Research Report #17 – 1999
11 North Central Research Extension Center (Minot) – Annual Report – 1999
12 North Central Research Extension Center (Minot) – Annual Research Report #18 – 2000
13 North Central Research Extension Center (Minot) – Annual Report – 2000
14 North Central Research Extension Center (Minot) – Annual Research Report #19 – 2001
15 North Central Research Extension Center (Minot) – Annual Report – 2001
16 North Central Research Extension Center (Minot) – Annual Research Report #20 – 2002

Carrington
17 Carrington Research Extension Center – Report of Progress – 1992/94
18 Carrington Research Extension Center – Report of Progress – 2001

Oakes
19 Oakes Irrigation Research Site (Carrington Research Extension Center) – Annual Report – 1986
20 Oakes Irrigation Research Site (Carrington Research Extension Center) – Annual Report – 1999
21 Oakes Irrigation Research Site (Carrington Research Extension Center) – Annual Report – 2000

Central Grasslands Research Center - Streeter
23 Central Grasslands Research Center (Streeter) – Annual Report – 1983
24 Central Grasslands Research Center (Streeter) – Annual Report – 1985
25 Central Grasslands Research Center (Streeter) – Annual Report – 1986
26 Central Grasslands Research Center (Streeter) – Annual Report – July 1, 1993 – June 30, 1994

BOX 5

Land Reclamation Research Center -Mandan
1 Land Reclamation Research Center (Mandan) – Annual Repot – 1983
2 Mandan – Land Reclamation Research Center – Annual Report – 1986
3 Mandan – Land Reclamation Research Center – Annual Report – 1987
4 Mandan – Land Reclamation Research Center – Annual Report – 1988
5 Mandan – Land Reclamation Research Center – Annual Report – 1989
6 Mandan – Land Reclamation Research Center – Annual Report – July 1, 1993 – June 30, 1994


Rev. Dec., 1997; 6/99, 7/00, 7/04

univarchives@www.lib.ndsu.nodak.edu University Archives, 701-231-8914 Published by the University Archives, NDSU Last Updated: 5/19/04