Petrel, North Dakota

Infobox Settlement
name = Petrel, North Dakota
settlement_type = Unincorporated community
nickname =
motto =

imagesize = 250px
image_caption = Sign along the railroad tracks in Petrel, North Dakota


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pushpin_label_position =none
pushpin_map_caption =Location within the state of North Dakota
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subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = North Dakota
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Adams
subdivision_type3 = Township
subdivision_name3 =Gilstrap
government_footnotes =
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leader_title =
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established_title = First Settled
established_date = 1908

unit_pref = Imperial
area_footnotes =

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timezone = Mountain (MST)
utc_offset = -7
timezone_DST = MDT
utc_offset_DST = -6
elevation_footnotes =
elevation_m = 782
elevation_ft =
latd = 45 |latm = 56 |lats = 54 |latNS = N
longd = 102 |longm = 16 |longs = 38 |longEW = W

postal_code_type = ZIP Code
postal_code = 57638
area_code = 701
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 38-62020GR|3
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = [gnis3|1033784 1033784] GR|3
website =
footnotes =

Petrel is an unincorporated community and ghost town in Adams County, North Dakota, United States. It is located just across the border with South Dakota, between Lemmon, South Dakota in Perkins County and Haynes, North Dakota. Petrel is a former railroad townsite and siding on the Milwaukee Railroad. The town was named for the long-winged pigeons seen in the area.Cite book | author=Wick, Douglas A. | authorlink= | coauthors= | title=North Dakota Place Names | date= | publisher=Hedemarken Collectibles | location= | isbn=0-9620968-0-6 | pages= 153]

History

Petrel was established as a townsite along the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad in Gilstrap Township. A post office was established in the town on October 29, 1908 when the post office for the neighboring area of Thebes was moved to the new townsite and assumed the new name. The Petrel post office closed September 30, 1939, and mail service was transferred to Lemmon, South Dakota. As a result the town and the surrounding area share the Lemmon ZIP Code of 57638, even though they are in North Dakota. Little remains of the physical town today, other than a few deteriorating building foundations and other equipment. [ [http://flickr.com/photos/afiler/1101518831/ Photos of Petrel, North Dakota on Flikr] ]

Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway operates the railroad today. Petrel is located at mile marker 909.7. [cite web | url = http://www.bnsf.com/tools/reference/division_maps/div_tc.pdf | title = Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway, Twin Cities Division| format = PDF | publisher = Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway |date = 2006 | accessdate = 2008-07-19]

Geography

Petrel is located at coord|45|56|46|N|102|16|38|W|display=inline,title|region:GB_type:city (45.9483346-102.2771014),GR|3 roughly convert|1|mi|km north of the North Dakota-South Dakota border. It is convert|6|mi|km from Lemmon and convert|21|mi|km from Hettinger, the county seat of Adams County, North Dakota.

Demographics

Today, Petrel is a ghost town, with much of the population spread throughout the countryside. A population of roughly 65 people was recorded in 1960. Today, the United States Census Bureau does not track specific population numbers for the community, but the surrounding township had a population of 28 as of the 2000 Census. [cite American Factfinder|township|3800130340|general|Gilstrap Township]

References