VALLEY CITY, N.D. — Tom Overn will speak on “Kathryn, North Dakota: Its 125th Anniversary” at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 18, at the Barnes County Museum in Valley City. The program is part of the Barnes County Historical Society Lecture Series Season 25.

Named for one of the daughters of C. S. Mellen, president of the NPRR, Kathryn was platted on June 4, 1901, by Frank Juleth.

Overn is a lifelong resident of Kathryn. His grandfather, Christian Overn, and his family came to Oakhill Township in 1882, a family of silver and goldsmiths, and clock makers. Christian sold his shop in Oslo, Norway, and used the profit to move his family of eight children to the state of Wisconsin. Hearing of land to homestead in North Dakota, they moved to Section 11, southwest ¼, where a sod house was constructed.

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