People climbing wooden stairs on a steep hillside toward a wooden observation tower - new deal and depression-era sites

Self-guided · County in North Dakota

New Deal and Depression-Era Sites in McLean County, ND

Lodges, lookouts, bathhouses and public buildings put up by the WPA and the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Depression.

Open the North Dakota map · All states

Photo: Jeffrey Eisen on Unsplash

McLean County is one of 53 counties in North Dakota. New Deal and Depression-Era Sites are spread across the country in places most people would not guess. The list below shows how close the nearest ones are to McLean County, ND.

Men gathered around a campfire in a forest - new deal and depression-era sites — Photo: The Oregon State University Collections and Archives on Unsplash

Group of loggers with a two-man saw in a forest - new deal and depression-era sites — Photo: The Oregon State University Collections and Archives on Unsplash

Man and woman sitting on black wooden rocking chairs - new deal and depression-era sites — Photo: Aaron Thomas on Unsplash

On the record near McLean County, ND

The 9 nearest

9 listed sites on the record match new deal and depression-era sites within 300 miles of McLean County, ND, out of 4 listed sites of every kind within 25 miles. 4 listed sites carry McLean County as their county.

Amphitheater and Fieldstone WPA Features at Valley City Pioneer Park155 miles from the center of McLean County · Object · Valley City · listed 2011National Register of Historic Places
Edinburg WPA Auditorium168 miles from the center of McLean County · Building · Edinburg · listed 2013National Register of Historic Places
Alpena Bathhouse and Swimming Pool268 miles from the center of McLean County · Building · Alpena · listed 2000National Register of Historic Places
Harney Peak Lookout Tower, Dam, Pumphouse and Stairway277 miles from the center of McLean County · Site · Custer · listed 1983National Register of Historic Places
CCC Camp Custer Officers' Cabin284 miles from the center of McLean County · Building · Custer · listed 1992National Register of Historic Places
Poker Jim Butte Fire Lookout289 miles from the center of McLean County · Building · Custer Gallatin National Forest · listed 2022National Register of Historic Places
Ranger Station291 miles from the center of McLean County · Building · Custer · listed 1995National Register of Historic Places
Lake Carlos State Park WPA/Rustic Style Group Camp297 miles from the center of McLean County · Building · Carlos · listed 1992National Register of Historic Places
Lake Bemidji State Park CCC/NYA/Rustic Style Historic Resources297 miles from the center of McLean County · District · Bemidji · listed 1989National Register of Historic Places

Distances are straight-line from the center of McLean County, ND. Many sites are private property or working buildings - view them from the public way. See them on the map.

New Deal Sites in McLean County, step by step

1
Read the short history of the period for this area
2
Open the map filtered to the sites from that chapter
3
Visit the nearest site and read its full record
4
Ask what the marker leaves out and look for the rest
5
Add the site to a route that follows the period in order

What people in McLean County, ND ask first

How much does it cost to visit these sites in McLean County, ND?

Most listed sites can be seen from a public road or sidewalk at no cost, and the app is free to use. Some sites are private homes, working churches or museums with their own hours and fees. The record for each one says what it is, so you know before you go.

Where does the information on these sites come from?

From published records: the National Register of Historic Places, the Recorded Texas Historic Landmark program, and the Georgia Historical Society and Georgia Department of Natural Resources marker program. Every site on the page names its source.

Are the hard parts of this history included?

Yes. The record is shown as published, and the stories behind the markers include what happened, who it happened to, and how it was remembered. Leaving the hard parts out would make the stop less worth the trip.

Why are there so many of these sites near McLean County, ND?

Most areas have more than people expect, because the registers list every surviving building and site tied to a period, not just the famous ones. The list on this page shows exactly what is on the record nearby.

How a visit works in McLean County

Step 1
Find the place
Every stop starts as a pin with real coordinates. In McLean County, ND the map shows what is listed around you and how far each one is, so the first decision is where to go, and it takes a few seconds.
Step 2
Read the story
The record behind each marker is kept whole: what happened there, when, who was involved, and why it was worth a sign. You read it standing where it happened, which is the part a textbook cannot give you.
Step 3
Get there under your own power
Walk it, run it, hike it, ride it or drive it. Stops in McLean County, ND are chained into routes that fit the way you move, so a lunch break, a long run or a Saturday drive can all pass through history.
Step 4
Collect it and come back
Each stop you reach counts toward a badge, and a photo or a correction you send makes the record better for the next person. The map remembers where you have been, so the next trip starts where the last one ended.