Watford City

Watford City is the county seat of McKenzie County in North Dakota and serves as the administrative hub for the region. The town spreads across several square miles with streets laid out in a grid pattern and sits in an area shaped by oil production and farming.

The city was founded in 1914 by businessmen expecting the arrival of the Great Northern Railroad. They named it after Vaughan G. Morris's hometown of Watford in Ontario, which he chose to honor his Canadian roots in this new Dakota settlement.

The Theodore Roosevelt National Park North Unit near Watford City provides connections to Native American heritage and early frontier settlement patterns.

A local transit system offers weekday connections between residential areas, shopping districts, and medical facilities throughout town. The location sits in the heart of a rural region, so it makes sense to check on available services before visiting.

The Rough Rider Center is a modern multipurpose facility serving the town as a sports venue, concert hall, and gathering space. The building shows how this rural community invested in infrastructure to offer residents and visitors a range of activities.

Location: McKenzie County

Inception: 1914

Elevation above the sea: 646 m

Website: http://watford.mckenziecounty.net

GPS coordinates: 47.80250,-103.28056

Latest update: December 7, 2025 09:26