It’s not a secret that the Peace Garden State is home to many, many small towns. When the railroads were built through the prairie heading west, towns were built every ten miles or so to service the trains. Though some of those towns have fizzled away, many of them are still around – even if they are tiny. This unique small town in North Dakota is one of those railroad towns, but it has some special characteristics that make it stand out. Few people know about it, but here’s why more should.

Welcome to the town of Wilton, North Dakota. Like many other prairie towns, it was built when the railroad reached this point on its journey west at the turn of the century. The town was founded in 1899.
James Joel/Flickr
The name comes from a town in Maine and was given to it by one of the early residents of Wilton, North Dakota. Most of the first people to live there were Ukrainian immigrants starting a new life in the US and settling the land.
Andrew Filer/Flickr
Wilton now has just around 700 residents, but that's a lot more than it had back in the 1900s. Unlike other railroad towns, this one has grown in the past few decades. Still, the town is full of history.
Andrew Filer/Flickr

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All around town you'll find remnants of the past, and beautiful ones at that, like this gorgeous church:
Andrew Filer/Flickr
Along with the old buildings, there are local businesses that you'll want to return to someday, like the welcoming Country Line Cafe.
Sherri Fisher/Google
Make sure you grab one of their tasty caramel rolls if they have them available - they're amazing!
Country Line Cafe/Facebook
Not far outside of Wilton is the stunning Cross Ranch State Park, located on one of the last stretches of the Missouri River that remain natural and undeveloped. This place is like a time capsule, and a great snapshot into small town North Dakota life.
NDPRD/Flickr

Wilton is located north of Bismarck off of US-83. It’s worth an afternoon visit if you enjoy picturesque small towns! There’s more where that came from – discover plenty of other lovely, visit-worthy small towns in North Dakota here. If your favorite small town isn’t included on that list, be sure to nominate it here.

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Wilton, ND 58579, USA