Valley City - Segment Spotlight

selections from a news article in Prairie Business Magazine, with additional comments

Doug Anderson, director of marketing and communications at Valley City State University, has served as president of the chamber of commerce since August. “I love the beauty of the area, the amenities, the scenery, the activities, hiking trails and the ability to walk to work on a nice day. In the cities I was making a one-hour commute each way to and from work. Here, there’s time to enjoy life and I like working at VCSU, where I’ve really grown my marketing and communication skills.”

City and university officials are hoping to hear more stories like that in the future. Valley State is embarking on several unique programs designed to support local development objectives as well as meet local employment needs.

Summer 2009 the North Country Trail Association annuual conference will return to pictureque Valley City. A total of 11 bridges span the Sheyenne River in addition to the Bald Hill Dam 10 miles northeast of town, which impounds 27-mile-long Lake Ashtabula. Completed trail long the lake is one of the most scenic North Dakota segments of the NCT.

Valley City was founded in 1872 beside the Sheyenne River and the community adopted the name ‘Hi-Liners’ as a result of an amazing engineering and design feat. The 1908 opening of a single track railroad bridge took two years to build and still remains one of the highest (162 feet above the Sheyenne River) and longest (3,860 feet) bridges of its kind in the United States.

Hi-Liner Bridge, Valley City (photo by J Young)

The city is now focused on building bridges to the future and adding needed infrastructure and amenities. “The biggest thing we do is try to find the right partners for projects and then we are tenacious in pursuit of our goals,” said Bobby Koepplin, manager of rural development for Cass County Electric Cooperative in town and former chair of the local development group. “If you don’t ask, you don’t get. Koepplin is also about to begin a term as president of the board of the North Country Trail Association.

Economic activity has increased over the years in this scenic and hilly community of about 7,000 residents. This drive to improve the community’s quality of living has resulted in a long list of amenities for residents and visitors, including the Sheyenne River Valley National Scenic Highway and the Sheyenne River Valley Chapter of the North Country Trail Association, which connects seven states.

Planet Walk, Valley City (photo by J Young)

Here, the North Country Trail follows the Planet Walk which winds out of town through Medicine Wheel Park. Marked boulders are placed at proportional distances from the recreated Native American Medicine Wheel. When hikers reach Pluto, the trail leaves the cement and returns to natural surface.

“We really are focusing on the quality of place here in Valley City and up and down the valley,” said Mary Lee Nielson, a second generation mayor taking up the mantle of leadership previously held by her father.

As they did in 2002, Valley City is ready to welcome North Country Trail enthusiasts July 30- Aug 2, 2009.

See North Country Trail Association for more details about the conference.