Page Contents for Sibley, North Dakota

Statistics & Facts

Location

History & History-related items

Historical Events

Miscellany

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Statistics & Facts

The North Dakota state capital is Bismarck.
The population of Sibley is approximately 44 (2005), 30 (2010).
The approximate number of families is 59 (2000), 18 (2010).
The amount of land area in Sibley is 0.113 sq. kilometers.
The amount of surface water is 0 sq kilometers.
The distance from Sibley to Washington DC is 1246 miles.
The distance to the North Dakota state capital is 140 miles. (as the crow flies)
Sibley is positioned 47.21 degrees north of the equator and 97.96 degrees west of the prime meridian.
Sibley elevation is 1,270 feet above sea level.
Sibley median income is $ 24,600 (2005).
The Sibley median home price is $ 21,000 (2005).

Location

in east-central North Dakota about 83 miles from Fargo, North Dakota. Other nearby communities include Luverne, Pillsbury, Dazey, Hannaford, Hope, Rogers, Cooperstown and Valley City.
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History & History Related Items

Sibley was named after Henry Hastings Sibley, a general and the first Governor of Minnesota. When asked why they did not name the town after themselves, co-founder, Eddie Hagglund replied, ..I don't want anymore Hagglund anything.

In 1954, Eddie and Edythe Hagglund began the small town of Sibley. They were visiting Lake Ashtabula and noted how many people were there at the lake. They decided to start up a hamburger place. After purchasing land near the lake, they began with a dance hall they called Danceland where visitors could dance, play and roller skate. Other buildings followed, among them the restaurant and more businesses. The Sibley Trail Township denied them a liquor license in 1960, so not being ones to give up, they decided to incorporate the town and then issued themselves a license.

Most of the town was sold to private land holders during the 1970s, but the couple retained the core businesses in Sibley. Eddie died in 2001 but Edythe kept up the town and the businesses too. The remainder of the town under Edythe's control is up for sale by owner on May 5, 2007. Edythe will give up all but the Motel where she still does maid duties at 92 years of age.
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Sibley Historical Events

2007 May 2
Sibley is For Sale by Owner with an auction for most of the Hagglund's properties to be held on 5 May 2007. Edythe Hagglund is now 93 years old and, though still very active, feels it is time to settle down a bit. She said, that creating Sibley is the best thing she and her husband ever did, and the time she has spent there has been the happiest time of her life. Of the upcoming sale, she said, "I'll still be here," she said. "I'll still be enjoying it."
For a great article on the sale of Sibley, go to this FoxNews article.

Photo of 93 year old Edythe Hagglund, courtesy AP

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1960
Sibley was incorporated by the Hagglunds. They were denied a liquor license by the local township board so they set to work to find enough people to be residents to create an official town. Once Sibley was official, they granted themselves their own liquor license.

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1954
Sibley was begun by Eddie and Edythe Hagglund when they saw potential in the land around Lake Ashtabula Sibley

Miscellany

The population of Sibley was:
1990 - 41
2000 - 46
2005 - 44

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Median house value:
2000 - $ 20,000
2005 - $ 21,000

Median household income:
2000 - $ 20,469
2005 - $ 24,600

Median age:
2000 - 55 years