Updated: 5/12/2023
Built in 1972 as the headquarters of the Cass County Historical Society, the building houses a growing collection of artifacts from Cass County and the surrounding area. The museum features permanent, temporary, and traveling exhibits that include one of the region's largest collections of Native American artifacts. The museum store, a reception hall and offices are also located in the main museum.
The mission of the Cass County Historical Society is to collect, display and interpret artifacts relevant to the history and cultural heritage of Cass County and the Red River Valley.
The Cass County Historical Society was founded in 1954 when the Daughters of the Dakota Pioneers began collecting and displaying items in a basement room on the North Dakota State University campus. The museum moved into Minard Hall at NDSU and began to grow with the help of volunteers. When the Red River Valley Fair moved to its current site in West Fargo, ND in 1967, the Cass County Historical Society was asked to relocate its museum next to the fairgrounds and to build a historic village with the belief it would become an added attraction to the fair. The Historical Society accepted the offer of five acres of land and created Bonanzaville, named after the bonanza farms that covered the Red River Valley of the North in the late 19th century. The Cass County Historical Society currently has over 400,000 artifacts housed in 40 buildings spread throughout 15 acres. Many of the buildings are historically significant and were laboriously moved to Bonanzaville from the surrounding area.
The Bonanzaville office are closed on all federal holidays including: MLK Day, Presidents Day, Easter, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Day.
Main Museum space open.
FREE Admission
This information, including business hours, addresses and contact information is
provided for general reference purposes only. No representation is made or warranty is given as
to its content or the reliability thereof. User assumes all risk of use. Stories USA, Inc.
and its content suppliers assume no responsibility for any loss or delay resulting from such
use. Please call ahead to verify the dates, the location and directions.