Verona North Dakota

Our hometown in southeastern North Dakota.

History

ORIGIN OF VERONA:

In 1883, the Northern Pacific Railway station was established on September 2.  During this time, the township was called Matson.  Since then, the name of the township has been changed to Ovid.  The origin is not known.  The name was changed because another township in the Dakotas had the same name.

 

It is supposed the Postal Department selected the name, Verona, which has no local significance.  The Post Office was established on June 25, 1886, with James J. Stephens as Postmaster.

 

Another version as to the origin of the name is that it was named by a local settler for his former home, Verona, Michigan.

 

The village was incorporated in 1905 and became a city in the year 1968.

 

Verona’s first school was built across from the present Albert Wiemann farm.

The next school was built in 1904 and burned Feb. 16 1960.

The new school was in the process of building in 1960 and opened sooner than anticipated due to the fire of the previous building.

The Verona school closed in 2005. 

 

 

Tidbits of History:

Verona once had 3 newspapers:

             Verona Advance 1907-1909

             Weekly Independent  1909-1910

             Verona Weekly Standard 1911-1911

 

Population:

             1896 population 20

             1906 population 150

             1914 population 235

             1916 population 250   

             1921 population 406

 

March 1927 ND Governor posted Reward for slain banker of Verona.  The Farmers and Merchants Bank of Verona was robbed and the cashier, H.C. Bjone was killed. It is believed to have been a loss of between $3000-$4000.  Crime has never been solved nor money recovered.

            

 

1941 Business Directory:

             Isley and Son—Orville and Fred Isley

             Farmers Union Grain Co.—Frank Mitchell

             Fairway—Smith and Rickford

             Verona Grain and Fuel—Ward Kennedy

             City Café—Thomas Sabby

             Standard Oil—Thomas Sabby

             Tiedeman and Adams Garage

             Barber Shop—Melvin Holman

             Postmaster—Anna Jones

             Verona Hardware—Art Isley

 

100th Anniversary of Verona “The Place to be in 83”

             1983 Business Directory

                          Verona Oil Company—Elaine Tang

                          Dick’s Bra—Dick Tamlyn

                          Cher’s Diner—Cheryl Gierke Mgr

                          Verona Legion Post

                          Bob & Deb’s Bar—Bob and Deb Maley

                          Verona Post Office—Lavonne Rauhauser Postmaster

                          Smith’s Clothing—Ione Smith

                          Farmers Coop Grain—Don Dickhute Mgr.

                          Maley Construction—David & Kristy Maley

 

2005 was the Demolition of Main Street in Verona.  The last businesses housed here were Dick’s Bra and Bob and Deb’s Bar.  This area now is the home of a beautiful park. 

 

                                 

 

Contact:      verona@drtel.net