Crookston is a good example of the kinds of farming settlements which arose in the 19th century, but which have been replaced in their economic importance by nearby, larger towns offering more goods and services. Submitted by: Kurt Wenner

The history here, as explained to me by the staff at the Crookston post office which still serves the surrounding rural farmers including those around Lakeview and Purewater, is that years ago when a decision had to be made on which local road to make into US-83, the main north-south corridor from South Dakota into northeastern Nebraska. A look at the map will indicate that US-83 logically should go straight south and pass through Lakeview until it gets to Crookston. A decision was made to bypass what are now the "Lakeview-Crookston Road" (a dirt and gravel road in South Dakota) and "Maple Street" (in Crookston, and north to the South Dakota border) and instead upgrade what is now US-83 through Olsonville and south to Valentine. The result is that Crookston, which would have been a major crossroads and commercial center at the intersection of US-20 and US-83, got bypassed in favor of Valentine which is now the intersection of US-20 and US-83. Crookston lost much of its business and Lakeview died completely as a commercial pass-through site. Darrell Todd Maurina

Crookston
Courtesy Kurt Wenner

Crookston
Courtesy Kurt Wenner