Rural Electrification & Benson County
The electrification of rural Benson County, North Dakota, through the REA and Palmer Stadum's lobbying work.
Electrifying the Prairie
The Rural Electrification Administration (REA), established under the New Deal in 1935, transformed rural farming life by bringing electric power to the plains of North Dakota.
In Benson County, the electrification process was spearheaded by local cooperatives, including the Baker Electric Cooperative. Palmer Stadum was deeply involved in this movement, playing a central role in organizing, constructing, and lobbying for the electrification of local farms in Broe Township and surrounding areas.
Before electrification, farming relied on manual labor, wind, and kerosene. The arrival of electricity in the late 1930s and 1940s modernized agricultural work, bringing refrigeration, electric milking machines, and electric home appliances. Palmer's lifetime of work in rural electrification remains a cornerstone of the family's service legacy in Benson County.
