Rugby in the Archive
Visual Journey#
Rugby, North Dakota
Visual timeline for Rugby, North Dakota. Navigate using the slides or the zoomable axis below.
Stadum Family Archive · Places · Pierce County, North Dakota
Rugby,
North Dakota
The geographic center of North America and the heart of the Stadum family story — where Palmer and Signe built their life, raised their children, and left their mark.
Events
Palmer Alvin Stadum Born
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More events to be added
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Photographs
Family home, main street, and Pioneer Village — Rugby through the decades.
Rugby, ND · c. 1940s
Stadum family home · Rugby · drop photo
Rugby main street · c. 1940
Rugby Pioneer Village
People
Stadums Connected to Location
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Rugby in the Record
What Happened Here
Palmer is born on April 22 in Esmond, ND — near Rugby, in Benson County. He will spend most of his life in the Rugby area.
1909
1937
Baker Electric Cooperative — Rural Electrification
Palmer and a crew from Baker Electric wire the first farms in Benson County under the Rural Electrification Administration. This is the foundational event of his legacy. Read the full story →
1941
Palmer and Signe Marry
Palmer Stadum and Signe Solberg are married. They will raise their family in Rugby and stay connected to the area for the rest of their lives.
1942–1948
Early 1960s–2000s
Peggy StadumTeaches at Ely Elementary
Peggy spends her career teaching elementary school children at Ely Elementary in Rugby. She walks to school. She never marries, never drives. Her tenure spans decades and multiple generations of Rugby families — everyone in town knows her name.
1975
REA 40th Anniversary — Rugby Pioneer Village
The Rugby Pioneer Village Museum hosts the REA's 40th anniversary celebration. Palmer Stadum is formally recognized for his 1937 electrification work. View the program →
1986
Palmer Meets Princess Astrid at Høstfest
Palmer exhibits his hand-built model locomotive at the Minot Høstfest. Princess Astrid of Norway is photographed with him — one of the most documented moments in the archive. Read the story →
1999
Palmer Alvin StadumDies
Palmer dies on September 19, 1999, at age 90. He is buried at Saint Petri Cemetery in Nome, ND. His model railroad collection remains at Rugby Pioneer Village.