Bottineau, North Dakota
Bottineau is a city of 2,205 people in Bottineau County, North Dakota, founded in 1887.
Why visit Bottineau
Townapedia lists 1 museum or landmark, 7 parks and trails, 1 place to stay and 2 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Botno Theatre and Old Main.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 79°F; January lows average -4°F, and about 50 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Bottineau
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Bottineau
Bottineau is a city in and the county seat of Bottineau County, North Dakota, United States. Located just over ten miles (16 km) south of the Canada–United States border. The population was 2,194 as of the 2020 census, and was estimated at 2,152 in 2025.
From the Wikipedia article Bottineau, North Dakota (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do2
Museums and landmarks1
Old Main
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.7 mi
Historic building at Minot State University-Bottineau
Parks, trails and playgrounds7
Where to stay1
History
Bottineau was founded in 1883 as Oak Creek as a customs station and an overnight stagecoach stop. The town name was changed to Bottineau in 1884 in honor of Pierre Bottineau (c. 1814–1895), a Métis pioneer, hunter, and trapper, who became a successful land speculator.
The town was originally located about 1½ miles (2½ km) north of its current location. The entire town was moved south in 1887 to where the Great Northern Railway was installing new tracks.
The widest tornado on record in North Dakota, at 1.14 miles wide, dropped near Bottineau in 1986. It destroyed a mobile home but did not harm the pregnant woman who was inside.
In 2012, a new chalet called Annie's House was built in Bottineau Winter Park, ten miles (16 km) north. The facility was North Dakota's first ski facility for handicapped children and wounded veterans. It was built to honor Ann Nicole Nelson, who was the only North Dakotan to die in the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City.
From the History section of Bottineau, North Dakota on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Churches and places of worship1
Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses
Place of worship · Jehovahs Witness · 1.2 mi
1096 97th Street Northeast, Bottineau
Shopping1
Schools, colleges and libraries5
Healthcare1
Map of Bottineau
19 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 15°F | -4°F | 0.5 in | 9.1 in |
| Feb | 20°F | 0°F | 0.5 in | 6.9 in |
| Mar | 33°F | 14°F | 0.8 in | 7.3 in |
| Apr | 51°F | 28°F | 1.1 in | 4.0 in |
| May | 65°F | 41°F | 2.6 in | 1.1 in |
| Jun | 74°F | 52°F | 3.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 79°F | 56°F | 2.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 79°F | 54°F | 2.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 69°F | 44°F | 1.5 in | 0.1 in |
| Oct | 53°F | 30°F | 1.5 in | 4.1 in |
| Nov | 34°F | 16°F | 0.8 in | 8.2 in |
| Dec | 20°F | 3°F | 0.7 in | 9.0 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Bottineau Hcn (0 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Bottineau County has had 18 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2026-09-01: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes (Severe Storm)
- 2022-07-13: Severe Winter Storm And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2020-04-01: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2017-07-12: Flooding (Flood)
- 2014-08-19: Severe Storms And Flooding (Flood)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Minot Air Force Base (MIB) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 50 miles away.
- Dunseith 17 mi east, about 28 min by car
- East Dunseith 19 mi east, about 31 min by car
- Westhope 27 mi west, about 43 min by car
- Shell Valley 28 mi east, about 45 min by car
- Rolette 30 mi east, about 48 min by car
- Belcourt 32 mi east, about 51 min by car
- Rugby 38 mi southeast, about 1 h by car
- Rolla 38 mi east, about 1 h by car
- Minot AFB 50 mi southwest, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Minot 56 mi southwest, about 1 h 30 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- 2009-0521-ND-Bottineau-TommyTurtle, Bobak Ha'Eri, CC BY 3.0
- State School of Forestry, Bottineau, North Dakota, Fladeland-Williams Drug Co., publisher, Public domain
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