Town file
Gardner, North Dakota
Gardner, North Dakota (Cass County, North Dakota) is the town in one episode of Small Town Murder, the comedy true-crime podcast: episode 638, "My Name Is Murder" (10 October 2025). Gardner, North Dakota sits at the eastern edge of the state in Cass County, a two-block farming community of 72 permanent residents about half an hour from Fargo.
- Town
- Gardner
- County
- Cass County
- State
- North Dakota
- Country
- USA
- Episodes
- 638
- Approximate location
- 47.145, -96.969
Episode 638 / 10 October 2025 / 73 min / express
My Name Is Murder
"This is Gardner, North Dakota, GARD NER, way at the eastern edge of North Dakota, butted up against Minnesota; this is in Cass County." about 0:03:43
The case: Murder of Timothy Wicks (December 2001). Read the case file.
The figures, as told in 2025
- Population
- 72
- Median household income
- $68,750
- Median home value
- $187,500
- Murders per year
- about 10
History, in brief
- Gardner was settled in 1880. about 0:05:28
- A post office opened in Gardner in 1881. about 0:05:31
- The city was planned out in 1882, after it had already been settled. about 0:05:34
- The railroad coming in prompted the town to be properly laid out. about 0:05:49
- The town was named after Stephen Gardner, who owned the land the town now sits on. about 0:05:55
- Gardner is basically a two-block farming community where farmers gather for morning coffee. about 0:06:07
The reviews read out
5 stars
"Most friendly, down-to-earth, honest, real people; chill and helpful mood; the reviewer will always swoop in when in the area and thanks them for help with a truck."about 0:07:01
1 star
"Heard the food was good but could not try it: sat for twenty minutes and only half the table got their drink order taken, so they left, and the rest of the group was told half an hour later that the grill was closed."about 0:07:24
1 star
"The service sucked, you could not get any food, it took forever, and the reviewer cancelled after half an hour when the food had not even been started."about 0:07:42
"Rude bartender, warm beer."about 0:07:54
Nearest Small Town Murder towns
- Moorhead, Minnesota22 miles
- Valley City, North Dakota51 miles
- White Earth, Minnesota52 miles
- Cooperstown, North Dakota58 miles
- unknown, Minnesota66 miles
- Aberdeen, South Dakota136 miles
Everything here is as told in the episode, on the date it went out; figures and places may have changed since. Endings are covered: open an episode and use the spoiler switch to read them.