Town file
Valley City, North Dakota
Valley City, North Dakota (Barnes County, North Dakota) is the town in one episode of Small Town Murder, the comedy true-crime podcast: episode 467, "Abnormal Acts Of Brutality" (15 February 2024). Mindy Morganstern was born in Colombia and adopted as a baby by Eunice and Larry Morganstern, who farmed near New Salem, North Dakota, about two and a half hours from Valley City.
- Town
- Valley City
- County
- Barnes County
- State
- North Dakota
- Country
- USA
- Episodes
- 467
- Approximate location
- 46.923, -98.004
Episode 467 / 15 February 2024 / 175 min / full
Abnormal Acts Of Brutality
"This is in southeastern North Dakota ... then this is in Barnes County, area code 701 ... nickname, is the city of bridges" about 0:06:23
The case: Murder of Mindy Morganstern (September 13, 2006). Read the case file.
The figures, as told in 2024
- Population
- 6,586
- Median age
- about 40
- Median household income
- about $54,000
- Median home value
- $163,400
- Two-bedroom rent
- about $850 a month
- Cost of living
- 75
- Religious
- 64%
- Property crime
- right at the average
- Violent crime
- ▼ about one-third below
History, in brief
- Valley City was established in 1874, with a railroad station. about 0:07:02
- The town was originally named Worthington, after promoter George Worthington. about 0:07:11
- It sits in a valley, so the name was changed to Valley City. about 0:07:41
- The post office was named Worthington in 1874 and changed to Valley City in 1878. about 0:07:47
- A Carnegie Library opened in 1903 through the efforts of a local women's organisation called the Tuesday Club. about 0:09:09
- The nation's first barbers' association was formed in Valley City during a state barber convention in 1909. about 0:09:29
- Peggy Lee is a famous person from Valley City. about 0:09:55
The reviews read out
5 stars
"A nice town to live in, close to many lakes for fishing and other recreation."about 0:10:14
4 stars
"A Minnesotan who loves the snow and the intense winter."about 0:10:45
2 stars
"Only two good eat-out joints in town, Pizza Ranch and City Light Super Club; no other high-quality or fancy restaurants."about 0:12:06
"Under 21, so cannot comment on the six to eight bars in town."about 0:13:29
2 stars
"A pretty good variety, but still drives an hour to Fargo for favourite restaurants."about 0:13:49
2 stars
"As many bars as churches, two chain restaurants and a third supposedly coming."about 0:14:00
1 star
"Virtually no tourist attractions; the largest is five hours away and the only close one is thirty miles away, the world's largest buffalo and three albino buffaloes."about 0:14:16
Nearest Small Town Murder towns
- Cooperstown, North Dakota37 miles
- Gardner, North Dakota51 miles
- Moorhead, Minnesota60 miles
- White Earth, Minnesota102 miles
- Aberdeen, South Dakota103 miles
- unknown, Minnesota116 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.