The Quirkiest Town In North Dakota That You'll Absolutely Love
By Leah|Published May 15, 2017
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Leah
Author
Leah moved to North Dakota when she was 12 years old and has traveled from the Red River Valley to the badlands and many places in between. She loves small-town life and currently enjoys living on a small farm in the ND prairie. She's always had a passion for writing and has participated in novel writing challenges such as NaNoWriMo multiple times. Her favorite part about this job is recognizing small businesses that deserve a boost and seeing the positive affect her articles can have on their traffic, especially in rural areas that might have otherwise gone overlooked.
There is a plethora of towns in North Dakota that each have their own personal charm. From the teeniest towns with unusual characteristics like Jud, ND to the big cities like Fargo, ND and all that makes it unique. However, there aren’t a whole lot of towns in the Peace Garden State with quite as many quirks as this one:
Garrison, North Dakota is definitely one of the quirkiest towns in the state. When arriving here, you are greeted by this huge fish statue called Wally the Walleye. It celebrates Garrison's title as the Walleye Capital of the World.
Another unusual statue in Garrison is this 15 foot tall golfer found at the entrance of the Garrison Golf Course. It is made entirely of sheet metal and is sometimes described as zombie-like. It may give you a bit of a scare when it appears behind the trees, but it's really just there greet people!
Garrison is also home to the Garrison Dam, which resulted in North Dakota's largest and most popular lake - Lake Sakakawea. Many people take advantage of the recreational opportunities at this lake. That includes swimming, boating, sailing, fishing, and more.
The historical Fort Stevenson (and encompassing state park) is located in Garrison. Each year on Memorial Day weekend, a huge and mesmerizing kite festival is held in the skies over this fort.
Garrison has gained international attention for another reason - the Dickens Village Festival. This holiday-themed event is held each year during Christmastime. The entire town is transformed into a scene straight from the classic tale "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens. This includes taking tours of the town on the red double decker "Queen Elizabus" that looks like it's straight out of London.