Cramer Speaks at Grand Opening of Valley City’s New World War II Heritage Trail

VALLEY CITY, N.D. - U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) commemorated Valley City's contributions to defending democracy in his address at the grand opening of the new World War II Heritage Trail and exhibit at the Barnes County Museum today. He applauded the community's efforts to preserve its World War II legacy and encouraged others to uncover and celebrate the stories of their own hometown heroes.

The new additions come after a campaign by the Barnes County Historical Society to have Valley City named North Dakota's World War II Heritage City-a campaign Cramer and the North Dakota delegation advocated for in a letter they sent to the National Park Service (NPS) in 2024. The NPS made the designation official in 2025, highlighting Valley City State Teachers College training naval officers through its V-12 program and Mercy Hospital School of Nursing's efforts for teaching members of the United States Cadet Nurse Corps.

The designation makes Valley City the smallest community in the nation to receive the honor, recognizing the lasting impact its residents made on the World War II homefront and beyond, and serving as another reminder of North Dakota's patriotism and quiet commitment to always answering the nation's call when needed.

"I love that it's Valley City, the smallest city in the country to receive this designation, because America's small communities contributed so much to defending freedom," said Cramer. "When 12 percent of our nation served, the other 88 percent served too, and Valley City did so in extraordinary ways. What's so great about this World War II Heritage City designation isn't that we just honor the past-it's that we're reminded how to live in the future as free people. The best way we can honor those who sacrificed is by preserving the freedoms they fought to secure and inspiring future generations to protect them."

The Barnes County Museum unveiled the project after securing multiple grants to research, preserve, and share these stories. The new exhibit and self-guided heritage trail highlight local stories which helped shape history, including connections to the Manhattan Project, the Ghost Army, the "Farmerettes" who kept American agriculture running during the war, the Nuremberg Trials, Norway's wartime resistance, and other contributions from residents.

"Steve King, Barnes County Historical Society president, emphasized the reality that Valley City didn't do one thing extraordinary, but the collective of the entire community's efforts made the difference," added Cramer.

The project features interpretive panels located throughout Valley City, a Talking Trail, and an expanded museum exhibit offering visitors a deeper look at the region's role in the war effort. The initiative was led by museum curator Wes Anderson and museum board member and graphic artist Sandy Hanson, whose years of research brought these stories to life. Museum board member Lewis Legge oversaw installation of the trail markers and interpretive signage.

***Click here for individual photos.***