Broadview Township

The name Broadview is most appropriate for the Township.  The view is broad even with today's shelterbelts in the picture.  From any prominent knoll one can virtually see beyond its boundaries in three directions.  On mornings with favorable atmospheric conditions, and the help of the mystical mirage, the trees and farmsteads in the eastern one-third of the Township seem to cross the Sheyenne valley and come within calling distance.

It might be of interest to note here that of the pioneers that settled in Broadview in the 1800's some came from the state of Michigan, namely, Mark Curtis, Henry Curtis, J. M. Freer and John Kerber, Sr.

Before the coming of the Great Northern railroad in 1912, a small town, Karnak, had started in the northeast corner of Section 20.  An elevator and a grocery store were the first signs.  In 1913 another grocery store was built.  From then on it progressed quite rapidly until at the height of its existence it had two grocery stores, three elevators, (St. Anthony, International and Farmers), a depot, pool hall, blacksmith shop, lumberyard, shoe repair and harness shop, a small restaurant, post office in one of the stores, a bank and a church.

The Presbyterian Church was organized in 1917 and built in 1919 under the supervision of a local carpenter, HOWARD RISING, plus a lot of volunteer help.  In membership, about fourteen charter members, the church was small, but the spiritual enthusiasm was great.  It functioned for approximately twenty-seven years.  Membership by then had declined and its doors closed.  The building was sold, and became a farm residence in Bartley Township.

The first pastor of the church was a traveling minister from Oakes, later it was served by the Presbyterian pastor from Cooperstown.  The charter members were: Mr. and Mrs. E.W. Trapp, Mr. and Mrs. R. Kinn, Howard Rising, Edith and Jennie, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Mosher, John Nolting, Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Sigle, Mr. and Mrs. Don Healy, Mrs. John Kerber, Sylvia, Norman and Howard Kerber, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Peterson and Theodore Curtis.