Tyrol Township

Tyrol Township was named for a district in Austria.  It lies in the north central Section of Griggs County.  The odd numbered Sections were given to N P Railroad, they sold most of it for next to nothing to investors.  After the train came through in 1899, the tune changed - many of the settlers paid handsome prices for their land.  Those who settled on the even numbered Sections could have the land for $1.25 per acre if they lived on it for 6 months and filed a pre-emption.  They could have it for next to nothing if they fulfilled the 3 year residence and did a specified amount of improvement on the place.

The first settlers came in the early 1880's.  Some settled along the western edge.  They were mostly from Austria and a few came and settled along the eastern pan.  They were of Scotch, English, and Irish descent who had stopped in Canada before coming to Dakota Territory.  Later in the 80's a group that settled south and west corner of Township were Germans from the northern part of Germany.  About 1900, the investors lured many Scandinavians into the Northeast corner of the Township, and through the central part of Tyrol.  As many as four or five men would come at once, and settle.  Then they would talk other members of the family into following suit.

There was much changing of land and some families moved on to greener grass.  But many descendents of original Tyrol Township families are still found in Tyrol or neighboring Townships.  Often the original owner and wife would move into Cooper or Jessie, and leave the farming to sons or daughters.

Besides the railroad to replace the oxen trails (which followed Sibley Expedition Route) across the south part of Tyrol.  State Highway 45 has been constructed close to the east edge and Highway 65 has been built west across the Township.  A series of county and Township roads give direct access to each Section of the Township - a far cry from the days when paths were found between Sections that a horse and buggy could travel.  Later T-Models could use the paths, but the Overlands found them tough to negotiate.

Like all Townships, Tyrol had four schools.  At first Tyrol #1 was called Zimprich School and was later moved to Fosholdt's and became Tyrol #4 or Askelson's School.  When the school was built in Jessie, in 1908 it became Tyrol #1.  Tyrol #2 was known as Arndt School.  Tyrol #3 was the Sansburn School.  All of them served as school, most as church (Catholic in Zimprich) (German Lutheran at Arndt) and (Lutheran at Sansburn), and all as community hall and general meeting places.  The first teachers were imported - many of them married into local families.  From 1910-1930 many of the teachers were descendents of homesteaders, Gertrude Pfeifer served as County Superintendent a few of those years.  In 1960 Griggs County Schools were reorganized, and some Tyrol students now go to Cooperstown and some to Binford.

Source: Griggs County History 1879 - 1976 Page 448