Operating Divisions of the Northern Pacific

Year 1882 to 1890

Division Headquarters Between

Wisconsin Brainerd Ashland to Carlton

Minnesota Brainerd Carlton to Fargo

Dakota Fargo Fargo to Mandan

Missouri Mandan Mandan to Glendive

Yellowstone Glendive Glendive to Livingston

Rocky Mtn Livingston to Elliston

Missoula Elliston to Perma

Clarke Fork Perma to Oden

Pend O'Reille Sprague Oden to Wallula

Cascade Tacoma Pasco to Tacoma

Pacific Tacoma Tacoma to Portland

In 1883 the Montana Division was created, taking in the territory Billings to Bozeman.

In 1884 the Montana Division was extended from Bozeman to Helena, making the total limits of the Montana Division Billings to Helena. At the same time the territory of the Rocky Mountain Division was changed to cover the line Helena to Heron and Pend O'Reille Division was changed to Idaho Division to cover the territory Heron to Wallula.

December 20,1886, Cascade Division (East) was extended to include territory Ellensburg to Cle Elum.

In 1888 territory Heron to Hope was taken from the Idaho Division and added to the Rocky Mountain Division.

In 1890 the Minnesota Division was extended to Duluth.

Year 1890 to 1898

Division Headquarters Between

Wisconsin Brainerd Ashland to Carlton

Minnesota Brainerd Carlton to Fargo

Dakota Jamestown Fargo to Mandan

Missouri Mandan Mandan to Glendive

Yellowstone Glendive Glendive to Billings

Montana Livingston Billings to Helena and Logan to Butte

Rocky Mountain Missoula Helena to Hope

Idaho Sprague Hope to Wallula

Cascade Ellensburg Pasco to Tacoma

Pacific Tacoma Tacoma to Portland

In 1890 the territory Carlton to Superior was added to the Minnesota Division

July 1, 1892, the Lake Superior Division was created, taking in territory Ashland to Staples.

The headquarters of the division were at West Superior, Wisconsin. Effective July 1, 1892, the St. Paul and Manitoba Railway, extending St. Paul to Staples and Little Falls to Brainerd, was changed to Minnesota Division.

October 1, 1890, the Northern Pacific and Manitoba Railway, also line extending from Winnipeg Junction to Boundary, was made Manitoba Division with headquarters at Winnipeg.

July 1, 1891, the Yellowstone Division was extended west from Billings to Livingston and in 1898 was extended east from Glendive to Mandan, eliminating the Missouri Division.

During 1893 and 1894, that portion of the line Lester to Tacoma and Seattle was known as the Green River Division with headquarters at Tacoma, and Lester to Pasco as the Cascade Division with headquarters at Ellensburg.

June 1895 territory Pasco to Ellensburg was added to the Idaho Division and territory Ellensburg to Tacoma was added to the Pacific Division, eliminating the Cascade Division, also all reference to a portion of the territory as the Green River Division.

April 21, 1898, the line Meeker to Seattle, constructed by the Northern Pacific and Puget Sound Shore Railroad Company, was deeded to the Northern Pacific Railway and added to the Pacific Division.

Year 1898 to 1908

Division Headquarters Between

Lake Superior Duluth Ashland to Staples

Duluth to South Superior and Wallbridge Line

Minnesota Minneapolis St. Paul to Fargo

Manitoba Winnipeg Winnipeg Jct to Winnipeg

Dakota Jamestown Fargo to Mandan

Yellowstone Glendive Mandan to Billings

Montana Livingston Billings to Helena and Logan to Butte

Rocky Mountain Missoula Helena to Hope

Idaho Spokane Hope to Ellensburg

Pacific Tacoma Ellensburg to Tacoma

Tacoma to Portland

Meeker to Seattle

In 1898 the line Garrison to Butte was acquired and added to the Rocky Mountain Division.

In 1900 the Northern Pacific acquired the St. Paul and Duluth Railroad, territory St. Paul to Duluth, and added it to the Lake Superior Division. The Palmer to Auburn cut off was constructed in 1900 and added to the Pacific Division. The line Seattle to Sumas, constructed and purchased by the Seattle, Lake Shore and Eastern Railroad, was acquired by the Northern Pacific and made Seattle Division.

October 1, 1903, the line St. Paul to White Bear and the Stillwater Branch were taken from the Lake Superior Division; and St. Paul to Staples and Little Falls to Brainerd from the MInnesota Division to form the St. Paul Division.

in 1901 the line Pembina (US boundary) to Winnipeg was leased to the Province of Manitoba and in 1902 the line Winnipeg Jct to Pembina was added to the Minnesota Division, abolishing the Manitoba Division.

June 1, 1907, the line from Fargo to Jamestown was taken from the Dakota Division and the Fargo Division was created.

October 10, 1907, the Fargo Division was extended east to Dilworth.

September 1, 1902, Butte and Helena to Missoula was added to the Montana Division.

January 1, 1904, Butte and Helena to Missoula was changed back to the Rocky Mountain Division.

July 1, 1902, territory Hope to Spokane was added to the Rocky Mountain Division.

January 1, 1904, territory Trout Creek to Spokane was added to the Idaho Division.

May 1, 1907, line Spokane to Ellensburg was taken from the Idaho Division and the Pasco Division created.

Year 1908 to 1918

Division Headquarters Between

Lake Superior Duluth Ashland to Staples

Duluth to White Bear

St. Paul Minneapolis White Bear to St. Paul

St. Paul to Staples

Minnesota Staples Staples to Dilworth

Fargo Fargo Dilworth to Jamestown

Dakota Jamestown Jamestown to Mandan

Yellowstone Glendive Mandan to Billings

Montana Livingston Billings to Helena

Logan to Butte

Rocky Mountain Missoula Helena-Trout Creek, Butte-Garrison

Idaho Spokane Trout Creek to Spokane

Pasco Pasco Spokane to Ellensburg

Pacific Tacoma Ellensburg to Tacoma

Tacoma to Portland

Meeker to Black River

Seattle Seattle Black River to Sumas

Line DeSmet to Paradise, via St. Regis, was added to the Rocky Mountain Division March 31, 1909. Ellensburg to Auburn and Tacoma to Sumas was made Seattle Division, December 1, 1909.

Western Terminal of Idaho Division was changed from Spokane to Cheney July 1, 1910

South Tacoma to Keith and East Auburn changed to Puget Sound Division January, 1913.

Year 1918 to 1928

Division Headquarters Between

Lake Superior Duluth Ashland to Staples

White Bear to Duluth

St. Paul Minneapolis St. Paul to White Bear

St. Paul to Staples

Minnesota Staples Staples to Dilworth

Fargo Dilworth Dilworth to Jamestown

Dakota Jamestown Jamestown to Mandan

Yellowstone Glendive Mandan to Billings

Montana Livingston Billings to Helena

Logan to Butte

Rocky Mountain Missoula Helena to Paradise

Butte to Garrison

DeSmet to Paradise

Idaho Spokane Paradise to Cheney

Pasco Pasco Cheney to Ellensburg

Seattle Seattle Ellensburg to East Auburn

Keith to Sumas

Puget Sound Seattle Ryan to East Auburn

East Auburn to Keith

Tacoma Tacoma Ryan to Portland

April 19, 1925, Fargo and Minnesota Divisions consolidated under name of Fargo Division.

Elkhorn Branch changed to Rocky Mountain Division October 1, 1922, but changed back to Montana Division November 1, 1925.

Puget Sound Division changed to Seattle and Tacoma Divisions October 1, 1922, the dividing line being at Reservation.

Year 1928 to 1932

Division Headquarters Between

Lake Superior Duluth Ashland to Staples

Duluth to White Bear

St. Paul Minneapolis St. Paul to White Bear

St. Paul to Staples

Fargo Dilworth Staples to Jamestown

Dakota Jamestown Jamestown to Mandan

Yellowstone Glendive Mandan to Billings

Montana Livingston Billings to Helena

Logan to Butte

Rocky Mountain Missoula Helena to Paradise

Butte to Garrison

DeSmet to Paradise

Idaho Spokane Paradise to Cheney

Pasco Pasco Cheney to Ellensburg

Seattle Seattle Ellensburg to Auburn

Reservation to Sumas

Tacoma Tacoma Tacoma (Reservation) to Portland

Effective January 1, 1932, the St. Paul Division was extended to include a portion of the Fargo Division; the Fargo Division was extended to include the Dakota Division; the Yellowstone Division was extended to include a portion of the Montana Division; the Rocky Mountain Division was extended to a portion of the Montana Division; and the Seattle Division was included in the Tacoma Division.

Year 1932 to December 18, 1932

Division Headquarters Between

Lake Superior Duluth Ashland to Staples

Duluth to White Bear

St. Paul Minneapolis St. Paul to White Bear

St. Paul to Dilworth

Fargo Fargo Dilworth to Mandan

Yellowstone Glendive Mandan to Livingston

Rocky Mountain Missoula Livingston to Helena to Paradise

Logan to Butte to Garrison

Idaho Spokane Paradise to Cheney

Pasco Pasco Cheney to Ellensburg

Tacoma Tacoma Ellensburg to Auburn

Tacoma to Sumas

Tacoma to Portland

Effective December 18, 1932, the Tacoma Division was extended from Ellensburg to Yakima including Yakima terminal and the Naches, Moxee City and Tieton Branches, and the Idaho Division was extended to include the Pasco Division from Cheney to Yakima.

December 18, 1932

Division Headquarters Between

Lake Superior Duluth Ashland to Staples

Duluth to White Bear

St. Paul Minneapolis St. Paul to White Bear

St. Paul to Dilworth

Fargo Fargo Dilworth to Mandan

Yellowstone Glendive Mandan to Livingston

Rocky Mountain Missoula Livingston to Helena to Paradise

Logan to Butte to Garrison

Idaho Spokane Paradise to Yakima

Tacoma Tacoma Yakima to Auburn

Tacoma to Sumas

Tacoma to Portland

Wish I could take credit for this but it was compiled by J. B. Klassen, Supervisor of Wages, NP Labor Relations Department, dated December 26, 1956. Presented by Jim Fredrickson.