Bountiful crops stretch across the plains of North Dakota. Approaching Rugby from any direction, visitors witness abundant fields of oats, barley, flax, and wheat, helping to define the agricultural and manufacturing make-up of this city.

On a small family farm located southeast of Rugby, artisans Dr. Brian and Loveta Cochran raise and harvest grapes and other fruits – cherries, jostaberries, rhubarb, raspberries, juneberries – for wine. Although the Dakota Hills Winery is not yet certified organic, they practice natural management in both raising and harvesting fruit as well as in the production of 30 plus specialty wines.

“Each morning I hand-pick the fruit myself ensuring only perfect berries are chosen,” Dakota Hills Winery owner Loveta Cochran said.

“All of the color comes from the fruit, creating red wine as opposed to a blush wine. After pressing the fruit, then removing the pulp, it goes to a 150-gallon milk truck for fermenting.”

Leaving the process to her husband, she completes the winery production by sticking labels on each bottle, and offering free tours and wine tasting. In addition, the Cochrans share their barnyard petting zoo with visiting children (llamas, ducks, bantam chickens, cows, dogs, and cats).

The Dakota Hills Winery annually sells 4,000 – 5,000 bottles of their hand-produced wine through its wholesaler, in local retail shops, or through online sales. Rugby native Laurie Stadum and her husband, Jim, sell their product online, as well.

The couple discovered their product when they lived in New Hampshire, where they met their partner, Dave Doucette, playing pool. A machinist by trade, as well as a cabinetmaker and woodworker at heart, Dave toyed with the thought of designing pool cues with Jim.

The two began creating topshelf pool cues, using specialty woods from all over the world, then took their product to trade shows. After earning multiple awards, they knew they were onto something – and Samsara Cues was born. In 1991, the Stadums returned to North Dakota and opened a shop in Rugby.

With a portion of their machines designed by Doucette, they turn out world-class, high-end pool cues – known for their workmanship, with prices ranging from $400 - $25,000. The Smithsonian Institute commissioned their work, requesting each sketch, drawing, or design along the way for components of a display.

The North Dakota Heritage Center currently displays a Samsara Cues handcrafted pool cue that had been donated to Governor Hoeven. Aesthetics and design are not limited to Rugby’s saleable products, however. The Rugby community attracts tourists through various means, including artful structures.

The Northern Lights Tower, built in 1999, rises to mark an interpretive site for the Aurora Borealis. This 88 ½-foot tall illuminated structure is coated with metallic paint and has multicolored lights projected from below. In 2003, the interpretive site was built in conjunction with the structure as a source for natural science programs.

Rugby is considered the gateway to the International Peace Gardens, and the geographical center of North America. A 21-foot monument was constructed at Rugby to mark the location of the continent center. After the US Geological Survey determined the location in 1931, a constructed cairn became a local attraction, surrounded by three flagpoles representing the countries making up North America: Canada, Mexico, and the United States.

Historically, Rugby was founded in 1886 at a junction on the Great Northern Railway. Initially, they hoped to attract English settlers by naming the town Rugby Junction, dropping Junction from the name once the community became a city.

Museums, such as the Prairie Village Museum, the Dale and Martha Hawk Museum, and the Victorian Dress Museum honor the pioneering, agricultural, and entrepreneur days on the North Dakota plains and promote tourism to Rugby, and hunters and fishers find the area an attraction as well. “We are situated in the middle of two fl yways,”Chamber of Commerce Don Sobolik said. “Both residential and non-residential hunters participate in hunting duck, geese, pheasant, and deer.”

A landscape of rolling hills and plains encourages farming, although farm dynamics are changing.  The trend is for area farmers to reach retirement age and sell their operations to other farmers, creating still larger operations.
Whether farming small grains, cattle ranching, or raising organic foods, retiring area farmers seek housing nearer to medical facilities, such as the clinic, chiropractic offices, or the medical center.

The Rugby Job Development Authority is in the process of developing a survey regarding future housing. The goal of JDA’s survey is to help retain the retiring population, as those seniors transition from their current homes, to either assisted living or senior friendly housing (ranch style).

After the completion and opening of the North Central Correction and Rehabilitation Center, JDA executive director Brenda Dissette prepared an assessment of the economic impact of the center on the Rugby community. The conclusion backs the need to continue to create opportunities for the center to grow in support of the community, region, and state. Employing 34 full-time employees, the corrections facility opened in September 2006.

In addition to housing prisoners, the multi-county center also concentrates on substance abuse. NCCRC houses local law enforcement agencies and provides space for county, state, and US marshall inmates, with 84 beds on the jail side, 32 beds for alcohol and drug treatment, and a separate area for six females.

The Pierce County Courthouse, built of concrete and brick in 1910 is on the National Register of Historic Places. Currently used for county offices, the building is truly a Rugby landmark, and is visible from most directions when entering Rugby. Also on the historical registry is the Amtrak Depot, which was built in 1907.

The depot brings visitors, travelers, and business to the community. Longtime business Rugby Manufacturing fi rst opened its shop as a family business in Rugby 30 years ago. It was purchased by investors, who later sold it to TBEI (Truck Bodies & Equipment International) in 2005.

Rugby Manufacturing began by building heavyduty truck boxes, with high quality engineering and fabrication of products (now including aluminum, stainless steel, and powder paint). After transitioning to TBEI, the Rugby location now staffs 85 employees and leads in design and manufacturing of dump bodies, truck and trailer hoists, and other heavyduty truck boxes – such as those used by parks and recreation or in other city heavy equipment vehicles.

Diversification: Changing up business or the way things are done. As more and more folks look toward a ‘greener’ future, Rugby is planning and working with renewable energies. The construction of North Dakota’s largest wind farm will be located northeast of Rugby; Iberdrola Renewals plans to begin building roads and turbine tower footings this fall, followed by the installation of 71 towers and turbines in the summer of 2009.

Visitors to Rugby find a community of agriculture that blends into a sturdy manufacturing community. Small grain, cattle, tourism, and hometown hospitality on the plains of North Dakota, help attract unique or specialty businesses to this rural community.