Understand
Williston was founded as a Northern Pacific Railroad stop in 1887 and named for Daniel Willis James. It was chosen over the nearby town of Buford as the site of a turntable which led to its early growth. In 1951, oil was first discovered in the Williston Basin. Williston experienced rapid growth during its first oil boom in the 1980s. After the boom died down, the population shrank to about 13,000. Geologists recently discovered 4.3 billion barrels of recoverable oil in the Bakken Formation. The Three Forks Salish Formation also contains recoverable oil. With these recent discoveries, Williston is experiencing another oil boom and has rapidly increased in size. While the rest of the country remains in a recession, Williston boasts a strong economy, one of the lowest unemployment rates in the nation, plenty of jobs, and the highest wages in North Dakota.
Despite the recent growth, Williston still maintains a small town atmosphere. Most residents are friendly and will happily give visitors directions.
Williston news and weather.
