Valley City, Barnes County: So much to do!

Walking Bridge near Valley City State University

The staff at Smith Lumber and Home Center would like to invite you to check out all Valley City has to offer. Valley City is a quiet rural town nestled in the Sheyenne River Valley with the river winding its way through, giving it the title “City of Bridges.”  We are a peaceful and caring community where everyone knows everybody and helps each other out. 

The area boasts many community events throughout the year. You must check out Sanborn’s Independence Day Celebration for the parade and fireworks, and more. In Wimbledon, during their Palooza celebration, you can check out the Peggy Lee display in the Midland Continental Depot Museum. Other neighboring communities host events throughout the year, like Sodbuster Days. The Old Schoolhouse in Nome is a treat to visit. Here in Valley City, we have an indoor car show in January, the North Dakota Winter Show in March, Nights on Central (street dances) in the summer, Soap Box Derby, car shows downtown, rodeos, Parade of Lights, many children’s events, and so much more.  

The Valley City area has great educational opportunities. We feature two area public schools and several parochial schools. We also have an area Career and Technical Center which works with area schools for specialty training of our youth. When it comes to college, look no further than Valley City State University. VCSU is a staple in our community and has been recognized nationally with various awards. 

If you love to golf, we have you covered with that! There are two golf courses in town. If you are looking for a good book or want to learn more about the history of the area, you can check out our Dale Carnegie library or the museum, or our locally owned bookstore. We are home to a variety of churches and financial institutions to suit your needs. 

Fun fact, we also offer a great array of specialty shops, many of which are family-owned and operated. You can find almost anything you need or want right here in Valley City. You can find everything from a brewery to a bakery, event center to bowling, groceries to health care, clothing to hardware, home décor to landscaping, automotive dealers to repair shops, appliances to construction needs, and so much more. Valley City is a very consumer-friendly community with great employment opportunities. 

If you like the outdoors, we have pickleball courts, tennis courts, baseball fields, frisbee golf course, and multiple parks in town with walking/bicycling paths. There are many leagues for varying interests for youth to adults throughout the community. 

In our surrounding area as you travel along the Scenic Byway, there is Lake Ashtabula to the north and several parks south of town. It is a beautiful drive! Along with the pretty scenery, you could enjoy hiking, fishing, camping, kayaking, and other water sports. If you are up at the beach on the lake, why not stop at one of the local restaurants for dinner and take in the sunset? If you prefer climate-controlled indoors, we offer two fitness centers and two swimming pools (one indoor and one outdoor).  

At the end of the day, you could say, “This just feels like home!”  We are a comfortable and caring community with the offerings of a larger town tucked in the valley. Come check us out! As we say at Smith Lumber Company, whatever you need, we've got it!