The first town east of the North Dakota state line, tiny Fisher (pop. 413) doesn’t look like much, but was once a bustling frontier port, thanks to its location at the navigational headwaters of the Red River of the North. River traffic has all but disappeared, but the local sugar-beet industry pulls in a billion dollars a year, which may explain the town’s prosperous air. For good food, stop at the Fisher Cafe, across the street from the spindly water tower, three blocks south of US-2.
Near Fisher stretches the Malmberg Prairie, one of the few extant virgin prairies left. Protected by the Nature Conservancy, 80 acres of wild prairie roses, blue gentians, and bright yellow sunflowers shine in late summer; once home to herds of bison, the land here has never been plowed. To reach the preserve from US-2, take US-75 south to Hwy-9, then turn south onto Hwy-56 and drive for two miles until you see Nature Conservancy sign.
