Valley City, established in 1874, was originally known as Worthington, named for George Worthington, a strong promoter of the settlement. The name was changed to Valley City in 1878. The city is known as the "City of Bridges" due to the many bridges across the Sheyenne River, including the Hi-Line Railroad Bridge. The first census in Valley City in 1880 recorded three hundred twenty residents. By 1890, the population had grown to over a thousand, and Valley City continued to expand from there.