For the early pioneers, these times were indeed difficult and challenging; many grave struggles were encountered to establish the strong foothold that we experience today.
A meager number of about five Catholic families started the first noticeable progress of settlement in this area about the year 1906.  The settling of the community, which was characteristically German-Russian in element, was basically in the hands of five families.  Their primary problem of the time was that of becoming situated in an area which was homesteaded mainly by non-Catholic descendants.  However, determinded to make thier homes here, they took up the last of the area homesteads, and also purchased certain tracts of land from previously homesteaded areas.
The nearest church was located at Porupine, ND, a small community 18 miles southeast of the present St. Gertrude's Parish.  Bad weather conditions, poor means of travel and a scarcity of clergymen, restriced the families from fulfilling their religious duties. It was not infrequent for a family to travel some fourty miles to attend church services in Fort yates ND.
the first missionary priest to visit the local community was Father Ambrose, who offered the holy sacrifice of the Mass in the sod home of Peter Miller and in the home of Peter Loeb.  After several years, Mass was offered in the country schoolhouse where more of the neighboring familes could attend. Other missionary priests that visited were Father Bernard Strassmeyer and Father Francis, also of the Fort Yates mission.
The visits of the missionary priests were rare, and at times of sever winter sotrms the regular monthly stop would not be made at all. At times of great distress such as sickness and extreme weather , familes would often gather and pray the rosary together.
The year 1911 showed evidence that the number of Catholic familes had increased to twenty-eight, and expanded over such a large territory so as to include an area of almost nine townships.  Only a few non-Catholic familes remained in teh immediate area at this time.
in 1912 construction started on the new church under the direction of Father Gallus Boescher. The financial struggle that had to be overcome at this time was done by assessing each family $22.10 The completion of the new structure amounted to $2,300.00. Construction was completed in October of 1913.  The person who contributed the most amount of money was given the honor of naming the new mission church. St. Gertrude was named after Gertude Volk.
In 1043 Bishop Ryan had given the word that the schools were to be moved to a central location on the parish grounds.  A meeting was held as the Dayo  Loeb redisence on the 15th of October in 1943.  It was decided to move the school buildings of the neighboring areas to St. Gertrude's and under these circumstances the pastor could undertake for the time being at least, the task of teaching our children. The districe school was opened end of November 1943. in 1945 Bishop Ryan optained sisters for the parish from the Third Order of St. Fancis, Milwaukee.
in 1959 a new high school building was opened, connecte to the church that is in use today. Grade school children were sent to public school at this time. In the summer of 1974 a new rectory and boarding house was built.  The building was to house the priest, the coach, and the borders.
Because of declining school enrollment the St. Gertrude High school was closed with the last graduating class the class of 1987.
In 1990 the Bishop agreed to the sale of the high school and dormitories of St. Gertrude to the Prairie Learning Center Foundation. A close relationship has been built between PLC and the St. Gertrude parish.