Norman County was organized on February 17, 1881, from a part of Polk County, which in turn had been a part of Pembina County. The name was chosen because of the great number of Norwegian immigrants who settled in the county.

Norman County is located in the Red River Valley of Minnesota, one of the great farming regions of the world. To the east it is bounded by Mahnomen County, to the south by Clay County, and to the north by Polk County. The western boundary is formed by the Red River of the North and North Dakota. The county is made up of twenty-four townships. Check out the map of the county as it looked in 1895.

The county seat is located in Ada, which is situated near the center of the county. Other towns and communities presently in Norman County include: Hendrum, Halstad, Twin Valley, Gary, Borup, Perley, Flom and Shelly.