Vehicles in Minot's History

Cars – The Gremlin – Going through old papers I came across an ad for the 1971 Gremlin – Sold by Nelson Motors – Made by American motors – Your choice in v8 or 6 cyl – from $2295.00 ….  The Javelin and AMC – also sold by Nelson Motors Who also sold the Hudson line in the 1950's – built to rival the Camaro and Mustangs ……. Plymouth Arrow and the Dodge Dart – Sold by Don Moe Motors …. Dodge Ramcharger – an early sport utility vehicle ….. Studebaker Lark – Sold by Asplund Motors – in 1963 they were located at 112 South Broadway, (now the Wells Fargo drive thru bank) …… More Muscle cars – Oldsmobile 442 …. Pontiac GTO ….. Plymouth Roadrunner …… Dodge Charger …. Pictured below is a Hudson in the Nelson Motors show room and an early view of Westlies showroom in the 1920's

Minot's First Paved Streets

Dec. 4, 1937 - Paving Ordinance  from the past – From the Minot Daily – an ordinance on the books in Minot – When Minot got its first paved streets, which consisted of wooden blocks, the city fathers prized it like a zealous housewife does a newly waxed floor. All precautions were taken to keep the paved streets pristine. – No garbage was to hauled on or across the streets unless absolutely necessary to remove it to an alley. Fine was $5 and up to 10 days in jail. By the way, in bad rain storms and it the streets flooded, the wooden paving blocks were known to float away

Restaurants

Restaurants of the Past – 60’s and 70’s #2 – Country Kitchen – 1418 South Broadway (now the home of Subway on South Broadway …… Village Inn Pizza Parlor – on North Broadway – with a coupon any large size pizza was only $2.00 ….. Auto Dine – 8^th Avenue and North Broadway – a round building that is now a barber shop – in December of 1971 Auto Dine introduced the new Ranch Burger – 2 for $1.00 ……. Mr. Steak – On top of North Hill  by North Hill Bowl – home of the nicest Waitresses in Minot …. Mister Donut – 215 15^th Ave Sw and 719 North Broadway ….. The Keg – Across from Roosevelt Park – “Minot’s little steak house”  - Featuring a deluxe steak sandwich and fries for 49 cents …… Pictured below - The ribbon cutting ceremony at the Mr. Steak grand opening .... The Keg .... And the Autodine in the 1969 flood

Entertainment - Country Stars

Events from the Past – Irish Rovers – Performed in concert at the Minot Municipal Auditorium on Friday, November 5^th, 1976 … ….  All Star Record Show – In person – one big show at 8 pm on Sunday, March 3, 1963  at the Minot Auditorium…. Stars included Farron Young, Leroy Van Dyke and Billy Grammer…  Country & Western Show – Sunday, November 18, 1962 – Stars at this show were Hank Snow, Kitty Wells, Roy Clark, Bill Phillips, The Tennessee Mountain Boys and Johnnie and Jack.

 

JC Penny – Dakota Square Mall – August 1980 – A newspaper ad on Friday, August 29, 1980 featured items from departments that I do not recall Penny’s having.… One was the Automotive dept. The ad featured two different types of tires, Shock absorbers and JCPenny brand antifreeze. The ad also had a aftermarket cruise control for cars for $139.99…. the other department was Sporting Goods. In this same ad JCPenny was promoting Remington and Savage rifles and shotguns, all at 20% off and sales on various types of shotguns…
Pictured below is the JC Penny store on Main Street in the 50's... also a view of the store interior

Bostwick's

Businesses  from the Past – Bostwick’s – formerly S&L Department Store – In December of 1971, Bostwicks was running a “Going out of Business” Sale. Bostwick’s was located on the west side South Main Street, across from Bray’s (the store with white horse out front). …. Metzger’s Electronic Sales – 1615 South Broadway – now the home of Paradise Spas and Motorsports ….. Nelson Motors – 600 North Broadway – in 1968 they were the Fiat dealer in Minot …. Cline’s Super Valu – Home of the Goodwill Store – 14^th Ave and South Broadway ….. Rex Hotel and Rex Bar & Grill – was on the corner of Central Avenue and South Broadway – now parking lots …….

 

 

Bars

Night Clubs and Bars From the Past – Club 52 -  located west of Minot on Highway 52 – Featured Saturday afternoon jam sessions and The Plainsmen were often the entertainment at the bar ….. The Alley Cat Lounge – located inside the Chateau Lanes Bowling Alley – now the home of the Slumberland Plaza ….. Stockman’s Bar – on East Burdick Expressway – now the home of Ron Lohman Motors ….. Torch Light – on 1^st Street SE in Downtown Minot – Now the Chicago Club …. 13 Club – on 1^st Street SW (now the parking lot across from Bremer Bank)…… Advertisement for the 13 Club below

Restaurants from the Past

Restaurants in the 1960’s & 1970’s  - McDowell’s Big Boy Take Out – 17^th St and 4^th Avenue Northwest – Featured catering for events of all sizes …….  Jack’s Pizza – 511 North Broadway and Tony’s Pizza on Valker Road (Capri Bar location by the Holiday Inn )- Also featured tacos and sandwiches in addition to pizza – Specials – 3 tacos for $1.00 ….. Sweden House – then The Viking Table - A smorgasbord restaurant located at 1910 South Broadway (now the home of Marketplace Dollar Store)  After The Viking Table it became McJack’s and then Jake’s Spice & Spirit  … .. Hitchin’ Post Restaurant – located 3 mile east of the Fairgrounds – Sunday baked ham dinner in 1976 only $3.75 ….. Pictured is the Viking Table sign and the Big Boy on South Broadway

Business from the 1960's

Bennie’s Cycle Service – 3701 South Broadway – Now the home of Ryan Honda ….. Krebsbach’s Inc. – Home of International Harvester vehicles and other farm equipment – now the home of Marketplace Foods on South Broadway behind 1^st International bank…… Schriok’s Lawn & Trail Inc  - Highway 2 & 52 Bypass at 10^th St. SW – Now the home of Clear Channel Radio ….. MacBruce’s Sport Shop – 1605 South Broadway – specialized in athletic shoes – Now the home of Papa Murphy’s Pizza ……. Big Red Furniture Warehouse – on 3^rd Street SE – 2 blocks east of the CP Hotel by the railroad tracks …..

Restaurants from the 60's and 70's

Restaurants of the Past – 1960’s & 70’s – Dee Dee’s Frozen Foods – Barbecued ribs, hot tamales, chili con carne and barbecue sauce were Dee Dee’s specialties. In 1968 you could purchase these items at Red owl Stores – Downtown and Arrowhead, Garden Valley Super Fair, Piggly Wiggly – Town & Country and Highway 2 East and of course Dee Dee’s Grill on Third Street… King Leo’s – 1734 South Broadway – once in a while on Thursday and Friday, King Leo’s featured a Hamburger, Fries and a milk shake for only 49 cents…... A&W Drive-In – 1819 South Broadway – with a coupon you could buy one Teen Burger at regular price and get the second for a Penny ….. Pictured is a King Leo's Drive-In.... not the Minot facility

Clarence Parker Hotel

Ellison’s planned a three story department store with another two floors of office space on top. The first three floors were built but not floor 4 and 5 as George Vaulker started building his office building on the northwest corner of 1^st Street and 1^st Avenue Southeast.  Thinking there would be a surplus of office space, the Ellison Building remained at only three floors. The restaurant in the Ellison Building was 0n the second floor. The Vaulker office building  was never completed. The bottom two floors were all that was finished. The top floors were open with just the supports showing. The building was referred to as “The Sparrow Hotel” for many years as the birds were the only tenants. Twenty years later Clarence Parker bought the unfinished building and converted it to the Clarence Parker Hotel. In 1953 President Eisenhower  stayed in Minot while visiting the Garrison Dam. While in town, he rented a suite rooms at the Clarence Parker Hotel.

Leland House

In 1896 the Parkers leased the Leland House from the original owner, Allen Tompkins. They bought it from him in 1898. Located on the corner of Main Street and Central Avenue, The now Leland Parker Hotel had 10 rooms with their own bath. The hotel also had its own sewer system which was constructed after the city council turned down a proposal for city sewer. It was also Minot’s first brick building. The Leland Hotel – in 1904 the Leland Hotel had a pretentious dining room that could seat 100 people. Buffalo steaks from Clarence Parker’s famous herd were one of the popular items on the menu. The Leland advertised 110 rooms, steam heat, electric lights and fine furnishings. The Leland was remodeled and improved six times over the years. In the 50’s some of the businesses included the KG Men’s Store, Gambles, and a cafeteria.

The Parker House

The Parker House was Minot’s first hotel. It was established in 1886 by Mr. and Mrs. W.H. Parker, parents of Clarence Parker. The hotel was in downtown Minot on 2^nd Avenue. It was temporary home to many travelers and many of the buffalo bone wagon drivers. Buffalo bones were the cash crop for many early settlers in and around Minot. The bones were hauled in by the horse drawn wagon full and piled next to the railroad tracks. When loaded on the trains the bones were shipped to the east and I believe ground for fertilizer and other uses. Depending on the market in the east, buffalo bones were bringing $4.00 to $12.00 a ton. At one time there were so many buffalo bones stacked by the tracks that the railroad laid down a spur line just to load all the bones. Pictures is the Leland House Hotel on the late 1800's and Buffalo Bones next to railroad tracks

New York Store

 In many pictures of Minot’s Main Street one sees The New York Store. It was on the Southwest Corner of Main and Central. This location was at the turn of the century the home of Jack Doyle’s Saloon. The best known saloon in Minot at the time. Peter P Lee replaced the saloon with a general store. The building was known as the Lee Block. In 1906, Julius Fauchald  bought the building and Lee’s Store became known as the New York Store. The building contained offices in the upper floors and was known as the New York Store Block.  In 1912 Julius Fauchald sold the New York Store to Woolworths, which operated until 1982. Fauchald moved next door and established Fauchald’s Department Store which continued until it was sold to Abraham Bader in 1943. The oicture below is from the late 1800's. The New York Store originally was on North Main, a few doors down from the Opre House. In the background you can see the Waverly Hotel and South Main Street.

Northwest Sporting Goods

Still on vacation
Northwest Sporting Goods began in 1946 as Mellum’s Sporting Goods at 110 Central Avenue. In 1948 it moved to 15 1^st Street SW and became Northwest Sporting Goods.  When the building  they were in was going to be demolished  Northwest Sporting Goods moved into the empty S&L Building on main Street. Another move happened in 1974 when Northwest Sporting Goods moved to South Broadway into the former South Hill Super Value building. They offered a full line of sporting goods from hunting and fishing to team sports. The building is now the home of the Goodwill Store.

Union National Bank

Union National Bank began its existence in Minot in 1905, in the front of the Jacobson Hardware building. The second floor was home to Offices and the Post Office. The ground floor housed Martin Jacobson’s Hardware Store. In 1923 the building, bank included was gutted by fire. Within eight months a new building had been erected on the northeast corner of Main Street and Central Avenue, the same location  as the old building . Union National Bank remained at that location until 1963 when they built a new bank at 17 First Avenue SW. The bank is in the same location but became First Bank and is now known as US Bank. US Bank also has drive through tellers on South Broadway. Pictured is the bank in 1908 and then in 1923 after the fire

Nelson Motors

 Nelson Motors was located at 614 Second St NW. The business began as “Ted and Markies” repair shop. In 1940 they entered in the new car field. The owners were Mark Nelson and Ted Hugh. The business was known as Hugh-Nelson Motors. In 1960 Nelson and sons bought out the interest of Ted Hugh. The Rambler was the vehicle line the carried. Eventually the name was changed to Nelson Motors and the car line became American Motors. One of the popular vehicles in the late 60’s was the Javelin and the AMC. Both were sports cars and were meant to rival the Mustangs and Camaros.

Fast O Trade

Still Vacationing….

Fast –O-Trade – Dan Hornbacher, better known as Trader Dan opened his first sporting goods store in a small location at 525 East Central Avenue in August of 1945. Changing the name to Fast-O-Trade, in 1949 moved to 16 North Main Street.. In 1961 Trader Dan built a new building on Highway 83 South. The new location provide a lot of outside room for boats, trailers and motorcycles. They akso carried a full line of sporting goods inside. Trader Dan stocked western clothing for hunters, archery equipment and all types of fishing tackle, along with firearms and ammunition. I have been informed that at one time Trader Dan would appear on late night TV selling his wares over the airwaves. I have been informed that for a while Dan Hornbacher went into the construction business with his son. Apparently they built a house which exploded due to a gas leak when lighting the furnace. Dan’s son was killed in the explosion. Dan and his wife lived in a house, behind his business, located at County Road 14 and Highway 83 South.

Swenson Furniture

Swenson Furniture was located on South Broadway at the entrance to the Kmart parking lot. Before the days of Kmart this was the intersection of Highway 52 and 83 South. The business started by Oscar Swenson in 1950 with an old canopy truck and $350.00. Customers would drive up the alley to the one stall garage which was also their residence. Later a partially finished home was added. This served as display room for the furniture and the family lived in the basement. They had to move as they were conducting commercial and at times industrial business in a residential area. The business moved to their final location and continued to thrive for a number of years. Swenson’s carried a full line of furniture, appliances and some plumbing supplies. The store became Marion’s Furniture and Tumbleweed Toggery was located on the south side. The building and both businesses were destroyed by fire about 1983. The Water Bedroom Store was in this location for a while and it is now the home for Computech, a computer sales and service store

Milk Protest 1934

I am vacationing until the 20th...

Milk Protest – From January 15, 1934… Demonstrators entered two Minot grocery stores to protest the price of mile on their counters. Chain Grocery on 2^nd St NW was visited by approximately 50 people. Minot Food Market, also on 2^nd St, NW was visited by the same group. At the Chain Grocery store, the protesters dumped about 100 quarts of milk on the street. At Minot Food Market about 20 quarts of milk were dumped out in addition to a small amount of cream. The reason for the protest was these two stores were selling milk at a price lower than the group wanted. The average price for milk at that time was nine cents a quart. Chain Grocery was accused of selling milk four quarts for a quarter and at times seven cents a quart. Minot Food Market had a sign in the window stating “Free milk with the purchase of 50 cents of groceries. The group was representing the milkmen’s organization

Ship by Rail Club

Minot Ship By Rail Club – The Minot Ship By Rail Club was formed to promote the use of the railroad by the coal companies. The railroads and their employees shared in the prosperity of Minot. In 1932 to promote the railroad as the main means of transporting coal out of the area the Club came up with these statistics:

In 1931 the Railroads paid $193,269.47 in taxes to the Ward County Treasury

In 1931 the Railroads paid approximately $975,000.00 in wages to Minot residents

In 1931 these Railroad employees paid about $150,000.00 in Ward County taxes

In 1931 there were over 2500 railroad employees and dependents living in Minot

Impressive statistics for the time

World Record set in 1887

GN Railroad Supplies – during the year 1887, 16,406 train car loads of supplies were shipped to Minot from St. Paul. The supplies were for the completion of laying 636 miles of railway from Minot to Helena, Montana. Supplies included were 3,890 carloads of rail, 1,223 cars of timber, 458 cars of lumber, 8,018 cars of tiles and 947 cars of spikes. Between April 1 and November 19 world records were set for the greatest amount of track laid in any one day, week , month and year.

Minot Post Office

In 1937 the Minot Post Office was 50 years old. Prior to its establishment in 1987, the post office for Ward County was located in Burlington. At that time the post office was a box carried by the Burlington Postmaster, Attorney James Johnson. Prior to the Minot Post Office, up and down the river went to Burlington for their mail. In Minot in 1989 the Postmaster’s salary was $100 a month and his operating budget was $30 a month for rent and $10 a month for fuel. In 1903, rural mail deliveries were started out of the Minot post office and in 1904 city carrier service was started. The post office became first class in 1908, declining to second class in 1911 due to business reasons and back to first class in 1912 and has maintained that level since. The Post Office, now the Federal Building, was completed in 1915 at a cost of $150,000. The post office moved to its present location in the 1950’s. This location prior to the post office being built was a flat piece of land used by Minot High School as an athletic field. Below is the Post Office (now Federal Building) in different phases of construction beween August of 1914 to completion in 1915