Speed Limit - 8 mph

 1888 Minot City Ordinances – In 1888 it was illegal to ride or drive horses in the city limits faster than a trot or 8 mph – while it sounds funny today, with no traffic signals a galloping horse was a threat to public safety …. There was a “vice” ordinance prohibiting anyone from owning or visiting a “bawdy house” or a house of “ill fame”…… Drunken or disorderly conduct was subject to a fine of not more than $19.00 and/or 9 days in jail ….. it was also illegal to keep horses, mules, cows, sheep, goats or swine (pigs) within the city limits …… 

Minot Flour Mill

In 1904 a group for Minot businessmen, including Erik Ramstad and Alfred Blaisdell founded the Minot Milling Co. In 1904 the property was sold and the name was changed to the Minot Flour Mill Co. A grain elevator was added next to the flour mill.. the flour produced and sold was know as “Snow White Flour”. The complex was on the north side of the railroad tracks near the Souris River. At one time the mill consisted of a central, four story building,. Two warehouse extensions were added. One of the east and one on the west side of the main building. An office additions was built later. This complex was later known as the Russell Miller Milling Co. 

Past Business

Past Business of Minot -  Western Auto Parts Co. – At one time located on 3^rd Avenue and 3^rd Street SW…… Byorum’s S&Q Hardware Store – Started business in 1956. Located on the West Side of Main Street between 2^nd and 3^rd Avenue. 212 South Main Street. Phone TE 7-0161….. Baders Women’s Wear – The Store of famous Labels. Baders started serving the clothing needs of women in Minot in 1926. Originally in the Waverly Block until it burned down, Baders bought the Fauchald’s Department Store building, remodeled it and moved to its final location in 1957…… Fairway Foods – Super Fair – beginning in 1931 Fairway Foods was located on 2^nd St NW, Below the Broadway Viaduct and the other location was in the Garden Valley Area. Jet Stamps were given out with every purchase….

Western Auto - 1962

Early Churches in Minot –

After the original town site of Minot was established, the Methodists, Presbyterians and Baptists were the first congregations to take advantage of free lots offered to churches. Within two years after the town had started and as early as 1884, these three denominations all had houses of worship within a block of Main Street on 2^nd Avenue in Downtown Minot. The Methodists formed the first congregations held the first church services…. The Presbyterians were the second to form a congregation and the first to erect a building in the city….. the Baptists were the first to build a brick walled church. By 1887 the Roman Catholic and Lutheran Churches were established in Minot also.

 The first 1st Lutheran

 First Baptist

Zion Lutheran

Bridgeman Creamery

Bridgeman Creamery in Minot prided itself on continuously pioneering advancements in quality control and sanitation techniques. Bridgeman Creamery was the first in the area with Bulk Tank Trucks to move products from the farm to the Creamery. They were also the first and only creamery with an In-the-Plant Laboratory and Chemist to test and insure the quality of its products. Bridgeman’s also had the first and only All-refrigerated trucks for home delivery and product delivery to retail businesses. Bridgeman Creamery was located on Third Street Northeast at the south side of the Third Street overpass.

Mann’s Automotive Supply –

 Mann’s Automotive operated four stores in western North Dakota, Minot, Dickinson, Watford City and Bowman. The business was started by Paul Mann and his son Kenneth in 1943. The Minot Store opened in 1955 in the Roosevelt Hotel Building on the corner of 2^nd Street (Broadway) and 1^st Avenue in Downtown Minot. In 1958,  Mann’s moved to Highway 83 South, at 16^th Avenue and Broadway.  Mann’s had over 900 accounts including service stations, car dealers, repair shops, implement dealers and hardware stores. Mann’s stocked over one million parts and also had a complete automotive machine shop. Mann’s Automotive is now the home to Hedahl’s Auto  parts.

Minot Boxing Club –

 In the early part of the 1900’s Minot was home to the Minot Boxing Club. One of the main boxing attractions in 1905-1906 was Mark Nelson. He fought professionally in the  lightweight and a welterweight classes. In August of 1908, Minot banned professional boxing. Nelson claimed to have lost only 6 of 206 fights. In 1906 the Minot Athletic Association was established mainly to promote Nelson’s fights. Early matches were at times help at the Minot Opera House on main Street. Boxing made a resurgence in the 1930’s. The Minot Boxing Club at that time was based out of the Parker Auditorium where they held their amateur matches. The Parker Auditorium was on 1^st Avenue Southeast in Downtown Minot across from what is now the Blue Rider Bar. 

Flat Iron Building –

 The Flat Iron Building was located on the northeast corner of Broadway and Central Avenue. It was called the Flat Iron Building because of its triangular shape – similar to that of an old flat iron. One of the businesses in the Flat Iron Building was the Spudnut Shop. The Spudnut Shop specialized in hamburgers and Spudnuts. A Spudnut was a doughnut made from special potato flour, apparently that one had to purchase from the Spudnut Company. Reportedly the doughnuts were the best when fresh.. Another business I remember in the Flat Iron Building back in the late 60’s was Carl’s Music Store. Not sure when it went out of business, but he handled musical instruments and supplies

Drawz Stoker Mfg.Co

In August of 1928, Roy Drawz was tired of shoveling coal so he applied for a patent on the Drawz Stoker. In 1951, needing more room, Drawz Stoker moved to a new location on Highway 83 South of Minot. Shortly thereafter a steel building was added to accommodate more expansion and growth. The building still stands and is across the road from the Gas Stop on South Broadway. Other lines carried were Moncrief furnaces, gas conversion burners, oil burners, Dura-Vent metal gas chimneys and Minneapolis-Honeywell products. 

Mitchell’s Hardware -

Mitchell’s Hardware was on the corner of Central Avenue and 3^rd Street South East, where Val’s Cyclery is now  located. Prior to Mitchell’s this locations was the home for Oppen’s Grocery Store. Oppen’s had a lunch counter or cafeteria in the store. I believe this was known as the Central Avenue Café. For a while Mitchell’s Hardware also maintained the Central Avenue Café even though it was a hardware store.  One of Mitchell Hardware’s claim to fame was a talking Myna bird named Mack.  Mack had the reputation of uttering four letter words, especially the s--- word, so many younger shoppers were not allowed to hang out around him. After Mitchell’s and before Val’s Cyclery, this location was the home of Ben’s Appliances.

The Barn Cafe

The Barn Café – this café was located inside the Clarence Parker Hotel in downtown Minot. Both the Clarence Parker and the Leland Parker Hotel had café’s in their hey day. The Clarence Parker Hotel actually began as an office building. George Valker, Sr. started construction on the office building in 1920. It was never finished and was left vacant for about 20 years., except for birds roosting in the incomplete top stories, hence it was known as the “Sparrow Hotel”. After WWII, Clarence Parker completed the construction and created the Clarence Parker Hotel.

The Barn Cafe in Clarence Parker Hotel

Remember These Businesses??

Sunshine Grocery – located at 836 9^th Ave NW (just west of Minot State), was a local neighborhood grocery store that featured groceries, quality meats, fresh produce, soft drinks and ice cream….. Riverside Lodge and Motel – Highway 2 east across from the Fairgrounds, (now the home of the Holiday Inn). It was built in 1946 and acclaimed for its superb cuisine, efficient service and comfortable accommodations in the motel….. Central Pharmacy – Bill Utke was the proprietor. Central Pharmacy was located at 19 West Central Avenue…. Ace Hardware – Located on the east side of 1^st Street SE, one half block north of the Post Office (now the Federal Building). Started in 1933, Ace Hardware prided themselves as a complete hardware store featuring America’s best known brand names …. 

1959 - Westlie Motors and the Edsel

Edsel Showing – on Friday, Oct 31, 1958 (Halloween) the 1959 Edsel, an exciting new kind of car, was making its debut showing at Westlie Motors. Coffee and donuts were served and at that time, Westlie’s claimed to be North Dakota’s largest auto dealer. ….. the Edsel claimed to be the car that looks right, works right and was priced right. The Edsel was luxurious without overdoing it. Roomy with out useless length. Powerful without hogging gas and styled to last.  The Edsel line featured 10 different models with 4 different motors . The Edsel was only around for about 3 years ….. maybe they should not have had their premiere showing on Halloween. 

Arvid’s Red Carpet.

This restaurant was a buffet line boasting more food than one could imagine. It was on West Central Avenue and 1^st St . It was located in the basement of what is now the Brady Martz accounting office. Arvid’s Red Carpet featured a Large red canopy over the entrance and red carpet going down the stairs to the restaurant. For the time, some say it was pretty fancy, boasting white linen on the tables.

Minot Steam Plant –

The Minot Steam Plant was located west of what is now the Cenex Store on Central Avenue. It was by the old Kedney warehouse which has also been demolished. The Steam Plant provided heat to most of, if not all of Downtown Minot. The steam ran through pipes in a series of tunnels throughout the downtown area. In addition to the steam tunnels, many downtown businesses also had freight elevators on the sidewalks in front of the store. This open basement concept under the sidewalk had a tendency to heat the sidewalk a bit in the winter… helped snow removal. I have been told that at times the snow in downtown Minot was covered in ash from the smoke stacks of the Stream Plant

Sammy’s Pizza on Central Ave.

– The Sammy’s Pizza in the 60’s was located on West Central Avenue. About 2 doors east of Broadway. The booths were in the back. The pizza’s were made in the front of the place next to the windows. I recall dough being tossed in the air during the Pizza making process. Next door to the west in the early 60’s I have been told the corner spot was the Bus Depot. The Bus Depot moved and in the late 60’s this area became Poor Roger’s Surplus (I believe the name is correct.) The only thing I remember about the store is that it seemed to have a continuous “Going out of Business” sale going on…. Eventually Poor Roger’s Surplus did actually “go out of business”.

Eatmore Sausage & Packing Co.

Past Business of Minot  – Eatmore Sausage & Packing Co. – starting in a tiny one room building in 1934, Eatmore sausage had a line of products that included smoked meats, all kinds of sausage and all grades of beef, veal and pork. Eatmore was a local company that employed all local help. They purchase all their meat products from local feedlots and sales rings. …. Collins – Russell Mortuary – Owned by Harlan Russell and Chester Collins, it was located in Green Valley o Souris Drive, directly south of the Fairgrounds. The location is now a church

Larry's Palm Cafe

Erna’s Restaurant – This was a very popular restaurant in the 50’s and 60’s. Erna’s was located at the intersection of South Broadway and 16^th Avenue. Reportedly Erna’s had the best chicken fried steak around, at the time. Located right next to the restaurant was a bar, the 83 Club.

Larry’s Palm Café – this was located about where Paradiso is now. A listener informed that he met Charley Pride at the café when dining. This was before the days of the Norsk Hostfest, when Charley was a rising star. Later the Bonanza Steak House was located at this location, followed by T-Bones and now Paradiso.

Hans Thorpe

Minot/Ward County Legal Hanging – Hans Thorpe will go down in history as the only person to be legally hanged in Minot. Thorpe drifted into Minot in 1898 and was reported to be quite a handsome guy and quite a lady’s man. Shortly after arriving in town he met and married a Minot girl…. Then his trouble began.  Thorpe and his wife got into a terrible argument one evening at the dinner table. In her room, the house keeper heard shots and when she ran into the dining room found Mrs. Thorpe dead of gunshot wounds. She also found Thorpe lying in his own blood as he had then turned the gun on himself. He did not do a very good job of shooting himself as he recovered and had to face his trial for murder. He was found guilty and sentenced to be hanged which happened on September 14, 1900. The gallows was just east of Minot on Valley Street, (about at the intersection of Valker Road, or at the bottom of the truck stop hill). Thorpe was reported to have wondered why everyone was in such a big hurry to get to the hanging, as “Nothing will happen until I get there”. Reports state that Thorpe was taken to Rosehill Cemetary and placed in an unmarked grave…..