The House Where Lawrence Welk Stayed - Part 3 –

 One of the residents on the top floor was Joe Welk.  He was a cousin to  Lawrence Welk. In the late 20’s and early 30’s. Lawrence Welk was not the celebrity he became later on. He would stay with Joe while his band was performing in the Minot area and many times at the Pavilion in Riverside Park, now Roosevelt Park. One of the early tenants lived in one of the basement apartments. She knew him only as Larry, cousin to Joe. She told my wife that Larry was always trying to get people to his dances, but she said “he wasn’t that good” so they usually did not go. Years later she realized that the Larry she knew, was actually Lawrence Welk. Joe Welk kicked Larry out as he would run up Joe’s phone bill trying to book his band in the northern part of the state, but never repaid Joe for the long distance calls. This was verified by Lloyd Heusers, a former teacher at Minot High and long time member of the Minot Park Board. As a child he lived in the house just west of our house. His father was a cab driver and a good friend of Lawrence Welk

Pictured is the house as it is today

The House Where Lawrence Welk Stayed Part 2

- In the late 20’s the person who owned the house got involved with and joined a church out of St Paul, Mn. He deeded the house to the church with the stipulation that he could live there, “free of charge”, until he died. The house was converted to a apartments and sleeping rooms. Two apartments in the basement and two on the main floor and five sleeping rooms on the top floor. All the income from the house went to the building fund for construction of a church here in Minot. That church was to be located on 6^th Street SE, Next to the Greek Orthodox church. The foundation was all that was built. That eventually became a 3 unit below grade apartment building that was demolished when the Greek Church purchased the land and converted it into a parking lot.

Christmas - 1990's

The House Where Lawrence Welk Stayed - Part 1.

– This is actually my home in Eastwood Park. My wife, Pat and I purchased the home about 30 years ago after moving back to Minot. In the summer we would always get people driving by our house. Many would stop and ask if they could see the inside as they had lived there in the past, as far back as the late 20’s. I learned a lot from these former residents. The house was built about 110 years ago and went through a few owners. Although the house has very little insulation in the walls, it is very warm in the winter and cool in the summer. The original house had a corner room as an ice box. The ice door is still visible on the east side of the house. The water from the ice melting and rain water all went into a 2200 or so gallon cistern in the basement, below our laundry room. The water was then pumped into a metal tank in the attic and was part of a gravity feed running water system before the days of city water pressure.

Picture from early 1980"s

Young America Stores

Young America – In 1963, Stan Fink came up with the concept of the Young America Stores. The first store opened in the newly built Town & Country Shopping Center. The store carried a complete line of infant wear and clothes for tots, juniors , subteens, young men and young women.  Most of the sales were in the men’s lines so the store expanded and eventually opened The American Man Stores. At one time Young America had 15 locations in North and South Dakota, Iowa  and Montana with over 250 employees.  In 1976 they opened the Jeanery in the Town & Country Center. American Man opened in 1981 in Dakota Square in Minot with Young America following in 1983. In 1983 Young America received the Retailer of the Year  Award by the Upper Midwest Mens Apparel Club of Minneapolis.

Van de Streek Furs

Van de Streek Furs – on Thursday, August 20, 1953, Van de Streek Furs announced their opening. This company specialized in genuine fur coats. They were located at 108 4^th Avenue SE…. across from what is now M&H Gas. Times were different and women and some men wore genuine fur coats. Van de Streek Furs claimed to have a vault where they could store up to 2,600 fur coats at a constant temperature. They also had a showroom equipped with special lighting so the customer could examine the fur under various lighting situations. Free gifts to be drawn for at the opening included a mink cape, mink scarf and a Kolinski scarf….

Main Street - 1950's

Westland Oil Fire Pt. 3

Westland Oil Fire #3 -- The other man was an airport employee named Hobart Myers. He had gone to the scene to see what was happening and decided to try and help. When the flaming gasoline covered his body he dived into a sand pile at a nearby construction site. Myers was rushed to St. Joseph’s Hospital for treatment of severe burns. His coveralls were still smoldering when he arrived at the hospital. His clothing reportedly burst into flames again, burning a nurse who was caring for him. Myers suffered severe burns and had to go skin grafts. He was a patient at St. Joe’s Hospital for over eleven months before returning home. Myers later became a custodial worker at the Ward County Courthouse and passed away in 1958.

Westland Oil Fire Pt 2

Westland Oil Fire #2 – Casualties of the Westland Oil Fire….. one man was a transient from South Dakota looking for work in Minot. Edward Brown was walking north over the Third Street Overpass when the explosion occurred. He watched the fire for a while and then went to help another man with a hose spraying water on the Mandan Creamery building north of the burning oil tanks. Another blinding flash and explosion occurred which soaked their clothes with burning gasoline. Brown ran back up the overpass a ways and jumped into the river to extinguish the flames. He told his story from the hospital bed but died later that day.

Westland Oil Fire #1 –

The Westland Oil fire occurred in July of 1947. The cause of the fire may have been attributed to “pink gas’ flowing out of one of the tanks. This was reported by someone from the Bridgeman Creamery.  She claimed she saw the “pink” gas coming out of one of the tanks and decided to leave at once. As she was driving away the explosion pushed her car down the street but she escaped without injuries. Many businesses were lost in the fire besides losses incurred by Westland Oil. Those destroyed in the fire were: Mandan Creamery & Produce, Riverside Café & Tavern, Becwar & Cedarstrom Texaco and the Minot Co-op Grain Association. Badly damaged included Bridgeman Creameries, Monagin Power Equipment Co, Farmers Union Co-op Store, and Lowe’s Grocery. Five people were killed in the fire and a number were injured.

3R's Men's Store

3R’s Men’s Store – The 3R’s Men’s Store was owned by Rusty Kouba. The store claimed to have a complete retail price range in men’s clothes, hence they were able to handle most customer’s needs.

3R’s had the largest selection of sport coats and men’s pants in Minot. The sport coats varied in sizes from 34 to 54 in short, regular , long and extra long. Waist sizes ranged from 29 to 36. 3R’s also carried men’s suits. At one time 3R’s also moved into the world of formal wear, sales and rentals. They were able to supply men’s needs for weddings, proms and other business needs.

Main Street in the 1960's

Legion Club

American Legion Club – Downtown Minot – The American Legion Club was located in Downtown Minot on 2^nd St, (Broadway) just south of the Rex Bar and Café. The American Legion Club moved into this building in 1952 after purchasing it from the Minot Daily News. The News moved to its new location at 301 4^th St. SE.  The American Legion Club moved to a new location on Minot’s north hill, now the home of Don Bessette Motors. The old American Legion Club location in Downtown Minot is now part of the parking lot west of Bremer Bank. I was in the old American Legion Club many times during my stint of driving a delivery truck for Coca Cola Bottling. It was always noted for having great food.

Gateway Grocery

Capri Bar and Restaurant – The original Capri Bar and Restaurant was on the corner of 20^th St. and East Burdick Expressway. This location is now the home of the PATH building. To the south of the Capri was the Rush Inn Motel. This was torn down and the location is now storage units. Also at one time in the area on the corner of 8^th Avenue and 20^th Street Southeast was Cashway Lumber, owned by Sy Bond.

Gateway Grocery – Gateway grocery was owned by Anna and Louis Panos. It was across the street from the Holiday Inn Riverside. The building was also the home for Tiny’s Bar and one of the Widdell’s Pizza shop – Tony’s Pizza. The new Capri bar is now in that location.

Capri Bar - 1950's

Minot Public Library

The original Minot Public Library  began in 1908 in two rooms rented in the Optic Block. In 1908 the city approved its first mill levy for library purposes. In 1910 with $2000 in its treasury, the library obtained a grant from Andrew Carnegie for a new building. The Library was built at the corner of what is now Second Avenue and First Street Southeast. The library moved into its new home in 1911 and remained there for 55 years, when it moved into its current location. When the Library was dedicated in February of 1912, it had 1490 books and claimed to have 1350 borrowers. The original library building is now the Carnegie Center.

Highway 83 Now a Four Lane Road

Four Lane Highway 83 --  The news story on August 25, 1964 announced that the four lane highway to the Minot Air Force Base was now open. The story said that he opening of the four lane to the base should all but eliminate the traffic congestion between the base and Minot. With section to the base open, residents then had 16.5 mile of  four lane highway from the base to just south of Minot. Work was in progress on the 15 mile stretch of highway from south of Minot to the junction on Highway 23. …. It is difficult to imagine Highway 83 as anything other than a four lane highway. Pictured is the construction of the original two road from Minot to Bismarck.

Jacobson & Fugelso Hardware

Jacobson & Fugelso Hardware – Established in 1890 by Martin Jacobson, the store was 71 years old during the 1961 Diamond Jubilee—1n 1907 the store became Jacobson & Fugelso Hardware – The original hardware store was in a single 25X60 foot room. In 1902 it expanded to a 3 story building, occupying one floor—the building also housed the Jacobson Opera House and Union National Bank, now the home of the Taube Museum of Art. That building was destroyed in a fire in 1923 and later rebuilt by the bank.—The hardware store built in a new location at 13 – 15 Central Avenue East (now the home of Central Avenue Variety and at one time the Town Crier) --in its day Jacobson & Fugleso carried a full line of hardware, paint, Toro Mowers and Schwinn Bicycles

Strauss Jewelry

Straus Bros. Jewelers- Straus Brothers Jewelers was owned by Al, Ben and Rose Straus. They began in 1929 in an upstairs room in the First Avenue Building. As business grew, Straus Borthers moved to a location on East Central Avenue and then into the Leland Parker Hotel Building in 1937. In 1950 Straus Brother’s moved to their final location at 19 South Main Street. Straus Brother’s carried Keepsake Diamonds, Longine Watches, Bulova Watches and fine silver and china.

Bade's Women's Wear

Bader’s – The first Bader’s Store was opened in 1935 by A. Bader. It first opened in the Waverly Block. The store was destroyed in the famous Waverly Hotel fire in 1943. Baders employees were able to rescue a majority of the inventory and the lay-aways. The fixtures were destroyed in the fire. Following the fire of 1943, Bader purchased Fauchald’s Dept. Store, next to FW Woolworth. The store was completely remodeled in 1957.  Bader’s prided itself on being identified by the women of Minot as the store they could depend upon for the newest in fashions and the most comprehensive stocks

Main St - 1960's

Dakota Drug

Dakota Drug was founded in 1929 By “Cap” Saunders and was located inside Saunders Drug on North Main Street. Eventually Dakota Drug moved two doors north on Main Street. In 1948 the business moved into its home which is the site of the former Dakota Hotel.  Dakota Drug distributed a variety of products including drugs, drug sundries, tobacco, cigars and sporting goods. The company also rented space at 101 East Central Avenue for tobacco and sporting goods products. This division separated and became known as Nodak Candy and Tobacco Co. At one Time Dakota Drug had 8 sales mangers covering most of North Dakota and a large part of Montana.

Saunders Drug

Saunders Drug – in 1908, Cap Saunders came to Minot to work in the Leland Drug Store which was owned by Paul McCoy and Clarence Parker. McCoy and Frank Taylor owned Taylors Drug on North Main Street. Three months after arriving in Minot, Saunders was moved to Taylor Drug. In 1912 he bought one third interest in the store and later bought out McCoy and the name was changed to Saunders Drug. In 1935 Taylor sold his interest to Saunders. At midnight on December 31, 1948, Saunders turned over the management of the drug store to John Vardsveen. Saunders Drug was located at 5 North Main Street.

Show N Sell

Show N Sell Sign – the Show N Sell Sign is the former marquee from the Empire Theater on main Street.  When the theater was torn down, the theater marquee was rescued by Robert and Becky Weiss. The sign was built in 1954 when the Empire Theater was constructed. The Show N Sell sign was placed on the roof of the Midtown Plaza on the southwest corner of Broadway and 2^nd Avenue. A number of energy saving materials. As the Empire Marquee the sign was illuminated with 480 incandescent light bulbs. As the Show N Sell sign it is illuminated by two exterior high intensity lights. The sign was rented by people and businesses wanting to advertise or announce special events. As co-owner of the Show N Sell sign I can attest to some of the challenges in operating it. The only access to the sign on the roof was by an extension ladder placed on the west side of the building. The first winter of ownership we discovered that water on the roof pooled below the sign. In the winter, the wind blew and polished the ice, making it very slippery. We used a step ladder to place the letters on the sign as this worked much better and was quicker than using the long arms to place the letters. With the ice it became a two man job. One to hold the ladder and one to place the letters. In later years we placed wooden pallets upside down below the sign. When they froze into the ice, the step ladder would not slide around while working on the sign.

Nash Finch Grocery - The Beginning

Minot Grocery Company – the Minot Grocery Company started operations in Minot in 1906. Its first home was in downtown Minot east of Main Street and north of Central Avenue. In the early days Minot Grocery was purchased by the Nash Finch Company.  The Nash Brothers started business in 1885 in Grand Forks and were soon joined by Harry Finch. Nash Finch Company supplied products to the area Piggly Wiggly, Jack & Jill and Circle Food Stores. Nash Finch moved to a new, modern warehouse on Highway 2 & 52 West. They are still in business at the same location. That is now 16^th Street SW and Burdick Expressway West.

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Satchmo in Minot 1936

Louis Armstrong – Thanks to one of my blog followers from Scotland I received a post from 1936. Louie Armstrong (Satchmo) was in Minot in concert at the Parker Auditorium on December 9^th, 1936 for two events. From 7:30 to 9:00 pm was a concert with admission being only 55 cents. From 9:30 pm to 1:00 am was a dance. Admission to the dance was $1.15.  He was billed as a star of stage, screen and radio and a recording artist for Decca Records. He was accompanied by his orchestra. Again the Parker Auditorium was above the Parker Motors Company, across the street from the Scandinavian Hotel (which was torn down to make room for the YMCA.)