Chamber of Commerce -

Minot Chamber of Commerce – New building – On Tuesday, January 13, 1959 the Minot chamber of Commerce officially celebrated the open house of their “brand new” building at 2^nd Avenue and 2^nd Street SW. (the corner of 2^nd Ave & Broadway). Contractors involved in the construction were Harry R Cook & Sons – Plumbing – Mackley Construction – Montana Dakota Utilities (even the water heater is natural gas) – Northern States Power – Holmes Electric – M&S Roofing & Sheet Metal and Fargo Glass & Paint and Johnson Concrete Products. The building was built at a cost of $60,000.00. The location is now the home to Papa John’s Pizza.

Men’s Stores From Days Gone By –

 KG Men’s Store – The first KG Men’s Store opened in 1955 and was in Downtown Minot on Main Street. When Town & Country Shopping Center opened in the early 60’s, KG Men’s Store moved to the center and for a brief period of time was in the Dakota Square Mall. …. Kinney’s Shoes – a full line family shoe store originally located at 200 Main Street South. Kinney’s moved to the Town & Country Shopping Center when it opened. …. Shark’s Men’s Store – On Main Street in Downtown Minot, formerly Olson’s Men’s Store

Early Television In Minot

TV in 1959 – On a Saturday evening in January of 1959 here is what you could expect to see on TV between the two local channels. 6:30 – People are Funny or Perry Mason – 7:00 – Perry Como or Wanted dead or Alive – 8:00 – wrestling or Lawrence Welk – 9:00 – Theater or Gunsmoke – 9:30 – Have Gun Will Travel or The DA’s Man – 10:00 – News, Weather & Sports – 10:30 – Jubilee USA or No Gun?? – 11:00 – Theater or The Whistler --- 

More Past Businesses -

 John Iverson Company – John Iverson is one of the oldest electrical distribution companies in North Dakota. The first outlet was established in 1928 in Crosby, ND. The Minot store opened in 1938. John Iverson is now located at 3300 North Broadway. …. Metzger’s Appliance – 1615 South Broadway- Paradise Spas is now in this location…… AJ Automotive – the business started in 1960 and at one time was located on 2^nd Ave and Broadway SW, AJ Automotive moved to the base of North Hill at 11^th Avenue and North Broadway. They sold auto parts and accessories, Custom parts and did a variety of mechanical work

St Joseph’s Hospital –

 The Ward County Hospital was completed in 1896. In 1911 the Sister’s of St Francis came to Minot to manage the 30 bed hospital. They changed the name form “Northwestern” to St Joseph’s and began their mission of caring. In 1917 the Sisters purchased the hospital from the county for $28,000.00. The hospital grew from its original 30 beds to a 197 bed modern facility. St Joseph’s was eventually acquired by Trinity Medical Center.

More Past Businesses –

Fashion City – A ladies fashion store at 111 South Main St.  …. “Next Door to H&H Variety” – Celebrated their grand opening on October 30, 1958 – H&H Variety Store -  Located on the west side Main Street in the 1950’s ….. Diamond’s Jack & Jill Grocery Store – 505 2^nd St NW (North Broadway) – Formerly known as Chain Grocery  – In 1958 a 2 lb can of coffee was only $1.49 – 10 cans of tomato soup was $1.00 and you could get a 50 pound bag of red potatoes for 98 cents ….. Greengard – Cranston – Men’s clothing store- originally on Central Avenue before moving to Main Street

PW Miller Co. – Ad Jan 1959 –

  In 1959 the PW Miller Company was located in the Grand Hotel Block on West Central Avenue – This is the parking lot across the street o the north of Tom’s Coin Shop. Prior to this location PW Miller was located on the west side of Main Street north of Central Avenue. In 1959 the ad for PW Miller stated “Our Inventory is up and our bank account is down”. They were advertising – boy’s suits - $6.00 … Men’s work shoes - $2.99 ….. Full size blankets - $1.00 …. Men’s Sweatshirts - $1.00 ….. Used British Parkas - $8.88 …. Marine Corps insulated boots - $6.66 pr …. PW Miller called themselves “The jacket headquarters of the Northwest” . They also sold usd items and military surplus.

1969 – Drug Reward Plan –

one resident of Minot called a public meeting to try and raise $10,000.00 to be used as a reward to curb the drug problem in Minot. He stressed his proposal was not to undermine the police department but to assist them in their efforts to curb the drug market. Minot police disclosed that their investigations showed there were cells of drug users at the junior high, senior high and college levels. The committee felt the reward system would deter the pushers and chase them out of Minot.

Jacobson Hardware Stocks Up

Hardware Train – The year is 1903…. A full train loaded with hardware for the Martin Jacobson Hardware store came rolling into Minot. The Hardware store was located on Main Street and Central Avenue, now the Taube Art Museum. Hardware and machinery of all kinds were needed. The storage area for the hardware was the basement of the store. Martin Jacobson Hardware had a large room for tach and harness goods…. Reportedly the largest selection west of St. Paul. The store also carried Jewel and Universal Stoves, Resort Heaters and Cole Heaters. In 1903, Jacobson’s sold 374,000 pounds of nails. Jacobson Hardware had a machinery warehouse with in a city block and also sold Old Hickory  Wagons, Thomas Hay Rakes, Milwaukee binders and mowers, Minneapolis Threshers and Canton Plows. 

Jacobson Hardware - 1902

PAst Business in Minot

Carousel Village – Located at 224 20^th Ave SE – across from Kmart ( now the home on Minot Lumber. Carousel Maytag appliances as well as many other brands. …. Sebby’s Carpet-area – located at 1839 South Broadway – Carl Sebby started the business in 1946, working out of his garage prior to moving to his location on South Broadway. Sebby’s carried many lines of carpet, vinyl flooring, hardwood floors in addition to wallpaper, window treatments and Eureka vacuum cleaners. … Rex’s Auto Wreckers – 1200 16^th Ave SW claimed to have the most complete line of Late model car and truck used parts.

1956 - New Residential District in Minot

Bel-Air Addition – In February, 1956 developers were starting to sell lots in the newest Minot Residential District. Bel-Air Addition. The area was just west of 23^rd Street NW and North of 4^th Avenue NW, (at that time referred to as the Country Club Road….. the lots were 90 X 100 and the minimum size on houses in the addition was to be 1000 square feet. The price of a lot was $2950.00. this price included curb and gutter, sidewalk, paved streets, sewer and water…. The developer was Lloyd Construction of Minot.

1914 - Minot Opened The Zoo

Minot’s Zoo – in 1914 the decision was made to open a zoo in Minot. The Park Board decided to purchase two buffalo from South Dakota, a bull and a cow, at a cost of about $600.00. Five acres was to be fenced for the buffalo. A Menagerie will be started in the area. Some of the animals will be coyotes, foxes, bears and raccoons. A monkey cage will be added and the park already has a number of squirrels in the park, however, boys are shooting the squirrels. Fines and jail terms were to be levied on anyone carrying guns in the parks. $1.00 to $19.00 and 1 to 15 days in jail. 

The original Bear Castle - 

Minot’s First Outdoor Pageant – By Susan Gessner --

 The first big outdoor pageant was performed on the evenings of July 21 and 22, 1922. The performances were part of the “Fortieth Anniversary Celebration” of Northwestern North Dakota. The very first white settlers located in 1882 near what is now Minot. Each day there was a “Parade of Progress” at 2pm and the pageant at 8 pm. There were also baseball games, cowboy roping, riding exhibitions and band performances. The pageant was referred to as the “Historical Pageant”, “Pageant of Progress” or the Pageant of Minot. The location was a coulee four blocks south of the Post Office. Attendees sat on the hillsides and the stage was at the foot of the slope to the west. The Post Office in 1922 was what is now known as the Federal Building on First Street SW. Four blocks south would put the location close to the site of the present Post Office. The stage in the general area of the Scandinavian Heritage Park

Pictured below is the construction of the Post Office in 1914 - (now the Federal Building)

Pioneer Bowl – State Fair Grounds by Susan Gessner –

The Pioneer Bowl was a significant new addition for the 1936 Northwest Fair. It was close to the Pioneer Settlement which placed it just south and east of the Fair Grounds. A WPA project turned a natural depression or slough into an amphitheater. A large stage was built on the east end of the amphitheater and a pond was developed in the middle of it. Trees added to the setting: “about two thirds of the Bowl has around it a background of stately elms and sturdy ancient oaks.” The Pioneer Bowl was used for pageants, mass meetings, old time dances and an occasional wedding. The Pioneer Bowl did not survive the 1969 flood.

Westlie – Truck Assembly Line –

In May of 1927 the Ford Motor Company stopped production of the Model T Truck to retool their plants for the new Model A. The conversion was going to be a 2 year process. During that time, Westlie Motors set up an assembly line on the top floor of its business here in Minot. The parts were ordered directly from Ford Motor Company. Westlie Motors was the only dealer in the country to do this. In the fall of 1927, 38 trucks rolled off the assembly line.  In 1928, 50 trucks were assembled. When the Model A trucks came out in late 1928, the demand for the Model T ceased as did Minot’s first and only automobile assembly line .

James Cash Penny – Visits to Minot – 1916 –

Research By Susan Gessner

In a surprise visit on Monday, November 27, 1916, Penny inspected the Golden Rule Store and spent the evening with the manager and his wife. 1933 – Penny visited on Friday, May 26, 1933. He checked out the store; selling shoes at one point. He spoke to the Minot Senior High students and visited stores in nearby towns. 1960 – At the time of his visit on Friday, January 8, 1960. The JC Penny chain had 1700 stores. The 84 year old Penny came to inspect the newly remodeled Minot Store. He spoke about his personal philosophy at the store and as a guest at a luncheon for Minot service clubs. He then went on to visit the Penny store in Harvey, ND.

JC Penny in Minot Part 3– by Susan Gessner

JC Penny in Minot  Part 3– by Susan Gessner

1952 – J C Penny Co. – On January 17, 1952 the store again moved to new location, across the street to a corner building at 101 South Main. The building was newly constructed. The lot had stood empty since 1943. It was the location of the Waverly Hotel which was destroyed by fire in January, 1943. By this time the store was simply called Penny’s. March 21, 1980 – Penny’s closed its downtown location and moved to its current location at the Dakota Square Mall. That move ended 64 years of Penny’s in Downtown Minot. 

1916 – J C Penny Co. – Part 2

JC Penny in Minot Part 2   – The Golden Rule Store – by Susan Gessner

as of January 1, 1916, the Minot store’s name was changed to JC Penny Company. Back in 1913, Penny and his partners decided to change the name of their stores to distinguish them from other stores with the Golden Rule name, the Penny really liked that name. The JC Penny Company was incorporated that year. Soon the existing company stores began to change names and new stores opened with the JC Penny Co. name. 1919 was also the year the store moved from the Boyer Block to the building immediately north, The Masonic Temple Block. A 10 year lease was signed for the main floor and basement. This location provided about twice the space. On March 25, 1919 the new store opened.

JC Penny in Minot – The Golden Rule Store – by Susan Gessner

1916 – Golden Rule Store Part 1 – The first J C Penny Co. store in Minot opened on April 8, 1916. It was located in the Boyer Block on the west side of Main Street between 1^st and 2^nd Avenues south. The store was called The Golden Rule which was the original name of J. C. Penny Stores. The manager was C.A. Clapp who would manage the store through 1921. Minot’s store was 112 of 125 at the time for the j C Penny chain. (In 1914 the company the company opened its first North Dakota stores in Fargo, Grand Forks and Whapeton: they were also the company’s first Midwest stores).

Henry’s Drive-In—King Leo’s Drive-In –

 an ad in the newspaper in September 1964 for Henry’s Drive-In boasted they were the “Home of the Bigger, Better Fifteen Cent Hamburger.” Apparently Henry’s also featured family dinners…. A chicken dinner – 82 cents…. Shrimp dinner – 83 cents and a Steak dinner – 74 cents. Every dinner included a generous portion of French fries, onion rings and a roll. Henry’s Drive-Inn was locate at the intersection of Highway 83 North (North Broadway) and 21^st Avenue. On the other end of town was King Leo’s Drive-In. , home of the 15 cent hamburger on South Broadway. , home of the 15 cent hamburger on South Broadway

More Past Businesses of Minot

 – Parker Motor Company – established in 1922 – located on 1^st Avenue SE (across from the old YMCA). On the top floor of the Parker Motor Company was the Parker Auditorium. The Auditorium was the home to many conventions and when not used for that had a roller skating rink. Duck-In Beauty Shop – 1614 4^th Avenue SE – Edith Bondly – proprietor ….. T&T Tire Service – Highway 83 North – Sold US Royal tires ….. Westland Oil Company – Operated gas stations throughout Minot and the area. The Westland Refinery was located at Williston but the home office was on Central Avenue in Minot ….. 

Great Northern Ice House Fire – Dec. 5, 1907

– In one of the largest fires known in Minot at the time, the new Great Northern Ice House which was recently completed but never used, burnt to the ground about 9:00 Sunday evening. It was not known how the fire started but a number of workers were camped out in the building and may have set the fire accidently. The building was about one half mile east of Minot Flour Mill. The fire department was called out but did little good as the fire hoses only reached about half way to the building. Eight box cars, loaded with lumber, hay and coal, were lost in the fire. Also two old cabooses used by workers as cooking cars. The fire was so hot the rails of the railroad were melted and ended up shaped like bows. This made it impossible to move rail cars to safety. The building was 375 feet long and 50 feet wide and cost over $10,000.00 to build. The loss to Great Northern was considerable as they planned to fill it with ice to supply cities between Minot and Spokane.

1961 -- Predictions for the Future-

In 1961 NSP placed an advertisement in the newspaper predicting some of the things that would come to be in the future….. some of these were Instant checkout in stores – Electronic devices will scan purchases and add the bills to give you your total due ….. Automatic Cleaner – A machine that will vacuum, wash, rinse, dry and wax floors by itself then scoot back to the its niche in the baseboard , empty any waste and wait for the next job…… Automatic Wall Painter – Walls will be built with panels that incorporate a chemical that will change color when electricity is applied….. change your wall colors to match your mood……. Cooling Blanket – A blanket that will heat and/or cool at your discretion ….. Make Disposable Tableware - with a touch of the dial and throw them away afterwards – or If using your finest china, you will be able to clean and sterilize in 3 minutes with ultrasonic waves