Ace Hardware - Apple Days –

Back in the late 60’s, 70’s and into the 80’s Ace Hardware held Apple Days. At that time there was an Ace Hardware at Broadway and Burdick, (later it became Scheels and now is Zimmerman’s Furniture. In early December, 1970 the Apple Days special was 1/3 bushel of apples for only $1.53. Limit was one box to a customer and cash and carry only. No phone orders accepted. During Apple Days, Ace Hardware claimed to have over 20,000 items in stock…. Some of those were major appliances such as stoves, refrigerators, washers and dryers

Alm’s Dairy

 – in 1961, Alm’s Milk products featured the only plastic, no wax carton in Minot. Alm’s also featured Ice Cream along with their Grade “A” milk. Alm’s also had home delivery available. Alm’s millk bottles were sealed by special machine with heat settings up to 1500 degrees. Under the bottle caps were a heavy a cardboard bottle top with premiums printed on them. One could save the bottle tops and redeem them for a “Treasure of fine premiums”. Such items included a Pen Portrait for a picture you sent in, A flourentine silver spoon set, a Black Foredty Wall Clock, 6 personalized pencils, and at one time the bottle tops could be redeemed for admission to the matinee shows at the Empire Theater.

Leslie & Benton Contractors –

This company was located 1 mile Southeast of Minot on old Highway 52. Their phone number was Temple 7-4106. Leslie and Benton claimed they were equipped with the know-how to meet all your needs in Industrial, Commercial and Home Construction. They began operation in1947. The owners were Lloyd J Leslie and Arthur C Benton. Some of the projects they did included The Starlite Club, St Croix Motors (on South Broadway), Minot Lumber Company (on South Broadway), Eddy’s Bar, Self Service Furniture, Carl’s Radiator Shop, Purity Dairy and an addition on the Gelking Motel. Leslie & Benton were also the regional headquarters for Safway Scafolding

1972 Snowmobile Ordinance –

 in 1972 the Minot City Council debated an finally passed an ordinance allowing snowmobiles to be ridden in the city as long as they had a 5 foot pole with a red or blaze orange flag at least 10 inches square  attached to the machine. Originally the pole was to be 6 feet tall but the height was reduced by one foot as the club selling the flags only had 5 foot poles. The biggest problem was the enforcement. Those snowmobilers not in compliance were hard to catch as they usually had an easy time eluding the police. 

Minot's First Grocery Store??

 One of Minot’s earliest business establishments was a small grocery store, owned and operated by Carl Aurland. The store began operation in 1886. Besides running the grocery store Aurland also bought and sold buffalo bones, a thriving business in the early days on Minot. By night he studied law in the backroom of his store and by 1890 he was admitted to the North Dakota Bar Association. For many years he operated a law office in Minot as well as managing farm and other interests in and around the town. He and his wife Josie were married in 1891 and made their first home on the 100 block of 4^th Avenue SE. Eventually they built a large house at 120 4^th Avenue SE (now known as Burdick Expressway). The house would have been in the area of M&H Gas.They had two daughters, one of whom taught in the Minot School System for close to 20 years.

Alma Shop –

The Alma Shop was located at 104 4^th Avenue SE, in the Van de Streek – Furs Building.  According to an ad in the 1961 Diamond Jubilee newspaper, Alice and Madge were the proprietors of the shop. Apparently the Alma Shop specialized in a variety of patterns, sewing machines and fabrics in a complete array of colors and designs. The Alma Shop started operation in  1955. The boasted that “With today’s easy to follow patterns and time saving sewing machines, even the teenager can sew fashions for herself.

Oct. 15, 1962 - School Explosion

Nedrose School Explosion October 15, 1962 – Five people were hospitalized in Minot after an explosion heavily damaged Nedrose School. Two others were treated and released. The explosion heavily damaged the six room grade school located 3 mile east of Minot. A Parent Teachers Association (PTA) was meeting at the time the explosion occurred. The explosion occurred in the furnace in the furnace room. It is believed to have been caused by a leak in a propane tank that supplied fuel to the hot water heater used in the building. Walls and many windows were blown out by the explosion. Desks in the classroom next to the furnace room were tossed about like a tornado went through the room.