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. The AMC was one of the cars I always wanted to own, but so far never have.

Dr. E. C. Stone

I received a call from a listener a while back about a Dr. EC Stone. She has a pill box from Anderson Drug. The physician was Dr EC Stone from Mercy Hospital. What I have discovered is this. In 1907, a Dr. Ringo came to Minot from Chicago to assume the medical practice of Dr. James Windel. In 1916, Dr.Ringo opened a 30 bed hospital in a downtown building to be used by his patients. Later the hospital was managed by a Dr. EC Stone. I do not know the name of this hospital, but it could have been Mercy Hospital. This hospital was eventually closed as the St. Francis sisterhood expanded facilities at St. Joseph’s Hospital. In the 1930’s, Dr. Stone was the Ward County Coroner. Listeners have informed me that a Dr. Stone had an office on the west side of Main Street, back in the 40’s. I believe the hospital was on the east side of Main Street, in the 100 Block. I had the opportunity to meet with the current owner of the building that houses Cookies For You. I toured the vacant top floors of the building. The third floor has the remnants of an office and living quarters complete with a large fireplace with a solid oak mantel. The top or fourth floor is made up of a series of small rooms about 8 X 12 in size. Looking at the layout and size of the rooms, I would guess that this was the hospital on Main Street. There was also a Dr. Stone who worked out of a Hospital on 9^th Avenue NW, across the street from MSU. Not sure which building it was in. Some say the hospital was referred to as the Stone Hospital.. That could have been because of the name of the Doctor or the structure of the building. The hospital on Main Street, I my theory is correct, would be the talles building on the right in the forfront of the pictures below.

Grand Hotel Fire

The Grand Hotel was completely destroyed by fire o January 27,1960.  A number of other businesses were also destroyed by the fire. Those include The Triangle Dress Shop and PW Miller Co. Both were next door and the either one may have been where the blaze started. Other businesses lost in the fire were the Grand Barber Shop, Grand Billiard Parlor, Grand Café, Pioneer Bar, Grand Studio and the S&H Green Stamp Store. Another business, in a building to the north of the hotel was Minot Roofing and Cornice. One person stated that he had “saved the day”, referring to his part in the Grand Hotel fire. He maintains that they ran out of beer at the bar located on 1^st street so he made and emergency trip to the Gamble Robinson ware house. Gamble Robinson was across the street from the now Rail Road Museum. Being an employee of Gamble Robinson he loaded up the city delivery vehicle with 100 cases of beer and delivered it to the bar. Well I guess maybe he did save the day?

Grand Hotel

The Grand Hotel, at one time known as the Lexington Hotel, was on the Northwest corner of Central Avenue and 1^st Street NW. The Grand Hotel was built by Olaf A Olson in 1906. An addition was added in 1912, making it one of the largest buildings in Minot at the time. The Grand Hotel had 100 rooms and flourished until it was destroyed by fire on January 27,1960. More than 1000 people turned out to watch the fire. In addition to the Minot Fire Department, men from the Minot Air Force Base rushed to help fight the fire and provide crowd and traffic control. I was informed that one of the fireman from the base wanted to drive the new pumper truck into the Grand Hotel on the Central Avenue level. He was not aware that there were two more floors below the main floor on Central. The pumper truck would have ended up in the basement. The location of the Grand Hotel is now a below grade parking lot on Central Avenue used by the Brady Martz Accounting Firm.

North American Trail-R-Ama

Originally known as North American Sales began operation in 1960. they were first headquartered in the Braasch building on South Broadway. They moved to South Highway 83 in 1963. North American Trail-R-Ama was owned by Ed Erie. Prior to setting up this business, Ed Erie was in the grocery and meat business in Powers Lake for 21 years. 13 of those years he was owner and operator of Erie’s Market. He was also the mayor of Powers Lake for 8 years.

North America Trail-R-ama sold pickup toppers and campers along withTent Campers, Travel Trailers, 5^th Wheel Trailers and Mini Motor Homes. North America Trail-R-Ama is now Magic City RV, located across Hoghway 83 from Walmart.

The picture is not that of North American Trail-R-Ama but it is a similar business that was located on North Broadway at the base of North Hill.

American State Bank

American State Bank of Minot received State Charter No.1347 on December 1, 1936 and began operation by the end of the year. The new American State Bank was organized to take over the deposit liabilities and business of the First International Bank of Minot. The new bank also occupied the offices of the former bank at 24 South Main Street . The first president of American State Bank was C.H. Parker. For 10 years American State Bank was located on Main Street then 1946 American State Bank moved in to the First Avenue Building. The assets of the bank had doubled by this time to 12 million dollars. In 1957, American State Bank moved to its present and final location on the northwest corner of 1^st Street and 1^st Avenue Southwest. The most outstanding feature of the new bank was its drive-in teller. This was the first in Minot at the time. In 1959, American State Bank installed the first electronic banking system in Minot. American State Bank is still operating today… It is now Bremer Bank

Swenson's 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 ..... no picture available