Paved Streets in Minot 1937

Dec. 4, 1937 - Paving Ordinance  from the past – From the Minot Daily – an ordinance on the books in Minot – When Minot got its first paved streets, which consisted of wooden blocks, the city fathers prized it like a zealous housewife does a newly waxed floor. All precautions were taken to keep the paved streets pristine. – No garbage was to hauled on or across the streets unless absolutely necessary to remove it to an alley. Fine was $5 and up to 10 days in jail. By the way, in bad rain storms and it the streets flooded, the wooden paving blocks were known to float away

World War I - Over

 The first place to receive the news that The Great War ( WWI) had ended was the Minot Daily News. It was about 2:00 am Minot time. The editor received a message at his residence that the Armistice had been signed by Germany. By the time the whistles started to blow in the early morning hours, the Minot Daily News had thousands of “Extra’s” on the streets. The city went wild with delirium. One man tied a rope to a cowbell and ran through the streets. Make shift floats and parades were quickly assembled to celebrate the news. The City Auditor at the time, Hagenstein, and a group of patriots gave speeches, many interspersed with the song, “Hail, Hail, the Gang’s all here.” Many businesses closed as well as the Minot City offices. All had signs out stating. “Closed today to bury the Kaiser”. 

Marching to Go to War - WWI  - Central Ave

Minot Ship By Rail Club – The Minot Ship By Rail Club was formed to promote the use of the railroad by the coal companies. The railroads and their employees shared in the prosperity of Minot. In 1932 to promote the railroad as the main means of transporting coal out of the area the Club came up with these statistics:

In 1931 the Railroads paid $193,269.47 in taxes to the Ward County Treasury

In 1931 the Railroads paid approximately $975,000.00 in wages to Minot residents

In 1931 these Railroad employees paid about $150,000.00 in Ward County taxes

In 1931 there were over 2500 railroad employees and dependents living in Minot

Impressive statistics for the time

J C Jarrett - Violins

In 1937 J. C. Jarrett was making violins that were different from the conventional instrument. His Violin did not have a sound post as did most others. According to Jarrett,  a sound post is used to improve the tone in violins in which the wood and design are not in perfect acoustical harmony with the strings. Jarrett felt his instrument is acoustically perfect in all its tones so no need for a sound post. The neck of the violin was an inch longer to facilitate the playing of half tones above the open strings. The wood for the violin was rock maple imported from Europe. To determine the musical qualities of the wood, it is struck with a steel hammer before any work is done to it and while it is still in block shape. The wood had to have a silver, bell like tone to be used. The tones would determine the thickness of the pieces to be carved. The cost of material in 1937 was about $100 per violin. The estimated value of the completed violin was $2500.00

Great White Way - 1917 - Eastwood Park

In the summer of 1917, amid the concerns of war in Europe, Eastwood Park was preparing for a celebration and carnival. Ninety seven street lights had been installed in Eastwood Park and an additional 10 installed on East Central on the same circuit. Eastwood Park was preparing the opening of it's beautiful Great White Way.

In 1917, Eastwood Park was the largest residential section of any city in North Dakota to be lit up with street lights. The festivities planned were band music, a number of speeches, a street carnival of fun including a street dance, and a souvenir booklet about the neighborhood. All the houses in the neighborhood were to have been decorated with Japanese lanterns as well as having their shades up and lights on throughout the house. All the street lights were to have been turned on at the same time.

However, due to a great many things which required public attention, much of the celebration was cancelled.

The celebration was a quiet one with all the street lights and houses lit up. Residents of Eastwood Park held open houses for friends and family. Everyone in Minot was invited to visit Eastwood Park and enjoy the beautiful lighted scenery.

The Epworth League and the Methodist Church served ice cream and other refreshments on the lawn of the home of F.B. Lambert, one of the planners of the event, 224 8th Street SE.
(by Steven Cameron)

Restaurants in the 1960’s & 1970’s  - McDowell’s Big Boy Take Out – 17^th St and 4^th Avenue Northwest – Featured catering for events of all sizes …….  Jack’s Pizza – 511 North Broadway and Tony’s Pizza on Valker Road (Capri Bar location by the Holiday Inn )- Also featured tacos and sandwiches in addition to pizza – Specials – 3 tacos for $1.00 ….. Sweden House – then The Viking Table - A smorgasbord restaurant located at 1910 South Broadway (now the home of Marketplace Dollar Store)  After The Viking Table it became McJack’s and then Jake’s Spice & Spirit  … .. Hitchin’ Post Restaurant – located 3 mile east of the Fairgrounds – Sunday baked ham dinner in 1976 only $3.75 ….. The Big Boy Drive-in ... on the corner of 31st St SW and Broadway

Big Red Furniture

 Bennie’s Cycle Service – 3701 South Broadway – Now the home of Ryan Honda ….. Krebsbach’s Inc. – Home of International Harvester vehicles and other farm equipment – now the home of Marketplace Foods on South Broadway behind 1^st International bank…… Schriok’s Lawn & Trail Inc  - Highway 2 & 52 Bypass at 10^th St. SW – Now the home of Clear Channel Radio ….. MacBruce’s Sport Shop – 1605 South Broadway – specialized in athletic shoes – Now the home of Papa Murphy’s Pizza ……. Big Red Furniture Warehouse – on 3^rd Street SE – 2 blocks east of the CP Hotel by the railroad tracks …..