Minot Daily News SATURDAY, APRIL 29, 2017
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Underwood Area Economic Development Corp. strengthens the community
The former Ward County commissioners’ chambers now serves as a conference room in the State’s Attorney’s office. Jill Schramm/MDN
Underwood Area Economic Development Corporation
Historic Ward County Courthouse goes modern
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By JILL SCHRAMM • Senior Staff Writer • jschramm@minotdailynews.com
Jill Schramm/MDN
Staff in the state’s attorney’s office have handy access to case files in the larger quarters in the Ward County Courthouse.
Jill Schramm/MDN
The district court office has added new space and a new entrance in a portion of the Ward County Courthouse that once housed the Register of Deeds office.
Jill Schramm/MDN
The newly remodeled space for staff in the state’s attorney’s office allows for more room for employees.
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The communities of Washburn and Burlington expect to have some advice for each other when they get together later this year. The cities are participating in Community Impressions, an exchange program in which a team of residents visit each other’s town to evaluate the community’s vibe and identify its assets and opportunities. The concept of the program is to bring a fresh, outside perspective to a community as it looks to develop a vision for its future. Darla Jost, a director on Burlington’s economic development board, said her city is growing and wants to make sure it grows in the right way. “As a community grows, you never know for sure if you are making the right decisions, so it’s kind of nice to have a guide or another town that’s probably been through the growing pains so we don’t make the same mistakes. We have some guidance,” Jost said Offered through the North Dakota State University Extension Service, Community Impressions begins with an orientation, followed
Converting Ward County’s historic Courthouse into a modern justice center while preserving the beauty of the original structure has been the goal of a remodeling project that’s coming to a close.
With the completion of a new county office building at the end of 2015, construction began in 2016 to remodel the existing Courthouse for improved use by the legal and court systems. Adolfson & Peterson Construction has been in charge of the project. A juvenile courtroom and detention center were constructed on the lower level. The State’s Attorney’s office is spread out on the second floor, while its former first-floor offices are being remodeled for visiting attorneys. The second-floor Clerk of District Court office expanded into the former Ward County Recorder’s office and the entire office space was remodeled. “It was long past due,” State’s Attorney Rozanna Larson said of extra space for her office. Including her private office, nine individual offices are available for staff attorneys, of which seven are occupied. Formerly crowded into small offices shared with each other, attorneys now have their own spaces in what had been the auditor/treasurer’s area. The former county commission chambers has been refurbished as a conference room, providing a place for meetings. Larson said the new design adds to
productivity and creates a better situation for victims and witnesses who need to meet privately with attorneys. The main-floor Ex-Servicemen’s Room has been remodeled into a courtroom with jury room. It gives the courthouse three jury courtrooms and another, smaller courtroom. The remodeled areas have new LED lighting. The main floor will have two unisex, handicapped-accessible restrooms. Other floors will continue to have men’s and women’s restrooms. A metal stairway from the second floor to a main-floor storage room was removed, and the room was extended into the former Extension Service area to provide a large area for file storage for the Clerk of Court. The required installation of a firesuppression sprinkler system throughout the three-story courthouse added nearly $400,000 to the project cost, which now totals about $5 million. The fire-suppression system also required the replacement of interior doors. Some of those doors can be found hanging on walls. Larson said she is seeking historic pictures of Ward County scenes to display in the door panels and black-and-white photos of each of the cities to hang in a hallway.
Washburn and Burlington partner to look at assets, opportunities By JILL SCHRAMM • Senior Staff Writer • jschramm@minotdailynews.com
The Willows, a townhouse project in Burlington, opened in 2016. Jill Schramm/MDN
by community tours. Washburn and Burlington plan to host tours this June, according to Tana Waldren Larsen, director of the Washburn Area Economic Development Association. The tours will result in a presentation of findings, which the communities can use to implement changes or incorporate into its longer term strategic plan. “It’s going to help me know what direction to go in planning a way forward for Washburn,” Larsen said. But before Burlington residents come to share who they think Washburn is, Washburn residents need to figure out who their community is, she said. To do that, Washburn is beginning a program through Marketing Hometown America, offered through NDSU Extension’s Center for Community Vitality. Marketing Hometown America is an educational program focused on recruiting and retaining new residents. It engages communities through small groups, called study circles, to get more people involved and more
voices heard. The city plans to use lodging tax revenue to support marketing efforts through Marketing Hometown America that encourage area workers and other potential new residents to choose Washburn as home. Meetings will be held to get residents talking about their vision for Washburn, with the goal of finding people who would be interested in spearheading different projects, Larsen said. Larsen also is coordinating a weekly roundtable discussion, giving residents a chance to share ideas, come together on community events and converse on a variety of topics. In an additional effort, Washburn has set aside $25,000 from its city sales tax for matching grants of up to $5,000 for businesses that spend up to $5,000 on improving their storefronts. With the help of sponsors, Washburn recently completed a project with the erection of a digital communication sign on school property
along U.S. Highway 83. The rotating message board will be used to announce community and school events and honor community achievers. Burlington erected its own digital message board near its school about two years ago. The DeSour Valley Economic Development Corp. also has been involved in land transactions with developers and worked with an affordable housing developer to erect a 40-unit townhouse complex that opened last year. The economic development group now is working on its Riverfront Project, which will feature more T-ball fields to accommodate that popular program as well as volleyball courts and a splashpad. Jost said initial underground work has been done on the splashpad and more work will be done this summer to have the splashpad in service in 2018. The economic development group is coordinating its recreational park efforts with an improved flood protection project in the city.
UNDERWOOD – The Underwood Area Economic Development Corporation had a busy past year. Wendy Spencer is economic development director.
Commercial Park UAEDC formed a committee made up of members of the UAEDC board and City Commission to discuss the Industrial Park Land. Before any strong develWendy opment marketing Spencer could move forward, the land needed to be annexed into the city and have zoning proposed for the land. The committee met several times to lay out zoning that would be appropriate for the land and use that Underwood would deem as desirable for the community. After much discussion, the committee decided to refrain from calling it an Industrial Park and use Commercial Park instead. The committee has handed off the zoning request and is waiting on a zoning board meeting to discuss the proposal. When the zoning board has approved the zoning, the request for annexation of the land into the city will be taken to the City Commission. UAEDC has been working on putting a sale sign up on the property. Unfortunately, the weather has played a role in not being able to get the signage up with the large amount of snowfall we have had so far this winter. As soon as the weather allows, a sign will be put up announcing the sale of commercial lots. Spencer is working with the Department of Commerce on packaging the property for development as well as marketing. In addition, she is working on a getting a rendering put together of the property as used in a commercial setting. Beautification Day UAEDC held its annual Beautification Day in May 2016. Community areas were raked and cleaned, weeds were pulled and flowers were planted. There were several people that volunteered along with UAEDC board members. Community Betterment Program Developed by the UAEDC board to encourage demolition of buildings that are dilapidated or unsightly through incentive grant programs. The grant program helps residents and commercial property defray a portion of the cost to tear down old, dilapidated buildings. Underwood Marketing Program A new grant program was implemented this year to encourage area businesses to market their business. Grants are available to businesses up to $250 to an area business wanting to create marketing materials or places ads. The money can also be used to create a website. UAEDC also offers to work with businesses to create a marketing strategy so they are able to leverage their marketing dollars and make them go farther. In addition, UAEDC launched radio ads, along with digital ads promoting Underwood. In April, an Underwood Business directory was inserted into the Xtra for regional distribution in Underwood and surrounding communities. Shop Local Saturday UAEDC promoted its own version of Small Business Saturday that is held each year after Black Friday. We had four businesses participate in the promotion which consisted of special sales and discounts given for that day only. The program was supported by a newspaper ad, Facebook ads and shared through UAEDC’s newsletter. Next year we plan on growing this promotion from four businesses to many more. Instead of competing with larger retail businesses on the Saturday after Black Friday, this promotion will be held in conjunction with Civic Club’s kids shopping and the Art, Craft and Bake Sale, which is typically held the following weekend. New initiatives in 2017 UAEDC is reviving the Underwood Business Alliance.
Underwood Area Economic Development Corporation – 4 Down Payment Assistance grants awarded totaling $16,000 – 3 Main Street Program Grants awarded totaling $13,250 – Soda’s and Things – Community Cupboard of Underwood – Underwood Public School – UAEDC added 10 businesses members this year
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Community is heart of Garrison & heart of GAIA By LINDSAY BOFENKAMP • Coordinator • Garrison Area Improvement Association
GARRISON – The Garrison Area Improvement Association (GAIA) is fervently passionate about the city of Garrison and its residents. It realizes that small business is the heart of a healthy small town, and wish to see its residents succeed in their local business ventures as it only strengthens the community. GAIA is striving to keep Garrison as the thriving, bustling, wonderful small town that it is, and to only further its growth with our business startup and expansion assistance services. The GAIA holds Garrison dear, and we want to keep it as a jewel of the prairie! We’re hooked on Garrison! The Garrison Area Improvement Association was created by the for-profit corporation known as the Garrison Industrial Development Corporation in January 1992. The Garrison Industrial Development Corporation saw the potential value of Garrison creating a nonprofit organization to focus on economic and community development, and thus the GAIA was formed. As its mission states: “The mission of the Garrison Area Improvement Association is to create an environment that will aid the retention and expansion of existing businesses within the community and encourage the development and success of all area business. GAIA is a nonprofit economic development corporation dedicated to the progressive growth of Garrison and the surrounding area while maintaining an excellent quality of life.” In summary, one of GAIA’s primary functions is to provide business assistance to startups, expansions, and re-locations to the Garrison Area. GAIA directly provides: – Low Interest Loans – Marketing Grants – Business Improvement Grants – Community Betterment Grants – Student Loan Repayment Grants – Employee Recruitment and Retention Assistance Currently the GAIA continues to maintain the business revolving loan fund with a total of seven loans. Additionally, GAIA, along with Sales and Use funding, continues to support nine projects under the Flex PACE loan program. This year the GAIA introduced two new competitive grant programs for the purpose of providing incentive and cost assistance for local businesses improvement and expansion, as well as for government or nonprofit construction or improvement to facilities that will improve the quality of services, recreation facilities, or other public use facilities in the Garrison area. Recently, GAIA has aided with the improvement of Wilderness Park in the City of Garrison, helping to add a walking path and improve drainage for improved recreation opportunities. Additionally GAIA has facilitated bringing many indispensable businesses to town, such as Wilson Law Firm and the Garrison Veterinary Clinic.
Submitted Photos
ABOVE: Lindsay Bofenkamp is the coordinator of the Garrison Area Improvement Association, an organization that strives to keep Garrison the thriving and bustling town that it is. RIGHT: Garrison Area Improvement Association has helped with improvements made at Wilderness Park in Garrison, including adding a walking path and improving drainage. GAIA functions for the benefit of the community. Community is the heart of Garrison and the heart of the GAIA. The GAIA would not exist if the Board of Directors didn’t care deeply for the people of Garrison, and the people are what make up this amazing community. And by encouraging a progressive business-supporting environment, we only benefit the people of the community of Garrison. Healthy local business equates to a healthy community.
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Preserving a fading history By JILL SCHRAMM • Senior Staff Writer • jschramm@minotdailynews.com
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Minot’s historic industrial district adds character to downtown Dave Dunnell tells an interesting story about the Snow White Flour made by a downtown Minot mill decades ago. The flour logo designed by his uncle, Howard Dunnell, and the sack company, Bemis Brothers, featured Snow White and two ugly dwarfs with a castle in the background. At the time of the making of Walt Disney’s “Snow White” movie, released in 1937, Howard worked with Roy Disney, the brother of Walt, to allow use of the Snow White brand in exchange for a period of free advertising in movie theaters in its North Dakota and Montana markets. Dunnell said Disney’s dwarfs were drawn to be more appealing and Snow White more attractive than the logo, though. “They did a much better job of it. It was a little bit more glamorous,” he said. The castle, though, was a good copy, he said. The mill was part of downtown Minot’s industrial district, named to the National Register of Historic Places in 1986. The tracks of Minot’s two railroads form rough boundaries for the old industrial district. The Burlington Northern at the north edge of Minot’s Original Townsite and the Canadian Pacific, diagonally bisecting the Burlington Northern tracks from the southeast, served companies in an area around and between the railroads that extended east from about Main Street to the Souris River. The old mill, located near the Souris River at the northeast foot of the Third Street Bridge, is expected to come down as Minot pursues property for a flood protection project. The North Dakota Historical Society also approved city acquisition of the Seamann house, originally owned by Louis Seamann, at 25 5th St. NE, in September 2015. The house was built between 1905 and 1907. The city has plans to acquire and remove the building known in the historic records as the Otterness house at 11 5th St. NE. Originally owned by Ole Otterness, it was built between 1905 and 1907. His widow, Carrie, was listed as living there into the 1950s. Part of the city’s mitigation in the removal of historic buildings will be the creation of an updated inventory for the district. The inventory will reflect buildings that have come down or have been remodeled since the late 1980s when 37 buildings and one other structure were identified.
Norsk Brothers owns three downtown properties in the historic industrial district. The properties include the former Aultman-Taylor farm equipment building, constructed in 1919 at 30 1st St. NE. Renovated in 2014, the building now houses The Starving Rooster restaurant and The Lofts Apartments. Norsk Brothers hopes to eventually revive the former Bridgeman Creamery and Nodak building as well. Norsk Brothers is one developer who sees potential in Minot’s old industrial buildings for restaurants, bars, housing or fitness gyms. The large square footage and sturdy construction makes them attractive. “We like that area because of the beauty that the buildings bring. You uncover what was
FIRST AVENUE MUST COME FIRST Improvements to First Avenue North are essential to developing Minot’s downtown industrial historic district, said Chad Thompson with Norsk Brothers. Norsk Brothers looks to renovate two buildings in the district, but Thompson said the work is held up by the poor condition of First Avenue, which is not a city street but a right of way owned by neighboring property owners and the railroad. Without good access, it is difficult to justify improving the buildings, he said. “My goal is to get this on the radar of everybody in the city. At some point, that road should be a road,” Thompson said. Norsk Brothers encourages people who want to see First Avenue improved to send an email of support to fixfirstave@gmail.com. The company hopes to generate enough support to persuade the city to take a serious look at establishing an improved street in that area.
covered up and you find some pretty cool stuff,” said Chad Thompson, a partner in Norsk Brothers. Norsk Brothers considers its first project with the Aultman-Taylor building to be a success, although it wasn’t without challenges. “We did as little as possible to change the structure. We wanted to show the character of the 100-year-old history,” Thompson said. “If we look at where we started, from what we set out to do and what we finished with I would say they were aligned.” However, they needed to figure out a solution for original masonry that didn’t insulate well, and they had no choice but to replace old windows even though it meant the project wasn’t eligible for a tax credit program for historic preservation. Older buildings also can bring surprises once you start tearing into them, they discovered. The historic district lost a number of buildings to demolition even before its nomination to the national register. These include buildings and structures associated with railroads, grain elevators, power plants and lumber yards. The district is significant for its associations with the growth of North Dakota’s agriculture and a related railroad distribution network that supplied industrial products to a large portion of North Dakota and the northern Great Plains, according to registry documents with North Dakota Historical Society. Some of the prominent businesses were International Harvester (1910) on Second Street Northeast, Northern Moline Plow Co. (1916) and North American Creamery Co. (1916) on East Central Avenue, Bergseth Fish Co. (1915) and Piper-Howe (1915) on First Street, Minot Sash and Door (1915) on Third Street and Minot Flour Mill. The history of the flour mill goes back to before 1904 when Minot pioneer businessmen, including Erik Ramstad and Alfred Blaisdell, founded the Minot Milling Co., according to
Submitted Photo
ABOVE LEFT: The original Minot flour mill is shown in the 1950s after it had been sold to the Russell Miller company. Jill Schramm/MDN
MAIN: A former farm implement building now houses The Starving Rooster and The Lofts apartments in Minot’s downtown historic industrial area. information in a survey by the historical society in 1985. In 1904, William Dunnell and other Minnesota businessmen bought the property and changed the name to the Minot Flour Mill Co. Dunnell also built a grain elevator next to it. Dave Dunnell, a grandson of William Dunnell and Minot-area native now living in Brighton, Colorado, remembers visiting the mill as a boy in about 1940. “I have a vivid memory of falling down the grain chute,” he said. “I remember my arms being grabbed by my dad.” He said he didn’t know his Canadian-born grandfather well, but family history indicates he was quite an entrepreneur with a number of enterprises. Those enterprises included wheat farms in Canada, cranberry farms in Mexico, coal mines in North Dakota and Montana and flour mills in Minot, Devils Lake and Missoula, Mont. Dave Dunnell’s uncle, Harold Dunnell, was manager of the Minot plant, while another uncle ran the Missoula plant. His father, Irwin, was a salesman who traveled the area to sell to groceries. They lived on a farm near Ruthville and later on Minot’s South Hill. Dave graduated from Minot High School in 1956. By the early 1950s the mill had been sold to the Russell Miller company. The building was later used by Souris Valley Feed and Seed.
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PRAIRIE VILLAGE MUSEUM HISTORY 1959 – The Geographical Center Historical Society was founded. The founding group included representatives from the Rugby Lions Club, Chamber of Commerce, Economic Development Corporation, city council, ministerial association, Masonic Lodge, Knights of Columbus, park board, and various county women’s clubs. Harold T. Anderson was elected as the first president of the board of directors. Glenn N. Dokken served as the first curator. 1964 – Twenty acres on the southeast edge of Rugby were purchased. 1965 – The first building, the 1906 Zion church, was moved onto museum grounds. A 1905 country school was next, followed by the 1898 Norway house, 1885 log cabin, a bank and a blacksmith shop. Over the years, more than 30 buildings have been added, with brick or board sidewalks connecting them. 1968 – The main exhibition hall was built. 1970 – The Rugby Lions erected an exhibition hall for cars, buggies, etc. 1972 – The Great Northern Railroad donated the 1886 Penn Depot building. 1974 – The Great Northern Railroad donated a 1905 caboose. 1976 – The Bicentennial Building was erected. 1977 – The Asmunder Benson family donated the Benson Law building.The telephone building was also moved in; both buildings originally stood in Bottineau. 1978 – The Silva school was moved in. 1979 – Dr. Karl Stumpp, Stuttgart, Germany, a Germans from Russia historian, visited the museum. Betty Jordan donated a collection of over 300 dolls, and Milton Nielsen donated a storage building from Great Plains Lumber Company, moved in by Huwe’s movers. 1981 – The Pierce County Homemakers Clubs created township histories for display in the Silva School. The museum hosted an eightstate exhibit called “Country School Legacy.” 1982 – The museum board was dissolved and the Historical Society took over.The General Store was added.The Pleasant Lake Bank building was installed. 1983 – North Dakota’s first sidewalk clock, in storage for 17 years, was erected at the museum entrance. The Historical Society engaged Richard Wenstrom to paint a large mural in the Silva School. 1984 – The main exhibition hall was given an embossed tin front from 1886, originally on the Isaacson General Merchandise Store in Perth. 1985 – A bandstand was built in the center of the grounds. 1986 – Andy Latham, town crier for Rugby, England, became Rugby’s town crier for the centennial. A “wagon train” arrived in Rugby when Melvin Enebak and Orlin Helgerson of Hazel, Minnesota, came in a wagon built by Melvin Enebak and pulled by horses 200 miles in 12 days. He donated the wagon to the museum. The Pierce County History Room in the Silva School was dedicated on June 30. An original Pierce County Centennial painting was purchased at auction by Paul Dokken, Alice Dokken Anderson and Wayne Dokken and presented to the museum in honor of their father, Glenn E. Dokken, a director of the museum for eight years. 1987 – The Good Samaritan Hospital Association donated a building to be used as a workshop. 1988 – While work was being done on the back room of the 1896 telephone building, a newspaper dated January 1, 1888, was found on the wall. 1989 – The 10,000th visitor to the museum, a man from California, was presented with a Pierce County Centennial belt buckle. Buick Motor Company sponsored a seven-day Discover America Perfect Vacation trip to each of the 50 states’Wayland, and Emily Herzig of Eureka, California, won the trip to North Dakota and visited several sites, including the museum. “The Tribune” office display was added. Evelyn Tuff set up a display of Japanese items from her 32 years as a missionary in Japan. 1990 – The Almquist display building was erected and dedicated. Otter Tail Power Company donated and erected a 35-foot flag pole. A new veterans’ display was set up in the Almquist building. Rugby High School students produced a video for the 82nd Airborne Battalion, serving in Saudi Arabia, and the museum curator spoke in it about the museum and the new display. Buick Motor Company contest winners Howell and Carolyn Russ, Roswell, New Mexico, visited. The Gronvold House received new curtains, copies (made in France) of the original ones. 1991 – The Land Office was set up. 1992 – A 110-foot fire tower from J. Clark Salyer Wildlife Refuge was placed on museum grounds. 1993 – The Sandven display building was erected, and the Sandven brothers donated their collection of farming equipment. 1994 – The Sandven Building was dedicated on June 19. The funeral parlor display was set up in the Almquist Building. 1995 – The museum purchased the former veterinary clinic property along Highway 2. Blacksmiths Tim Estes and Jim Wiggins made an iron entrance sign for the museum. The dental office display was set up. 1996 – The museum acquired the museum park property, and a large billboard was erected. The museum hosted a party in the museum park to celebrate the 65th anniversary of Rugby’s designation as “Geographical Center of North America.” Rugby was “ND Capitol for a Day,” and Gov. and First Lady Ed and Nancy Schafer toured the museum. Richard Blessum retired as curator, after serving in that capacity since 1985. May brought the dedication of the new front entrance, along with a 50-foot flagpole and new flag donated by the Rugby EDC. 1997 – The Northern Lights Tower was erected on museum property. 1999 – Ten Japanese visitors presented a Peace Pole, a six-sided pole with the message “May peace prevail on earth” in six languages. The picnic shelter in the museum park was built. The museum’s name was changed from Pioneer Village to Prairie Village, because the former was trademarked by a museum in Nebraska. 2000 – Playground equipment was installed in the museum park. Replacement windows for the Silva School were to be a priority, but the cost of replacing them was more than the $6,911 cost of erecting the original building. Only some windows were replaced. 2001 – The Gronvold House received new shingles. A working railroad signal donated by Duane Eisenzimmer was installed. 2002 – Richard and Donald Blessum constructed a large world globe from an ocean buoy. 2003 – Acquisitions included a John Deere tractor loaned by Elwood Sherwin, a John Deere tractor donated by Gary Laughridge, an upright piano from Richard Pieterick, a 1900 pedal organ loaned by Matthew John Axtman, and a 31-bird exhibit donated by the T-G-U schools. 2004 – The Northern Lights Tower gazebo opened. 2005 – A museum website was introduced. 2006 – The 100th anniversary of the Zion church was celebrated. 2011 – The first annual Day Camp was held: “Hobo Adventure,” in which campers built a hobo jungle, learned hobo’s secret code, made bindles and cooked over a campfire.The Friends of the Museum group was organized. The first annual Holiday Dinner was held in December. 2012 – The first Marble Tournament was held. Museum camp featured “Pioneer Survival,” where campers learned pioneer skills, crafts, songs and stories. The first annual Rhubarb Festival was held. 2013 – “Great Viking Adventure” was the theme for museum camp, with Norwegian games and story-telling. Speaker and illustrator Steve Stark spoke on “Abraham Lincoln’s North Dakota Legacy” at the spring kick-off dinner. 2014 – The Grand Opening for the new exhibit space in the Old Main building was held. Museum camp featured “Wagon Train Adventure.” Steve Stark returned for the spring kick-off dinner, speaking on Teddy Roosevelt. A Bloch Party, an interactive global art event, was held at the museum. A Prairie Talks event on North Dakota’s oil boom was held at the museum. 2015 – Steve Stark made his third appearance at the spring kickoff dinner, speaking on “Fur Trading in Dakota.” The museum camp, “Explored the Chippewa Way,” involved learning traditions, language and culture of the Chippewa. The first Kids’ Art Workshop was held, with Tanner Lind as teacher. An Adult Art Workshop was also held. The Ghosts of Hope photo exhibit was held in the new display space. Two Prairie Talks events were held at the museum. 2016 – The Spring Kick-Off Dinner featured storytellers, with Travis Gerjets. Caboose restoration began. The barn and the York jail were reshingled. Mold, mildew and decay in the Doll House building necessitated moving the doll collection to the Steinke building, where cataloging, photographing and packing up the doll collection began. The bird collection was returned to the Fish and Wildlife Service because of concerns over deterioration and the use of arsenic in the mounting process. Museum camp featured “Being German from Russia.” The first Night at the Museum was held; 13 kids camped overnight. The museum received a donation of $250,000 from the Victor Buchta estate. Prepared by DeeDee Bischoff, museum volunteer.
Each spring school children from throughout the region tour Prairie Village Museum. This group gets a lesson in how a telephone switchboard works from former operator Jan Norsby. Submitted Photo
By JILL SCHRAMM • Senior Staff Writer • jschramm@minotdailynews.com
Prairie Village expands efforts to showcase history
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There also is discussion about having a beer garden and craft beer tasting and providing separate children’s activities – all part of encouraging families to get to know the museum. Encouraging young people to visit and develop a love for history is key to ensuring the museum’s future. Jelsing said the museum strives to offer activities that attract young families. Part of that effort has been the successful children’s camps for the past few summers. “They love the museum,” Jelsing said of the campers. “If we give them any free time, then they are off exploring.” Funding also is important to longevity, and the board of directors is tackling that issue, Jelsing said. The museum has been fortunate to receive some major gifts, which is allowing for major renovation of a reception area and plans for a facelift to the museum’s front. The remodeled reception area is being readied for the museum opening, which occurs May 1 for school tours May 1 and May 15 for the general public. Design plans for the museum’s front would bring the village atmosphere to the forefront of the museum grounds and create a more inviting and visible entrance into the village. Some of the work and landscaping will start this year, with the major share of the work to be done next year, Jelsing said. Another longer term project is a potential multi-purpose facility that could host meetings, reunions, wedding receptions and other events. It will be easier to turn the museum into a center for community activity now that the museum office and an indoor gallery will be open year-round. For the first time, the museum will not be completely closing in the fall. Whether programming, planning or upkeep, nothing could happen without volunteers. Volunteers have been the museum’s backbone from its inception. “That’s the story of the museum really. When you think of what they did and what they built, it’s incredible,” Jelsing said. “This museum exists because of those individuals who had the vision to build it and were so dedicated to it.”
RUGBY – Prairie Village Museum will always be a place to learn about history, but the new ways that history is being served up these days would make the early pioneers smile. “Every year we have added more programming,” executive director Cathy Jelsing said. “We have just grown that part of the museum.” During the next two years, programming will center around a World War I theme, in observance of the war’s 100th anniversary. The museum will bring in speakers to talk about World War I subject matter and will partner in the fall with the local library to host a community book discussion. There will be a display of World War I related photos, letters and other memorabilia. Veterans of subsequent wars will have opportunity to share their stories and get involved with their families in each event. Other organizations partnering on the project include the Rugby American Legion Post 23, Heart of America Library, Lyric Theater and Dakota Territory Air Museum. Prairie Village Museum was selected as one of 65 museums, libraries and universities across the country to participate in Library for America’s World War I and America program. A traveling exhibit, multimedia and large collection of writings from Americans who served in the war are part of the program that Prairie Village Museum will be hosting. The World War I and America project is supported by the National Endowment of the Humanities, which awarded a $550,000 grant. Prairie Village Museum will receive $1,800 of that amount. Submitted Photo The museum also will be continuing the Village Fair tradition Dean Hagen, Maddock, and his apprentices that’s been around more than 30 years. This year, the one-day fair on the second Sunday in August is being expanded to include a demonstrate blacksmithing at Prairie Village Muconcert Saturday night, featuring the band Wild Hands of Minot. seum during the 2015 Museum Comes Alive event.
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Saturday, April 29, 2017
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Burke County looks to update Courthouse BOWBELLS – Burke County is looking at construction of an elevator/staircase annex for its existing 89-year-old courthouse. Older courthouses weren’t designed for elevators so an addition estimated at $2 million is being considered to provide space in the Burke County building for that purpose. The annex also would include office space to create more room for existing county departments on each of the three floors. Plans are to remodel restrooms in the existing courthouse for handicapped accessibility as part of the project. The county commission will decide later this year on plans to move forward.
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Submitted Photo
This photo from the Crosby Journal shows a new addition to the Divide County Courthouse in Crosby at left of the current Courthouse in early April as construction moves toward completion. By JILL SCHRAMM • Senior Staff Writer • jschramm@minotdailynews.com
Divide Courthouse addition to double office space CROSBY – The historic Divide County Courthouse has been a focal point at the end of Crosby’s Main Street for 100 years. A new courthouse addition expected to be finished next month won’t detract from the view. County Commission Chairman Doug Graupe said the addition, which will double the amount of county office space, is being placed on the back side of the existing building. “We wanted to make sure it could not be seen from the street so when you see the courthouse, you will see the same thing you have always seen,” he said. The impressive architecture of the existing three-story courthouse will continue to be the face of the building, but a second entrance will be established where the new and the old come together. Near that entrance will be an elevator that will replace a troublesome chairlift, which often didn’t work but was the best the county could do. “There was really no place to put an elevator in the whole building the way it was laid out,” Graupe said. Where the old and new join also will be the location of new restroom facilities on each of the three floors. Graupe explained the current courthouse has restrooms on the first and third floors, and the sewer and water system is so worn that when a toilet is flushed in the third-floor jury room, it leaks into the clerk of court vault. Graupe said the commission always wondered why the county’s water bill was so high. When excavating for the new addition, the contractor discovered water running out from under the courthouse. “We had a broken water line under there and didn’t know it – for years probably,” Graupe said, noting the entire water and sewer system needs updating. “The timing couldn’t be better for this new facility.” Once the new addition is finished, the county plans to begin remodeling and repairing the existing courthouse, to include turning most of the existing restrooms into storage rooms. A large men’s restroom on the lower level will be converted into a
Burke: Built in 1928, the design was inspired by the American Federalist style. An addition is currently being planned. This courthouse was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1985 as part of a thematic nomination. Divide: Built in 1917, the building’s large murals in the dome feature scenes from early local history. This courthouse was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1980 as part of a thematic nomination. McHenry: Built in 1907, this courthouse is simpler, more economical version of the Traill County Courthouse. This courthouse was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1980 as part of a thematic nomination. Mountrail: Built in 1914, the Mountrail County Courthouse is primarily covered in Hebron brick and Kettle River stone but its dome has a lower arc than the others designed by the same architect. This courthouse was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1980 as part of a thematic nomination. Pierce: The Pierce County Courthouse, built in 1908, consists of chocolate brown stone at the foundation with lighter brick walls. This courthouse was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1980 as part of a thematic nomination. Renville: This 1936 courthouse was funded in part by the Works Progress Administration. It is the only courthouse in North Dakota that could be considered to have Art Moderne styling. This courthouse was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1985 as part of a thematic nomination. Rolette: The Rolette County Courthouse is also a World War II Memorial building that was built in front of the old courthouse in 1959. The older courthouse served as Social Services offices until it was razed in 1971. Sheridan: The Sheridan County Courthouse was constructed in 1939. It is the only Works Progress Administration project in the state to be built of monolithic concrete. Unfortunately, round aggregate used in the concrete popped out, creating a pock-marked facade. This courthouse was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1985 as part of a thematic nomination.
conference room that also can be used to host driver’s license bureau office days in Crosby. The addition is being built with three levels that will match up with the three levels of the existing courthouse and meld the two buildings into one. The sheriff’s office, which has been located in a former residence that’s experiencing mold problems, will move into the lower level of the addition and will have access to a sallyport for transporting arrested individuals to jails. Divide County does not operate a jail but contracts with other facilities. The second floor will include a commission room and meeting rooms fully equipped with the latest technology. The Extension Service and Disaster Emergency Services are expected to be primary users of the meeting rooms. The Register of Deeds office also will be moving from the existing courthouse to the second floor of the addition. The third floor will house Social Services and bring Missouri Health Unit, which has an offices off-site, into the building. Social Services’ existing space in the courthouse will go to the Veterans’ Service Office, now located off-site. A jury room and judge’s office will be located on the third floor of the new addition, next to the existing courtroom in the older courthouse. The $10.5 million project is under the oversight of Construction Engineers of Grand Forks and is being funded with money coming to Divide County from the oil production tax. Divide County, the state’s fifth largest oil-producing county, saved about $2.5 million from its oil production tax collections before beginning the project. Graupe said the county borrowed $8 million from the Bank of North Dakota for the remainder of the necessary funds and will pay back the loan with incoming oil production taxes. Graupe said the new facilities will mean cost savings in the future as modernization and functionality come into play. “It will make it more efficient,” he said.
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File Photo
The McLean County Courthouse was completed in 2012, replacing a 1907 structure.
McLean County offers one of state’s more modern courthouses WASHBURN – McLean County moved into a new Courthouse in the fall of 2012. Voters had approved borrowing from the Coal Severance Trust Fund to pay for the construction, costing just under $4 million. The county is repaying the loan with income from its share of the state’s coal severance tax. The new courthouse neighbors a law enforcement center built four years earlier. The new building features ground-toroof glass windows on a portion of the front. From the top floor on clear days, visitors can see the Missouri River. By better utilizing space, the new courthouse replaced 42,000 square feet of cramped space with 25,000 square feet of spaciousness. The new building accommodates communications systems and electrical needs in ways that the old courthouse couldn’t. The building’s smaller size and the ground-heat pump system economizes on energy use. Since 2010, the county had been using only the courthouse annex, built in the 1960s. The health unit, Extension Service and social services were scattered to other locations around Washburn after the closure of the original portion of the courthouse, built in 1907 and expanded in 1917. The older portion was closed due to structural issues and to a fungal illness associated with droppings from a bat colony that infested the building. The older portion eventually was demolished.
Burlington www.burlingtonnd.gov
Burlington was established in 1883, the first town in all of Imperial Ward County. It has remained and grown on its original site near the Souris and Des Lacs Rivers.
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Minot Area Development Corporation securing Minot’s future
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Watford City, McKenzie County buzzing with activity By DANIEL STENBERG
Minot Area Development Corp. Stephanie Hoffart, President
Founded in 1955, Minot Area Development Corp. was formed to diversify and stabilize Minot’s economy. With changes in leadership and the local economy, MADC implemented a new strategic plan in 2016, which uncovered MADC’s new mission and direction to best serve the Minot community. Today, MADC’s mission is to facilitate business attraction, expansion, retention, and advocacy to diversify and strengthen the Minot area. Over the last year, MADC has achieved significant accomplishments on a city level, statewide, and internally. MADC helped support and facilitate AGT Foods (MADC’s anchor tenant at the Industrial Park of Minot) who completed a $30 million expansion and created 20-plus new jobs. MADC also secured a new business to Minot, SkySkopes. SkySkopes is a leading drone service provider, who’s been recognized nationally for servicing the oil and gas industry. SkySkopes will deliver a capital investment of $2.3 million to Minot and create 15 high-paying jobs in the first
Saturday, April 29, 2017
Coordinator • McKenzie County Economic Development
Submitted Photo
AGT President /CEO Murad Al-Katib, left, and Minot Area Development Corp.’s 2016 chairman Steve Bigelow are shown in this photo.
three years of operations in the Minot office. SkySkopes has committed to make Minot the Unmanned Aircraft Systems headquarters for Bakken operations, which aligns with the exciting new initiative launched by MADC called MAGIC Sky. In 2016, MADC was awarded a state-wide grant in support of the MAGIC Sky initiative, which enabled MADC to attend a trade mission to Norway. MADC also accomplished immense milestones internally; with the implementation of a new strategic plan, a new website, a new investor platform, rebranding, and many other strategic changes to fulfill MADC’s mission and best serve the Minot community. MADC’s internal changes have improved the organization’s transparency city-wide and partnerships across the state. MADC looks forward to furthering the development of the MAGIC Sky initiative in 2017. This initiative represents the tremendous potential for Minot to fill a niche in the UAS industry, it combines strategic partners across the state to promote Minot as a top-destination for UAS companies. Submitted Photo Stephanie Hoffart is presi- With the development of the MAGIC dent/CEO of Minot Area Devel- Sky initiative, MADC’s goal is to bring new businesses to the Minot area, creopment Corporation. ate new jobs, increase the local tax
base, and grow and diversify Minot’s economy. For more information regarding the MAGIC Sky initiative, please visit: http://minotusa.com/keyindustries/uas/. Another key initiative in 2017 is the development of the Industrial Park of Minot. MADC has 800 acres ready for new and expanding businesses, including 150 acres that are rail served and shovel ready. The Industrial Park of Minot is uniquely positioned at the intersection of 2 Class 1 Railroads (BNSF & CP) and has the convenient access of 3 U.S. highways (Highway 83, Highway 2, Highway 52). This prime property is zoned with city services available, including water, sewer, gas, & electric. MADC primarily targets the energy, valueagriculture, distribution, and UAS industries; as Minot is the Gateway to the energy-rich Bakken region, a topranking producer of 15 ag commodities, offers distribution advantages nationwide, and fills a niche in the UAS industry. Contact MADC at 701852-1075 for more information about advantageous property available. MADC is dedicated to building and supporting a resilient, sustainable, and diversified economy to ensure Minot is the right location for businesses and families.
WATFORD CITY – Things have been buzzing in Watford City and throughout McKenzie County. Our newly-opened Rough Rider Center provides expanded opportunities for the hockey club, gymnastics club, water enthusiasts, walkers, ball throwers, coffee drinkers, and more. They have also brought in folks from outside the area by hosting events such as the Northern Plains District President’s Cup Hockey Tournament, North Dakota Girls Veeder State Hockey Tournament, and the High School Girls Region 8 Basketball Tournament. This summer we will see a new veterans’ memorial park begin construction as well as a golf course expansion project. Our expanded Watford Market will see its second year that includes a farmers market, live music, grilled hamburgers, demonstrations and more. Stenberg The newly-formed Long X Arts Foundation will soon host its second annual Badlands Arts Gala, and the Young Professionals — amongst a host of other service organizations — will continue to improve the community with their efforts. We are also working with the University of Mary, Williston State College, TrainND and the North Dakota Small Business Development Center to provide continuing education, workforce training and business Olson development for our growing and changing community. The McKenzie County Healthcare System is expecting to have its nursing home facility completed in late summer 2017 and hospital and clinic in the spring of 2018. In March 2017 we cut the ribbon on our new Law Enforcement Center. Our public school system enrollment has seen 130 percent growth (over 1,000 students) since 2008, with enrollments continuing to grow each year. Our kindergarten class has about twice as many students as our senior class, so that growth will be felt for years to come. In late 2016, the Northern Bypass Project was completed which accommodates higher traffic volumes and improves connectivity for east- and west-bound travelers especially from the Williston to Keene/New Town communities, reducing their trip by approximately 17 miles. Work continues with the Theodore Roosevelt Expressway Association to improve safety and connectivity on U.S. Highway 85 by four-laning it from Watford City to Interstate 94 at Belfield. The Watford City Economic Development Corporation, the McKenzie County Job Development Authority (both established in 1988), and the N.D. Small Business Development Center are the primary economic development organizations for the county. Gene Veeder is the Economic Development coordinator for the City of Watford City, Daniel Stenberg for McKenzie County and Keith Olson is the regional director of our local Small Business Development Center. Please call 4447419 for more information, or visit econdev.mckenziecounty.net.
Minot Daily News PROGRESS
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City of EXTRAORDINARY growth LEFT: Downtown Williston is a thriving area. BELOW: The Renaissance on Main project is one of the Williston STAR Fund’s most notable success stories in the past year. A Chicago-based firm, Renaissance Companies, converted a rundown parking lot into a beautiful $15 million mixed use facility in the heart of downtown Williston. The fourstory development has living, office, retail, commercial and parking space. Submitted Photos
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Williston adjusts to ‘the new normal’ & future looks bright Williston Economic Development
WILLISTON – The City of Williston has seen its fair share of oil booms and busts; but the most recent downturn was different from before. This past year, while Williston adjusted to a decrease in oil-field activity, the City also adapted to a new larger population of 33,500. The “new normal” in Williston required the continued buildout of Williston’s infrastructure. The City sought state and federal funds to help build a new $260 million airport, $54 million high school, $6 million fire station, $15 million mixed-use building in downtown Williston and the expansion of an industrial park in Williston. “The extraordinary growth in Williston has called for extensive planning and investment,” said Williston Economic Development Executive Director Shawn Wenko. “Williston has utilized its one-cent city sales tax to fund roads, water and sewer expansions as well as attract entrepreneurs and developers.” Three quarters of the one-cent city sales tax helps fund infrastructure projects while the remainder supports economic development programs through the STAR Fund. The Renaissance on Main project is one of the STAR Fund’s most notable success stories in the past year. A Chicago-based firm, Renaissance Companies, utilized private investments and public programs to convert a rundown parking lot into a beautiful $15 million mixed use facility in the heart of Downtown Williston. The four-story development has living, office, retail, commercial and parking space. Another noteworthy project was the STAR Fund’s investment in Red River Oilfield Services’ expansion of the Stony Creek Rail Yard. The STAR fund helped Red River acquire an SWX-80 ShuttleWagon locomotive a few years ago; helping to increase the total value of products moved through its terminal to $1.5 billion in 2016. Williston Economic Development began pursuing ideas for the redevelopment of its existing airport this past year as well. When the new Williston Basin International Airport opens sometime in 2019, the Sloulin Field Redevelopment Airport will be decommissioned and closed. The future of the 800-plus acre site has yet to be determined. The future of Williston continues to look bright as it adjusts to what it calls “the new normal,” a community nearly three times in geographical size and population compared to what it was in 2010.
n r u b n Gle d r o f s Lan r e l t n A Three great communities combined in one!
They say boomtowns come and go. Well, our BOOMTOWN started in 1828 and we’re still here. And still booming.
That’s Williston.
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www.nccray.com 568-3331
Williston PO Box 1346 4904 2nd Ave W Williston, ND 58802 (701)577-3765
Stanley PO Box 129 650 82nd Ave NW Stanley, ND 58784 (701)628-2242
New Town PO Box 59 355 Main St New Town, ND 58763 (701)627-3550
1-800-279-2667 www.mwec.com
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Saturday, April 29, 2017