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St. Mary's Catholic Church
On May 30th, 1899, St. Mary's Victorian Gothic cathedral was dedicated. It is located at 619 7th Street North. The cathedral's tower is 172 tall and houses the sole bell of the church. This is the church built by Fargo's first bishop, bishop Shanley.[1] St. Marys_01 Heather Brinkman, Digital History 2012 [1] Caron, John. "Fargo, N.D., History Exhibition, Institute for Regional Studies, NDSU." Far
NDAC 1870-1905
Click on the following link to open a powerpoint of the North Dakota Agriculture College
Vaudevillian Culture in Fargo
Vaudeville shows were a major form of entertainment in the early years of Fargo. Records of these theaters are numerous, but but due to the culturally tabooed art forms played in vaudeville theaters and their association with sinfulness, alcohol consumption, and sex these theaters were minimally mentioned in the press of early Fargo and are mostly noted on accounts of deaths, crime, disturbances, or imposed fees.[1
Fargo's First Theater
The first theater in Fargo was built by John Erickson in 1880. In 1888 the theater was purchased by Alexander Stern and was located on the second story of the Stern Building. It burned down in the fire of 1893 but was undoubtedly a rich source of culture for Fargo. The theater featured actors of which many went on to become prominent in their time such as the famous 19th century Italian actor Salvini who played in
The Fargo Opera House
The Fargo Opera House was a source of pride and a symbol of prestige for the town's early residents. In contrast to vaudeville theaters, the Opera House was acceptable for all ages and genders in the community to attend openly. The building stood on the corner of Broadway and N.P. avenues. It was originally called Chapin Hall and housed the Luger Furniture Company on the first floor. Initially Chapin Hall wa
Jasper B. Chapin
Among the prominent names of Fargo's early history is that of Jasper B Chapin, a hotel tycoon who contributed to a large portion of its building, economic development, religion, and the arts. Chapin was a native of New York and found his way westward into California as a result of the Gold Rush of 1855 which fueled settlement and economic development in US territories. There Chapin began as a miner, eventually branc
Kopelman Agreement
This is a copy of the agreement between Lena Kopelman and the Fargo Hebrew Congregation. It was scanned from page 174 of "And Prairie Dogs Weren't Kosher" by Linda Mack Schloff.
Letter serving notice of Stern's appointment as trustee of the North Dakota Agricultural College
This is a copy of the letter that the Secretary of State for North Dakota sent to Alex Stern confirming him as a trustee for the North Dakota Agricultural College. This was scanned from records held in the NDSU archives and the information can be found here. Heather Brinkman, Digital History 2012
Alex Stern's campaign letter for President of the City Commission
This is a copy of a letter that Alex Stern sent out when he was running for president of the city commission in Fargo. This was scanned from the NDSU archives and the information on it can be found here. Heather Brinkman, Digital History 2012
Charles and Matilda Roberts
Charles A. Roberts was a man who burned with the spirit of adventure. His family owned a meat market in Minneapolis, but butchering was not enough to satisfy Roberts. According to his obituary in the Fargo Forum, "Few men have crowded into one short lifetime more wide-flung activities, more romantic adventure, and more constructive effort than his venturesome pioneer spirit impelled him to undertake." [1] Roberts was
S.G. Roberts Home, 1115 8th St. S.
The S.G. Roberts house, which was built in 1880, was originally located on Roberts Street between Second and Third Avenues. In the Summer of 1920, the home was relocated to its present location on South Eight Street. The story of how and why it was moved is relayed to us in a 1966 letter from Gilbert Haggart, who lived in the house for many years. "In 1920, street cars past the house (were) continuously pounding and
Roberts and Haggart Families
The Roberts and Haggart families were twined together through marriage and business, and both clans featured prominently in the early history of Fargo. Brooks, Maine-native Samuel G. Roberts arrived in Cass County, North Dakota in January of 1872, making him one of the earliest settlers in the area. He had fought bravely in the Civil War in the Seventeenth Massachusetts Volunteers and the Ninth US Veteran Volunteers,
North Dakota Agriculture College (NDAC)
North Dakota Agriculture College (NDAC) was established in 1890, by a law that allowed for an agriculture college to be formed in Fargo, North Dakota . This was part of the United States government's effort to create colleges for the study of agriculture and the sciences. The following appeared in the Daily Argus on May 2, 1890: "At the meeting of the Fargo Agricultural College board yesterday afternoon t
Fargo Hebrew Congregation
While there is little information on the Fargo Hebrew Congregation, it was the first Orthodox Jewish temple in Fargo. On July 6, 1886 William Giles, Abraham Rubel, and David Mezirow incorporated the temple, however it did not open its doors until 1906 and it took two years to complete the building. The synagogue was built across from Island Park on First Street. Until it opened, the congregation held services in the
The Biography of Alexander Stern
Alexander Stern (June 7, 1857-1934) Alex Stern was born on June 7, 1857 in Giessen, Germany. He immigrated to the United states in 1871. Mr. Stern arrived in Fargo in 1882 and opened the city's first clothing store. He is the first know Jewish person to land in Fargo. On July 5, 1885 he married Bertha. They had three sons: William, Samuel, and Edward. Mr. Stern was a very influential man during the foundin
1880 1893 alcohol Alex Stern architecture Bonanza building business Businessman cass county change church churches culture Dalrymple disaster domestic life early Fargo Education Entertainment fargo Fargo Hebrew Congregation Farm fire first Firsts growth Headquarters Hotel Holes House Industry James Holes Jewish lumber Lutheran NDAC NDSU North Dakota Agriculture College North Dakota State University People railroad rebuild religion rural sod home women
The Fargo History Project
This project began as part of a Fall 2012 Digital History class at NDSU. With the goal of exploring Fargo's history between 1871 and 1897, students visited libraries and archives to search for clues to the city's history. Future classes will conduct further research and add to the site.
Do you know some interesting tidbits about Fargo's history? Share them with us by posting a comment or sending an email. We welcome your participation as we explore our past.
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Fargo History Resources
Bonanzaville
Digital Horizons-A digital consortium
Fargo Public Library
Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County at the Hjemkomst Center
MSUM: The Red River Valley: Prelude to European Settlement
NDSU Archives Flickr Account
North Dakota State University Archives
The Fargo History Project is a public history initiative produced by students at NDSU. ©North Dakota State University