Bonanza farming intro
From the 1870s through the 1920s bonanza farms dominated the Red River Valley. These large, wheat-growing farms each covered thousands of acres and brought rapid development and change to all aspects of life in the Red River Valley.The Northern Pacific Railroad had completed a line to Bismarck, ND, and intended to extend it to the West Coast, but an economic depression in 1873 caused the company to declare bankruptcy, stalling the progress of this line and leaving investors with worthless bonds. To placate these stockholders, the company let them exchange their bonds for land, allowing investors to purchase land for just $0.15 per acre. Recognizing the fertileness of the land and taking advantage of the high wheat prices, many investors established farms on these massive tracts of land and hired men to manage the farms. George Cass, president of the NP, and a board member named Benjamin Cheney owned the first bonanza farm, managed by Oliver Dalrymple. The success of this farm after just one harvest sparked massive interest, and large farms soon emerged all over the Red River Valley. Most of the owners of these farms lived on the east coast or in the Twin Cities, and would simply hire managers to run them.With this bonanza boom came rapid advancement in milling technology as well as farm machinery, but the success of these farms ultimately led to their demise. The huge amount of wheat being produced drove prices down, as labor, equipment, and land prices went up, making the farms far less cost efficient than they had initially been. Additionally, the continual growth of only wheat every year depleted the nutrients in the soil. As a result, these huge farms began fading away as smaller farms growing multiple crops took their place.
Trangsrud Elevator
The Trangsrud Elevator was originally built near Kindred, ND as a grainery in the early 1900's by Amund Trangsrud and his son, Henry. In the 1920's, the elevator and 10,000 pound scale for grain were added. The elevator stands at 30 feet in height and horses with wagons were able to drive straight on to the grain scale. The grain would be shoveled out of the wagons onto scales underneath. A continuously running chain would scoop grain up into "cups." These cups, or buckets, would bring the grain up to the top of the elevator into a distribution shaft, which would use gravity to pour the grain into one of the bins on the ground floor of the elevator. Once they were unloaded, the wagons drove out the other side. This elevator could hold up to 6,300 bushels of grain at one time thanks to its 10 storage bins. The Trangsrud Elevator was in continuous use until the 1970's. The elevator and its companion farmhouse were donated to Bonanzaville in 2009. Thanks to generous donations from the Trangsrud Family and the community, the elevator received a new roof in the spring of 2018.
Embden Depot and Norther Pacific Train
The grain harvested on bonanza farms would then be taken to flour mills like those in Minneapolis, or as the postcard above shows—Kindred, ND. The most efficient form of transport to do so was by train, like the Northern Pacific locomotive out front. For this reason many elevators were near the railroad depot or tracks, just as the Trangsrud Elevator is in Bonanzaville.This Northern Pacific Railroad depot came from Embden, ND and operated from its construction in 1900 until the late 1960s. Besides the office, waiting room, and freight dock, it also housed the agent who ran the depot in living quarters featuring a small kitchen, bedroom, and private bathroom.In addition to the grain, trains were the main form of transport at this time, so passenger cars often accompanied the transport cars used for grain and other goods. If you visit the train shed next door, you can go on a passenger car from a later era of travel. This passenger car dates to the 1930s and could board up to 80 passengers.
Horse-Drawn Vehicles Building
In the Horse-Drawn Building you can view a number of pieces of equipment necessary to operate a bonanza farm. Though the industrial revolution had begun by this time, much of the equipment was still reliant on horsepower, like the thresher in the center of the building. However, the booming agricultural era of bonanza farming prompted rapid advancement in machinery, creating a large variety of equipment with different levels of automation, some of which we will see in the Mourn Agricultural Building later in the tour. Ironically, these innovations ultimately contributed to the bonanza farms’ demise, as with more advanced machinery came larger expenses to purchase and operate the tools, making the farms of such size financially impractical.One of the earliest pieces of equipment in the building is a wooden binder from 1834.
Furnberg Store
General stores like the Furnberg Store were the one-stop shop in the 19th century. They sold everything from milk and foodstuffs to machinery and tools, to household goods and clothing.In addition to selling this ‘general’ merchandise from which the general stores get their name, some served as an even larger multi-purpose space. For example, the Furnberg Store, serving as a post office, blacksmith, and printing press during its operation.Before wheat dominated the industry as it did in the era of bonanza farming, small, self-reliant farms were most common. These farmers often produced much of their own necessities, growing what foodstuffs they could, and getting meat and dairy products from their livestock. As the region shifted to primarily growing wheat, more people purchased these goods from the general store instead, creating an even greater demand for the products of these stores.
Land Office Bank
In the Land Office Bank, settlers could file the claims to get their property through the Homestead Act of 1862. When the Northern Pacific Railroad planned its route through the Dakota Territory, it bought thousands of acres, which the company was forced to sell when it went bankrupt in the economic crisis of 1873. Because of the bankruptcy, land prices dropped considerably. After the first bonanza farm of the area, the Cass-Cheney-Dalrymple farm, proved the fertileness and economic potential of the Red River Valley, there was a new rush to buy land and start farms.This bank is a replica of one in Cogswell, ND. The Bonanzaville Belles, part of the Cass County Historical Society, headed the creation of the Land Office Bank. Inside the bank, you can see the paperwork settlers had to fill out to receive their land titles under the Homestead Act.
Checkered Years House
The Checkered Years House offers us a peek into daily life on a bonanza farm in more ways than one. The house was built in the 1870s or 1880s on a bonanza farm in Mapleton Township. In 1882 Walter Woodward moved into this house with his mother and siblings to manage the farm. When they arrived at the property in 1882, there were only two buildings, and by 1887 there were 27 buildings on the farm, showing just how rapidly bonanza farms sprouted.Woodward’s mother, Mary Dodge Woodward, kept a diary during her years at the house, which was later turned into a book called The Checkered Years, originally published in 1937. Though the farm was relatively small in comparison to most bonanza farms of the era, this diary is one of the best primary sources recording daily life on a bonanza farm. The Checkered Years can be purchased in the Bonanzaville gift shop.
Houston Mansion
The Houston Mansion, a bonanza farm house, was built by David H. Houston in 1881 near Hunter, ND. Houston was a Scottish immigrant who, upon settling in the U.S., became a farmer, poet, and inventor. The elegant house included maple floors, cherry and oak wainscoting, walnut staircase, high ornamental ceilings, and large bay windows. Mr. Houston also had new heating systems with hot air furnaces installed in the basement. This heated the house using metal conduits and air registers. The home even had an indoor bathroom which was uncommon for the time. The original home cost is estimated around $7,000.The home you see today is only half of the Houston Mansion, the part was the Houston families living quarters. The second part of the home housed the kitchen and staffs living quarters. The Houston’s had the home split the moved the servant’s quarters across the road.David Houston is best known for his patent for a roll film apparatus, used to roll film in early cameras. He sold the rights to William Walker for $700. Walker then sold the rights to Eastman Dry Plate and Film Company of Rochester (Eastman Kodak). Conflicts between Eastman and Houston arose and Houston began to sell his improved designs to Eastman’s competitors. However, after his death, Houston's will left his remaining 21 photographic patents to George Eastman.David Houston married Annie Laurie Pencille on April 26, 1888 and together they had one son, David Jr., born in 1889. Eventually the house was moved to Bonanzaville in 1971 along with Arthur Town Hall, the Page Hotel and Brass Rail Saloon, and the Hunter Times building.
Melroe Tractor Building
This building was constructed to house Bonanzaville's large collection of early tractors. Tractors on display in this building span over 100 years and include manufacturers such as Case, Rumley, Chalmers, John Deere, Fordsons, McCormick Deering and Olivers.
Mourn Agricultural Museum
In the Mourn Agricultural Building, you will find more examples of equipment used on bonanza farms, like the thresher and hay baler pictured. There are also examples of later equipment that followed, like the red thresher machine made about 1920 just as the last bonanza farms were dying out.
Cook Car
Bonanza farms had large crews of workers who helped with all aspects of farming, from planting to threshing, but women had an impact on bonanza farms as well. They were most often responsible for feeding the crews of 20, 30, or even 50 men. During threshing, crews sometimes moved from farm to farm working and cook cars like this one, and the women who did the cooking, would follow, making sure the men were fed. The menu was kept simple, but it was cooked in large quantities. Typical menus included: Homemade bread, roast pork (up to 15 lbs for one crew!) or fried potatoes, stewed tomatoes, slaw, stewed turnips, peas, corn and gravey, and bushels of beans. For breakfast there was baon, eggs, hash browns, and coffee. Dinner was served at 11:00 am, with lunch at 3:00 pm. Supper was usually cold meats, potatoes, salads, and cake for dessert. This cook car was built in 1904 adn was used near Finley, North Dakota. It was donated by the Bakken family.
