Ellendale - Tour of the Core City Preview

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50 Main - Coleman Memorial Museum (Originally Farmers National Bank)

50 Main - Coleman Memorial Museum (Originally Farmers National Bank)This building has served three vital functions in the community. Originally a bank, it later housed the residence and practice of Ellendale's premier dentist, Dr. Loren Coleman; now as the Coleman Memorial Museum, it serves as the headquarters for Ellendale's Historic memory. Farmers National Bank built this structre in 1910. The Irwin Hotel, which had previously stood on this location, had been destroyed along with most of the businesses on the north side of West Main. The fire was tragic, but the benefits far-reaching. The Ellendale Opera House was constructed to replace the lost buildings on the north side of the street. And the owners of the Farmers Bank (established 1906) built an extremely solid brick-and-concrete structure that was extremely fireproof. The Premium Booklet for the first Dickey County Fair (1920) announced the completion of a remodeling project at the bank. The original stairway that descended from near the main floor vault to the basement was closed off and a new stairway was built. Additional walls were installed in the basement, and two full restrooms were created, one complete with a shower. The Farmers Bank advertised that these new "Rest Rooms" were available for everyone's use, as a place to relax and rest as well as attend to normal bodily needs. Due to severe economic stresses in the 1920s, Ellendale's three banks were forced to consolidate. In 1925 the Ellendale National Bank merged with the Farmers Bank. In 1928, the Farmers Bank in turn was folded into the First National Bank of Ellendale, now Starion Bank. The superb building was left vacant for a short time, then Dr. Loren Coleman, who had conducted his dental practice in the second floor of the Opera House Block, purchased it and moved both his practice and his family into it. Dr. Coleman purchased new dental equipment (some of which is now housed in the Museum) and went on to serve the community as a dentist for nearly forty more years. The Ellendale Historical Society welcomes all visitors free of charge. Our summer hours for 2017 (through Labor Day) are Wednesdays at 10:AM-2:00 PM, Thursdays at 1:00-5:00, and Fridays at 1:00-5:00. For information or a special tour of the museum, call Ken Smith, President of the Ellendale Historical Society, (349-2176 home, 701-320-2794 cell) or contact Jeanette Ruenz, official museum curator at 349-4329 (home) or 701-535-0442 (cell).

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62 & 66 Main - The Laundry Room / Calico Cat

62 & 66 Main - The Laundry Room / Calico CatLaundry businesses proliferated in prairie towns in the early 20th century, and have been an essential part of the community for its whole history. Early issues of the Dickey County Leader included ads for laundry agents in town who would take your laundry, and ship it via train to Oakes or Aberdeen for washing, and return it promptly. Other ads, such as the one for the Ellendale Steam Laundry (1905) were common.Earlier in Ellendale’s history, this establishment was known as “King Koin” laundry. Ernest & Jessye Guedesse owned the King Koin from 1963 to 1976, then Bob Youngman bought it. It subsequently was known as “Young’s Laundry.” In 2017, the business was taken over by Kristina Zinter, who brought it into the 21st century with new washers and dryers, internet service, Roku TV, and a coffee bar. Behind the old structure that is now the Coleman Museum (Formerly Coleman Dentistry and the Farmers Bank), was located a small laundry service called Gesme’s Laundry. Irven Gesme operated that business from Slayton, MN on November 21, 1935. He died in 1974.66 Main - The Calico Cat / Plumbing Shop / Bowling AlleySince 1996 Marilyn Burow has operated the Calico Cat, a ceramics shop offering a wide variety of ready-to-paint ceramic greenware and related craft items. Previously the building was occupied by a plumbing store, and before that, it was a bowling alley. (Ellendale 125th, p. 76)

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Houghton's Meat Market (center of the empty space)

Houghton's Meat Market (Center of the Empty Space)This space has been empty for several years now but it helped feed generations of area residents. A meat market was located on this site (just west of the MDU building) for at least 100 years. Louis Hafner, one of several owners, operated the business until 1936 and then sold it to Art and Theresa Houghton. Douglas Houghton purchased it from his parents in 1960. Houghton’s Meat Market specialized in selling fresh meats and homemade sausage. It also did custom butchering. Ellendale has had numerous butchers and meat vendors throughout its history. Since it began publishing in 1882, virtually every issue of the Dickey County Leader contained an advertisement for fresh meat. In the early decades, most of it was butchered locally.Kenneth and Betty Kosel leased the business and purchased it in 1992, and ran it until 1996, when they stopped selling meats and opened their “Countryside Collectibles” store in the same building. They still own the building, which is one of the oldest on west Main Street.The MDU Building was located on 66 Main.

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281 & Main - Brandenburger Park / Walk of Fame Plaques

281 & Main - Brandenburger Park / Walk of Fame PlaquesThe Ellendale Walk of Fame is a community effort to honor Hometown Ellendale citizens who have made particularly significant contributions to the town's advancement and who have had especially noteworthy careers both locally and beyond. The Walk of Fame was initiated in conjunction with the Ellendale 125th celebration in 2007. Individuals are honored with a star in the sidewalks of Main Street, a plaque in Brandenburger Park and a dinner every five years in conjunction with the All School Reunion. The WALK OF FAME is designed to recognize the extraordinary accomplishments of a few in order to highlight the contribution of all the people in Ellendale to the success of so many current and former residents. The significant contribution of teachers, officials, ministers, professionals, mentors, friends, family and all the residents of the city in helping literally thousands of people become successful in their careers and lives. We could never say enough about what it meant to grow up in our small rural city and the opportunities it presents to all of its residents.The recipients to date have been Palmer Retzlaff, Debra Vick Mooney, Benjamin J. Graham, John D. Crabtree, John Wheelihan, Patricia Wallace Ingraham, Mina C. Onsrud, Malcolm Goddard, Ed N. Leiby, Russell Wenkstern, Ben Crabtree Bill Randall, Dr. Roy Lynde, Dr. Floud Matheis, and Richard J. Schonberger.

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95 Main St W. - Dickey Hotel / Nodak Hotel & Cafe Site

95 Main St W. - Dickey Hotel / Nodak Hotel & Cafe SitePlaces to room were utterly essential to Ellendale’s early years. The northwest corner of Ellendale’s main intersection is now vacant, but it was the site of two hotels until 2014. The first hotel erected on this lot was Mrs. Mary Bishop’s second attempt at a hotel during Ellendale’s pioneer days. Mrs. Bishop’s first hotel was three miles north of here—at the spot where the Milwaukee line stopped in 1882. It soon became clear that the town would be here and not there. Mrs. Bishop quickly changed her plans and built the Central Hotel (seen in the far right of the oldest antique photo) on this location. It was soon sold to George White, who renamed it the White House. The building was soon moved to the north part of town. In 1912 the Dickey Hotel, a fine modern structure, was built on the lot and would stand for just over 100 years. It was a three-story building, 50 x 90 feet, and built with brick from Hebron, ND. Locals boasted that it was “the best hotel in the state” and it was opened with a gala so grand that special rail cars were chartered to bring in guests from a distance. The new hotel had numerous proprietors in its many decades of service. In 1918 it was owned by Wanda L. Nisse, and advertised itself as “The Waldorf Hotel.” It had “European” style and amenities like “Electric lighted, Steam Heated, Hot and Cold Water in Every Room” (see picture). The Hotel had its own electrical generation plant, and maintained a high quality restaurant and cafe in the bottom floor.In 1930, Ray Dillingham took over the restaurant, refurbished it, and made it the new home of “Ray’s Cafe.” Dillingham later purchased the entire building, and resold it to George Russells and Vince Robinsons, who renemed it “The Ellendale Hotel.” In 1956 the building changed hands again: Walt and Lillian Schmierer purchased the place and renamed it “Walt’s Hotel and Café” and operated it nearly a decade. In the mid-1960s Leonard and Ruth Hagen bought and renovated the building, and renamed it the NoDak Hotel and Cafe.The building and café subsequently changed hands several times. The most recent café proprietor was Peggy Gilbert (present owner of the Fireside), who operated the restaurant from 1998 to 2005. For nearly ten years the building was available to a buyer, but no one was found who could invest the resources needed to rehabilitate the structure. Ultimately, it succumbed to necessity and was demolished in late 2014.The large blue Nodak sign that hung on the east side of the hotel for nearly five decades has been preserved, along with various mementos. That sign, which had once been affixed to the original NoDak café on the south side of Main Street, is a featured exhibit in the Coleman Memorial Museum.Ken Schmierer shares personal experiences from his childhood, when he lived in the hotel. http://dakotafire.net/article/postcard-growing-up-in-the-hotel-on-the-corner-of-main/

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79 Main - American Legion / Leiby Drug / Rithmiller Tax, Choice Financial

79 Main - American Legion / Leiby Drug / Rithmiller Tax, Choice FinancialThis location is of particular interest, as it has served not only as Ellendale’s Legion Hall, but was the site of Leiby Drug, one of Ellendale’s most important founding fathers. E. Steineau and E.W. Lee carried on a drug and stationary business in the location of the Leiby Drug Store (American Legion) which sits on its original site. Ed. N. Leiby came to Ellendale in 1882 to serve as the Milwaukee depot agent. A very active businessman, he soon became a hotel operator, then bought the Steinau store, which had been founded by E. Steineau and E.W. Lee. Ed had no training in pharmacy, but a “Drug Store” sign was in the front of the store, and a state grandfather law allowed him to continue the practice without certification. Thus began Leiby Drug, which operated in the same location for 71 years. In 1904 the old wooden building was pulled to the back of the lot and a new two-story brick building was erected. The first floor was the drug store and the second story was used for offices. Dentists and doctors worked ouf of this building for many years. Edwin M. Leiby, known to everyone as “Ed,” became a trained pharmacist and worked with his father in the business. Ed’s numerous connections with residents of all generations gave him an intimate knowledge of Ellendale’s history, and he recorded several narrative histories of the town which are kept by the museum. When his father died in 1939, Ed became the owner and continued in the drug store business until 1960, when the company was sold to John Anderson, who owned the Amphlett Drug Store in the next block. Rithmiller Tax Service is located next to the Legion at 75 Main, and Choice Financial is to the east at 83 Main. 79 Main - American Legion / Leiby Drug / Rithmiller Tax, Choice FinancialThis location is of particular interest, as it has served not only as Ellendale’s Legion Hall, but was the site of Leiby Drug, one of Ellendale’s most important founding fathers. E. Steineau and E.W. Lee carried on a drug and stationary business in the location of the Leiby Drug Store (American Legion) which sits in its original site. Ed. N. Leiby came to Ellendale in 1882 to serve as the Milwaukee depot agent. A very active businessman, he soon became a hotel operator, then bought the Steinau store, which had been founded by E. Steineau and E.W. Lee. Ed had no training in pharmacy, but a “Drug Store” sign was in the front of the store, and a state grandfather law allowed him to continue the practice without certification. Thus began Leiby Drug, which operated in the same location for 71 years. In 1904 the old wooden building was pulled to the back of the lot and a new two-story brick building was erected. The first floor was the drug store and the second story was used for offices. Dentists and doctors worked ouf of this building for many years. Edwin M. Leiby, known to everyone as “Ed,” became a trained pharmacist and worked with his father in the business. Ed’s numerous connections with residents of all generations gave him an intimate knowledge of Ellendale’s history, and he recorded several narrative histories of the town which are kept by the museum. When his father died in 1939, Ed became the owner and continued in the drug store business until 1960, when the company was sold to John Anderson, who owned the Amphlett Drug Store in the next block. Rithmiller Tax Service is located next to the Legion at 75 Main, and Choice Financial is to the east at 83 Main.

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67 W. Main - Crabtree Insurance

67 W. Main - Crabtree InsuranceDuane E. Geer came to Ellendale from Cortland, NY, in 1882 as a surveyor for the government working with Thomas F. Marshall, later a congressman from North Dakota. One of the earliest settlers of Ellendale, he established a real estate and insurance business. From this original business evolved Crabtree Insurance Agency, Inc.In 1904, Mr. Geer built the red brick building at 79 Main Street. The agency remained at this location until 1959 when it was moved to its present location at 67 Main Street. In 1913, Dwight W. Crabtree, son-in-law of Duane E. Geer, joined the firm and worked with Mr. Geer until the latter's death in 1927. At that time, the business became the property of his widow, Etta M. Geer.In 1944, Dwight W. Crabtree acquired ownership of the business and operated as sole proprietor. In 1945, John D. Crabtree returned to Ellendale from military service to join his father in the business. In 1950, Dwight died, leaving the business to his widow, Maude Crabtree. The firm was purchased by John D. Crabtree in 1950. The agency was changed in July 1963 from a sole proprietorship to a corporation with John D. Crabtree, Sylvia E. Crabtree and Allan J. Wedell as stockholders.In 1964, the firm purchased the Christianson Insurance Agency in Oakes, NO. Allan J. Wedell managed this branch of the agency until it was sold in 1970 to the First National Bank of Oakes at which time he resigned to enter the teaching profession. In September 1976, Dwight E. Crabtree, son of John D. Crabtree, became an employee, moving from Kansas City, MO, where he had been employed by the St. Paul Fire & Marine Insurance Company for the previous five years.On July 1, 1981, Dwight purchased the agency, thus becoming the fourth generation of the family to operate Crabtree Insurance Agency, Inc. In November of 1987, Grant Crabtree joined the business as an employee and manager as Dwight pursued another career path. Grant currently manages the business.

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105 Main - Ellendale Opera House

105 Main - Ellendale Opera HouseThis beautiful 3-story brick structure—listed on the National Register of Historic Places—was built following the 1908 fire that destroyed much of Ellendale west of Main Street. Local businessmen believed that an Opera House, with spacious rooms for businesses at street level, abundant office space on the second level, and a grand ballroom-type theater gracing the top, would help make Ellendale a first-class cultural and business center. Local businesses--not just those that would be housed in the building—gave generously to see the project through to an extremely quick completion in February 1909. The grand opening featured plays given by the Chase-Lister Theater Company. Literally thousands of special events, including dramas, orchestras, lectures, dances, boxing and wrestling matches, roller skating parties, receptions, etc, would be held in the following decades. The second story had offices along the south side, which were rented to attorneys, dentists and doctors. The main part of the auditorium floor was for seating when plays and shows were held. The seating capacity, including the boxes, was about 1000. The chairs could be removed to provide room for dancing. The third story was the balcony seating and several rooms and offices. In the years that followed, the auditorium was used for high school plays and graduations, college plays and debates, dances, basketball games, wrestling and boxing matches, 4-H rallies, roller skating and other social events that required the spacious environment the building offered. The building was eventually left empty in the 1980s after the roof began to leak and the remaining businesses vacated the building. The building’s future looked dim until a non-profit organization, O.P.E.R.A., Inc. took ownership from the city and began the restoration project. Since 2002 they have put on a new roof, rebuilt a portion of the back wall, and have renovated a section of the main street business space for a theatre for the performing arts, an exhibit hall for artists, and a community room. This room is called the Opera House Lobby because it will become the lobby for the auditorium once it is restored. It will house the elevator which will take guests to the second and third floors. Presently the Lobby is used for Art Exhibits, theatrical performances and private parties. In 2007 an Artists’ Showcase was held there. Art media from 15 local artists, past and present, was on display. 700 people attended the Showcase during the weekend of Ellendale’s 125th Celebration. North Dakota Governor John Hoeven was a special guest and in addition to his attendance at the Walk of Fame ceremonies and reception was given a tour of the Opera House upper stories. Since that time the room has been used for Art Exhibits from the North Dakota Museum of Art, a traveling Smithsonian exhibit, regional artists’ displays, music programs, theatrical productions and private parties. A new façade around the front windows was put on in 2010. A new subfloor was put down in the second floor auditorium, which allows the space to be used for theatrical productions and music programs. This larger theater can seat more people than the Lobby on the main level. O.P.E.R.A., Inc. is determined to bring the magnificent structure back to its grandeur and make it useful to the community once again. The restoration is being done by a group of dedicated volunteers, with the help of grants, donations and fund raising events. If you’d like to visit the Opera House, stop by Crabtree Insurance or the Calico Cat to arrange a tour. These businesses are also located on Main Street, west of Hwy 281 and near the Opera House.

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45 Main - Mertz Lumber / Dunphy Hardware

45 Main - Mertz Lumber / Dunphy HardwareFrom its founding in 1882, Ellendale has always had at least two active hardware stores. Space near the Milwaukee Depot was a prime location for stores selling building supplies, lumber, and every kind of farm and household necessity. In 1885, C.A. (Charlie) Morrison built a hardware and coal business on the present site of the Mertz parking lot. Morrison later sold the business to Fountain and Page, and in 1907 C.W. Welcher purchased it. In 1915, Albert E. Dunphy (best known as the first industrial arts instructor at the State Normal & Industrial School and the husband of the virtuoso pianist and voice teacher Jesse Dunphy) partnered with Welcher and renamed the business "Weldun Company." The name, incidentally, has no known connection to the "Do It Best" brand that is now featured by Mertz. In 1918 a second and third member of the Dunphy clan joined with Albert and bought out Welcher's interest to form the Dunphy Bros. Company, the most widely known hardware business in Ellendale's history. A fourth member of the Dunphy family, R.J. (Ross) Dunphy became the owner and operator in 1939, and kept the business until 1961 when it was purchased by Harold Redmond and A.L. Marvick Jr. The new partners, who also ran an electrical wiring business, took down the building in 1963 and relocated to the north side of Main Street in the building that is now occupied by Seyer Plumbing and Heating.

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45 Main - Milwaukee Depot

45 Main - Milwaukee DepotThis building was constructed in 1915. It replaced the original, smaller depot which had stood on the same site since 1882. It holds special significance because it symbolizes the town's origin as a stop on a rail line. Furthermore, the town itself was named after Mary Ellen Merrill, the wife of S.S. Merrill, the superintendent and general manager of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad. The tracks of the Milwaukee road were laid in 1881, reaching here from Aberdeen that fall. The rail line's original terminus was three miles north of the current town, where a saloon, lumberyard, boarding house, and a fair number of homes were constructed. That original townsite was barely established when the existing townsite became the official location of Ellendale. In addition to welcoming passengers and cargo and shipping the same to destinations around the country, the original Milwaukee Depot served as an important meeting place in Ellendale's early years. Worship services were held there. Organizational meetings for the first school were held there. Countless reunions between family members, college classmates, and dear friends occured on the depot platform. The Milwaukee railroad ceased operation in Ellendale in 1980. The tracks were removed, though traces of the railbed can still be seen both north and south of town. Historically-minded locals formed the Ellendale Historical Society, and in 1983 they transformed the building into the Depot Museum. Numerous artifacts from the depot, including a re-creation of the office with the existing desk, furniture, telegraph machine, and many accessories are now located in the Coleman Museum. The Coleman Museum also houses the last remaining luggage wagon, a small but heavy cart built to the same height as the beds of the rail cars and used to transfer cargo on and off the train. The Milwaukee Depot is now owned by the Mertz Lumber Company, and serves as added storage space. The owners are conscious of its historical value and intend to preserve the structure as a landmark for the community.

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Great Northern Railroad Depot

Great Northern Railroad DepotEllendale's Great Northern depot was built in 1905, following the elegant structural style preferred by James J. Hill's famous rail company. This structure replaced the original Great Northern depot, which was located on the northeast side of Ellendale, just west of the Presbyterian-Methodist Church. The Grant Northern rail line itself reached Ellendale from the east in 1886, giving the town its second rail connection an added linkage to Minneapolis-St. Paul, and adding more mail service. The tracks did not cross the north-south rail line of the Milwaukee road until1905, when the Great Northern company built a leg from Ellendale to the new town of Forbes, fifteen miles to the southwest. That same year, the new depot was constructed, and it stands today. The present owners place a high value on the historic nature of this building, and have carefully preserved its outward appearance while converting it into a fine home. The railroad track itself--which was decommissioned and removed in the mid 1980s, was situated on the left side of the depot. Now that the Milwaukee and the Great Northern depots were adjacent to one another, passengers and goods could easily transfer from one line to the other. Ellendale is unusual among small communities for having had two rail lines (an east-west and a north-south), and thus being a crossroads for the area. Ellendale was thus a very well-connected town.

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Ellendale Power Plant

Ellendale Power PlantElectric power in Ellendale is so constant and reliable that most residents hardly give it a thought. Prior to 1914, however, Ellendale had no central source of electricity. Some businesses, and the State Normal & Industrial School, had their own small generating plants, and some of these ran wires to neighboring businesses to supply lighting needs. When Ellendale city fathers decided in 1906 to install a new street lighting system, they chose gas lighting, and the most populous streets were laid with acetylene gas lines, fed by an acetylene production plant at the west end of town.In 1914, however, Ellendale gained its first real electrical generating plant. Demand for power grew rapidly as customers utilized more and more appliances, and the plant was enlarged several times. In 1935, ownership of the generating plant and distribution lines was consolidated under an entity called Dakota Public Service Company. In 1945, MDU (Montana-Dakota Utilities) took ownership of the system, and built a new plant, which was finished in 1947. The new plant provided more than enough power for the town, which grew rapidly following World War II. In the next two decades, Ellendale was tied in to three long-distance power lines, and the need for a local generation plant diminished. The power plant, which is visible in the foreground of the photograph here, was decommissioned in the early 1960s.

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Railroad Avenue

Railroad Avenue, running parallel to the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul line, angles slightly to the northwest. This required some ingenuity on the part of the architects who built the Opera House Block and the Farmers National Bank (now the Coleman Memorial Museum). If you look closely, you will notice that neither building is perfectly square on the west side. They are built instead to set parallel to Railroad Avenue. The effect is particularly noticeable when looking at the way the addition to the Coleman Museum is situated. Railroad Avenue was a bustling thoroughfare in the early decades, as wagons and buggies of all types carried passengers and goods to and from the train stations and the merchants that congregated in this part of town.

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Railroad Avenue Livery Barn

Townsend Livery Barn on Railroad AvenueThis long structure, which occupies the space that is now the front yard of the Gerling property (and where Mrs. Gerling’s famous popcorn stand is still parked) was probably the largest of several livery barns that served Ellendale in its early years. Click through the images to see an April 1911 ad for the establishment, printed in the North Dakota Record. Built almost immediately after Ellendale’s 1882 founding, this barn provided essential services not unlike one would find later at an automotive service station. The business kept a stock of hay and feed, sold harnesses and saddles and various other equine accessories, and was prepared to care for basic ordinary needs of draft animals as they might be required on a farmer’s trip to town. The Lacey and Barta Blacksmith shop was located directly behind the barn, which makes a great deal of sense, as Lacey and Barta advertised their place as “Horse Shoeing Parlors.”

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62 1st St. S. – Harvest Gardens (NW Corner of Lot) / 1st Roy & Guy Lynde Ford Garage

62 1st St. S. – Harvest Gardens (NW Corner of Lot) / 1st Roy & Guy Lynde Ford GarageImmediately after he earned his degree at the University of Minnesota, Dr. Roy Lynde began his 50-plus year medial practice in Ellendale, working out of a small office in the top of the First National Bank building (now Starion). Shortly afterward, he and his brother Guy built a small garage on Railroad Avenue on the northwest corner of what is now Harvest Gardens. The slant-roofed garage, which was not much larger than a shack, advertised “Ford Autos” on the north and the south side.Sometime after 1914, Roy and Guy built a new shop on the vacant lot where the NAPA building now stands. They conducted their business from there until 1923, when their brother Ralph Lynde bought them out.Meanwhile, Roy and Guy did not give up their ambitions in the automotive business. In 1926, they completed an even larger structure on north Main Street, at the present location of the Sanford Clinic. Details about this building can be seen later on this tour.

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Lacey & Barta / Otto Gerling Blacksmith Shop

Lacey & Barta / Otto Gerling Blacksmith ShopBlacksmithing has been a crucial trade in Ellendale for most of its history. The ability to mend, shape, hone, harden, and join a variety of metals and machinery parts made the blacksmith one of most important connections for farmers, ranchers, and ordinary townspeople. This shop, bearing the name “Lacey and Barta Horse Shoeing Parlors” was an all-purpose blacksmithing shop that also advertised “plow work” and “wagon work.” The business was founded by Tom Barta and Jim Lacey in 1906. Their first shop (the building behind the long livery barn in the second photo) burned in the big 1907 fire, so they promptly erected this brick building which has stood strong ever since.The Barta family was one of three Bohemian families (the Kelshes and Pazandaks being the others) that settled north of Fullerton in 1901. These families were very machinery oriented: the Pazandaks, for example, invested in the latest steam and gas field equipment and established the county’s first “horseless” farm in 1916. Tom Barta began his blacksmithing career in Montana, but soon returned to the area to found a prosperous business and to wed Alice Flemington, the daughter of one of the town’s leading families. In 1938 Otto Gerling, a lifelong Ellendale resident, purchased the Barta and Lacey shop, and converted part of the building into a family residence. Gerling was extremely devoted to his craft and regarded his work as a service to the community. At the height of his business in the early 1950s he sharpened or rebuilt at least 6,000 plowshares each year. He was particularly respected for his elegant wrought iron railings, which graced the porches of scores of Ellendale homes and businesses. Otto worked in his shop steadily until the day of his death in 1980. His wife Ruby continued to operate the popcorn stand on the corner of the property until her death. The blacksmith shop remains in the family and still contains most of the tools used by Otto and his predecessors Lacy and Barta. Otto’s granddaughter Cindy, an accomplished artist, lives in the home and carries on the Gerling tradition of creativity. A June, 1971 Dickey County Leader article about Otto and his work can be accessed here: https://archive.org/details/ottogerling

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66 1st St. S. - NAPA Store / Ralph Lynde Auto

66 1st St. S. - NAPA Store / Ralph Lynde AutoFor many decades, the Lynde name in Ellendale was associated with both medical practice and automobiles.Immediately after he earned his degree at the University of Minnesota, Dr. Roy Lynde began his 50-plus year medial practice in Ellendale, working out of a small office in the top of the First National Bank building (now Starion). Shortly afterward, he and his brother Guy built a small garage on Railroad Avenue just east of here, on the northwest corner of what is now Harvest Gardens. The slant-roofed garage, which was not much larger than a shack, advertised “Ford Autos” on the north and the south side. In the earliest days of the auto revolution, there was really no such thing as full-service car dealers. For one thing, cars in the early days were so simple then that buggy shops and bicycle mechanics could usually repair them. Little advanced machinery was needed.And cars were not hard to get in Ellendale. Anyone with the money could order a Model T (or virtually any other make) by contacting a local agent who would handle the payment and make an order to the manufacturer, who would ship the car out by rail, usually in a wooden crate for assembly. Around 1933 a local newspaper editor boasted that virtually any make or model of car was available through Ellendale agents.Sometime after 1914, Roy and Guy built a new shop on the vacant lot where this building now stands. They conducted their business from there until 1923, when their brother Ralph Lynde bought them out. Ralph proceeded to expand the garage into the building as it stands today. It was of the town’s largest structures. Ralph and his son continued to sell Fords for many years, and later they held the local Studebaker franchise. They did mechanical work, sold gasoline along with Shell and Pure Oil products, and garaged cars for local owners in their basement.Meanwhile, Roy and Guy did not give up their ambitions in the automotive business. In 1926, they completed an even larger structure on north Main Street, at the present location of the Sanford Clinic. Details about this building can be seen later on this tour. In December 1957 the Farmers Union Oil Company purchased the Ralph Lynde and Son Petroleum facilities, which included the bulk storage tanks, service station pumps and underground tanks, a truck tank, lube oil distribution containers and inventory. Walter A. Smith, a long time employee of the Lynde business, would continue delivering fuel for the Farmers Union Oil Company.Today the building houses the NAPA auto parts store, and Farmer’s Union Insurance. A large apartment is located in the top floor. (Some information here is from the Ellendale 125th, p. 34-35)

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67 1st Ave S. - Ellendale Community Center / Redlin Implement

67 1st Ave S. - Ellendale Community Center / Redlin ImplementThis modern building was built to house a new and ambitious undertaking by a South Dakotan who shortly after the War decided that his best opportunities lay in the Ellendale area. His name was Ralph Redlin. Redlin bought P.A. Christensen International Harvester dealership (which was located on the present site of Brandenburg Park), in 1946. Redlin and his brother Earl built this modern structure in 1947 and dedicated it in early 1948.The spacious tile building, with large glass areas, was 82 x 96 feet in size. A warehouse 40 x 100 feet was added to the east side. The display room was 25 x 58 feet, the parts department, 24 x 44, and four offices occupied the main part of the building west of the shop. The general shop was 50 x 82 feet, and a paint shop addition 18 x 24 feet. A tool room adjoined the office quarters. In addition to the farm equipment manufactured by the International Harvester Company, the electric refrigeration units made by this company were also handled. They also had the agency for the Pontiac automobile line. Later they sold and repaired Allis Chalmers and New Holland equipmentIn addition to running the IH business, Ralph Redlin was active in investing and farming. He purchased the remaining Baldwin farms in the mid 1950s, and engaged in actual farm-related work. Tragically, he and his wife Ruby were killed in a truck accident while delivering grain to Duluth, Minnesota in June 1959. The Redlin family continued the business until 1965, when they sold it to Livy Hird, and it operated under the name of Hird’s Implement. Earl remained very active in business and community leadership, as well as state politics. In 1977 The City of Ellendale purchased the building, and moved the Fire Department from City Hall into the spacious rear area. The office and showroom space in front became the location of the new Community Center, which included a kitchen and dining area. In 1978 the City Library was moved from City Hall, where it had been located since that building was constructed in 1914. Ellendale’s first library had been located in the Opera House (Much of this information is from Ellendale 125th Book, p. 41.)

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100 Main - Starion / 1st National Bank

100 Main - Starion / 1st National BankThis building was the largest brick structure in the business district when it was built in 1906. The First National Bank had its roots in a bank started in 1892 by F.B. Gannon in a structure located at the present site of the Ellendale Bakery. In 1901 Gannon became partners with B.R. Crabtree and C.A. Morrison and the group formed the First National Bank of Ellendale.The area’s rapid growth led the partners to construct this building in 1906. A spacious structure, it also housed a post office, a lawyer’s office, a barber shop, and private living space. Early in his Ellendale practice, Dr. Roy Lynde kept an office in the upstairs section, as did Dr. A.S. Maercklein, who also served Ellendale for many decades as a primary care physician. This building was the only structure on this section of Main street to survive the devastating fire of 1916. It likewise weathered the financial calamities of the mid 1920s. In 1928 it absorbed the Farmers National Bank, which had earlier absorbed the Ellendale National Bank. This bank and the First National Bank of Oakes were the only two Dickey County banks to survive into the Depression.The First National Bank remained in the hands of the Crabtree family until 1907, when it was purchased by the Larson family of Valley City. In 1986 the first floor was enlarged to house an insurance agency and investment center. In 1992 it was remodeled to restore the appearance of the original structure, complete with stained glass windows and ornamental décor. In 2003 the name was changed to Starion. Starion now has multiple locations in North and South Dakota.

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112 Main - W.W. Woodward Company / Kosel's Four Seasons

112 Main – Kosel’s Four Seasons / Holte HardwareNels T. Holte walked from Jamestown to Ellendale in the spring of 1882. He started in the furniture and funeral service business with N.H. Bjornstad as a partner, later becoming the sole owner. It was on this site that Holte Furniture and Funeral Services was built.The fire of 1916 destroyed the business, but N.T. Holte would rebuild a new brick building at 108 Main. Furniture and hardware were the store’s inventory and the funeral business was continued here. The furniture part of the business was gradually phased out. In 1957 Holte Hardware was closed and the building was leased to Anthony Co., which operated a clothing and dry goods store. It became Kosel’s four Seasons in 1977 and carried a full line of clothing for men, women and children, plus fabrics and home accessories. The store closed in 1993. Subsequently the building housed Hot Stuff pizza. It is presently owned by Willie Blumhardt.

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116 Main - Ellendale Bakery / Fran’s Bakery & Cafe

116 Main - Ellendale Bakery / Fran’s Bakery & CafeRecords show that N.S. Diehl operated the Home Bakery in Ellendale in 1922. There were several other bakeries in the town from its very beginning. Otto Sehnert purchased the bakery in Ellendale in 1929 from N.S. Diehl. The son of Richard Sehnert, who had moved to South Dakota from Germany in 1888, learned the bakery trade, as did his three brothers. In the European tradition, the oldest son took over the family bakery in South Dakota and then helped the younger brothers buy bakeries elsewhere, including the one in Ellendale.Otto passed away in 1930 and his wife continued the business, assisted by Mr. and Mrs. A.C. Wade, for about six years. The Wades acquired the business and sold it in May 1948 to the Mil1er Brothers, Howard, Robert and Walter, from Valley City, ND. It is interesting to note here that O.A. Finney operated the Ellendale Jewelry from this location, he having the west half of the front part of the establishment and Mr. Miller displaying his baked goods on the east half.In 1957 the jewelry business was moved across the street to become Finney Jewelry. Miller managed the bakery until March of 1954 when it was sold to Marv Dahl. In April 1962 it was sold to Les McFarland, who operated it for five years before selling to Fran and Carol Cox. The Coxes provided El1endale with a fine selection of baked goods until their retirement in 2006.Randy and Norma Trautmann took over ownership in September 2006 and carried on the fine traditions of bakery products under the tutelage of Fran and Carol Cox.

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118 Main - Body Shop / Bjornstad Building / Ben Franklin

118 Main - Body Shop / Bjornstad Building / Ben FranklinP.H. Bjornstad and Son established the first hardware store in Ellendale, in 1882, and became renowned for fitting and repairing horse harnesses, in addition to supplying the standard stock of hardware. They kept a busy store, and even had a church congregation in their building. In 1884 the Baptist Society was organized in Ellendale, and they held their early meetings in the hall above Bjornstad’s store until they were able to construct their own building. Bjornstad’s first store was destroyed in the big 1916 fire, but a solid brick building was soon constructed, just to the hardware stock was kept in front, and the harness shop occupied a room at the back. In December 1919, the Mitchell Company, which had been operating a small hardware store on West Main, bought the business and moved to this building.In 1935, Les Mertick bought the Bjornstad building and started a franchise of the Ben Franklin store. Ben Franklin was a prominent national chain selling dry goods and household items. In 1961 the business was moved just east, to what had been the Red Owl store (the present site of Mahler’s Village Variety). In 1964 Art and Ardys Fryslie purchased it, expanded it, and renamed it Village Variety. In 2006, business partners Tokina McHarry and Valerie Wagner bought the building and created the Body Shop, a fitness center with modern workout equipment that is available to customers in early mornings and evenings.

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126 Main - Lyric Theater

126 Main - Lyric TheaterThe Lyric Theater was the brainchild of Claude C. Baker of Minneapolis, who in 1909 purchased the Bodle Building, a frame structure across the street from the present location. Baker “entirely remodeled and handsomely decorated with electric lights throughout and with red lights to indicate exits.” A steady supply of electricity was essential for a theater. But municipal electric service would not begin until 1914, when the power plant was constructed at the west end of town. The new Dickey Hotel, however, did have its own electric generating plant. Baker rigged an electrical line through the alley to his new theater, and this served the initial needs of the operation. The Lyric presented its first movie on April 5, 1909.The early films were projected from a hand-cranked machine called a motiograph. They typically lasted for about an hour, and came on ten-minute reels. The frequent intermissions, gave opportunity for live piano music and vocal accompanists, who also often performed during the films.In less than a year, Baker sold the Lyric to C.G. Boom and J.B. DuRand for $1,300. The new partners constructed a building in the present location, opening to the public in October 1914, boasting luxurious accommodations and a new motorized projector. Less than two years later—on May 9, 1916—a massive fire destroyed the new theater—and most of the business district. The Lyric operated temporarily in the Opera House until the present structure was opened in September 1916.The early 1930s were another time of transition. In January 1930, the Lyric introduced its first “talkie,” employing its new Eastern Electric sound system to show "The Innocents of Paris" with Maurice Chevalier. The rolling back of blue laws also affected the theater. Sunday movies were prohibited until the election of November 1934. The first Sunday mnovie was presented in Ellendale on December 9, 1934.Boom and DuRand operated the Lyric successfully for five decades, finally closing it in 1959 due to declining attendance. But new life was soon breathed into the Lyric, as insurance agent J.D. Crabtree and Warren Merrick, owner of the Ben Franklin store, purchased the building to keep it in operation. Erv Raymond became sole owner in 1963, but the business struggled for the next ten years, perhaps because of widening access to broadcast TV. In 1973 the building was sold, and housed various businesses until 1980, when Mark Anderson of Edgeley restored and redecorated the building, supplying it with new equipment and fixtures. Anderson opened the Lyric again in January 1980, with one show every Friday, Saturday and Sunday.The Lyric continued to struggle, business-wise, and now sits empty. Residents who nurture a vision for community restoration would love to see it revived. For now, the lettering on the signboard reads simply, “pray.”

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136 Main - Mahler's Village Variety

136 Main - Mahler's Village VarietyMahler's Village Variety has been a part of the Ellendale business district since October 1985, when Paul and Kathy Mahler purchased the store from Art and Ardys Fryslie, who had operated the business since 1964. Previously it had been the Ben Franklin Store. The Mahlers came from Iowa where he had managed a J.C. Penney store. They are natives of Fairmount, ND.A devastating fire destroyed the business in November of 1990, but the determined owners would not be deterred. Within nine months the store had been rebuilt and was once again open for business. Village Variety offers a wide selection of goods from gifts and greeting cards to toys and decorations, notions and craft materials, kitchen items and basic clothing supplies, jewelry, candies, dishes, and a thousand other needs and wants. The Mahlers continue to carry on the great American tradition of the ”five and dime store.”

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144 Main - Corner Corral / North American Creamery / L.S. Jones General Merchandise Store

144 Main - Corner Corral / North American Creamery / L.S. Jones General Merchandise StoreThis long, narrow brick building at the east corner of the central block of south main was the site of the L.S. Jones General Merchandise Store. Jones built the brick structure shortly after the 1916 fire. That fire destroyed all the buildings between the First National Bank and City Hall, as well as numerous buildings on the north side of east Main. Jones ran his store for an unknown length of time, then sold the building to the North American Creamery Company. The North American Creamery was one of several local creamerys, and ran prominent ads in the Dickey County Leader both for buyers and sellers of dairy produce.In 1954 Herb and Vi Neil purchased the building and turned it into a bar, operating under the name “Circle Bar.” In 1973 they sold it to Chuck Lowman, who operated it for two years before selling it to Dale and Janet Davis. Henceforth its name became “Dale’s Corner Corral.” It was sold to the Andersons in 1997 and is still bears the name “Corner Corral.”A unique feature of this building is the smokestack on the south end, the largest of any of the buildings on the block. Presumably, Mr. Jones desired a large furnace, and did not want to choke the lungs of customers who parked their buggies and cars on the street next to his general merchandise store. Jones ran his store for an unknown length of time, then sold the building to the North American Creamery Company. The North American Creamery was one of several local creamers, and ran prominent ads in the Dickey County Leader both for buyers and sellers of dairy produce.In 1954 Herb and Vi Neil purchased the building and turned it into a bar, operating under the name “Circle Bar.” In 1973 they sold it to Chuck Lowman, who operated it for two years before selling it to Dale and Janet Davis. Henceforth its name became “Dale’s Corner Corral.” It was sold to the Andersons in 1997 and is still bears the name “Corner Corral.”A unique feature of this building is the smokestack on the south end, the largest of any of the buildings on the block. Presumably, Mr. Jones desired a large furnace, and did not want to choke the lungs of customers who parked their buggies and cars on the street next to his general merchandise store.

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141 Main - Sanford Health Clinic / Roy & Guy Lynde Chrysler Garage / Linder TV

141 Main - Sanford Health Clinic / Roy & Guy Lynde Chrysler GarageThe Lynde Chrysler Garage, built after the 1916 fire that destroyed the entire north side of this block, also housed the medical practice of Dr. Roy Lynde, who served Ellendale as a physician from 1905 until his death in 1962.Prior to the 1916 fire, this corner was the site of the Security Bank, whose name was changed to the Citizens bank when it was owned by F.E. Cawley. The property was owned by W.L. Briley, B.R. Crabtree and the First National Bank.Construction on the Lynde’s Garage was completed in early 1926. The two-story building had an automobile showroom and offices in the front, while the Dakota Telephone Exchange occupied the north end of the lot.Also located on the main floor was a work and storage room, reception rooms, office, a survey, and living quarters. A full basement provides space for heating equipment and storage. Later, Doc had an outdoor shelter just west of the garage for his fine collection of birds.Roy and Guy Lynde’s dealership was one of the original Chrysler franchises. An advertisement in 1929 also offered Hupmobile autos for sale The brothers built two automobiles, both of which were sold and registered as Lynde cars, serial numbers 1 and 2.After Doc’s death in 1962, the building housed an auto parts store, a grocery store and Harry Linder’s TV store. The original Chrysler garage area is now home to the Sanford Health Clinic. North of that is a showroom for the True Value and further north is the present office of the Dickey County Leader.

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139 Main – True Value Hardware

139 Main – True Value HardwareFollowing the fire of 1916, all of the destroyed buildings were replaced except the for the one that occupied this spot. Instead, a vacant lot stood in the shadow of the large Lynde Chrysler Garage (now the Sanford Health Clinic). Ellendale has always had more than one hardware store. The first Coast to Coast Store in Ellendale opened in 1945 in the west business section of the Opera House block. Owner and operator Ted Griffin sold the business to Don and Ruth Ludtka in May of 1949.The Ludtkas sold out to Cal Diede in November 1972, and the Diedes moved the store to this long empty spot. Donald (Butch) Middlestead purchased the business in 1994. In 2002 the store became the True Value and has operated under that franchise since.

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129 Main - Seyer Plumbing & Heating

129 Main - Seyer Plumbing & HeatingThis building was built in 1916 following the big fire that destroyed both sides of Main Street with the exception of the First National Bank (Starion Financial).In 1920 Ed Wallis and William Straub built a pool hall on this site. The brick building had big plate glass windows, and the second store served as an apartment house. The business offered a cigar stand and soft-drink counter, together with billiards tables and green-shaded lights that brightly lit up the roomIn 1962 the building was bought by Harold Redmond and Alvin Marvick who were in business together. This business was called R & M Hardware Electric. This partnership ended in 1965, and the name was changed to Redmond Hardware Electric until it ceased operation in 1993. John Stefanowicz, of Stef's Plumbing and Heating, then purchased the building. Brian Seyer bought out the business in 2002 and it became Seyer Plumbing and Heating.

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125 Main – Prairie Floral and Gifts / Stout Abstract / Ellendale Dry Cleaners

125 Main – Prairie Floral and Gifts / Stout Abstract / Ellendale Dry CleanersA photograph from about 1930 (see above) shows this building occupied by G.D. Stout Abstract Company and a law office. When Stout died in 1940 or 1941, his abstract business went into the hands of W.L. and Mebel Beggs Briley, who operated Dickey County Abstract out of the courthouse. Bob and Toni Bettings bought the business in 1961. In 1981 they bought the Baldwin building and their abstract company returned to Main Street. The building was home to Ellendale Dry Cleaners in 1942 and was operated by John and Stella Ackerson. They ran the business for 17 years. Upon their retirement, they sold it to their daughter and son-in-law Betty and Erv Raymond. It continued under their ownership until 1975. Several other owners operated the dry-cleaning business there until it was closed.Ray and Betty Schlenker purchased the building and started the Prairie Floral business. It continues today under the direction of Nola (Schlenker) Schweitz.

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121 Main - Baldwin Building / Dickey County Abstract & Title

This elegant building, constructed after the big 1916 fire, was the headquarters for Dickey County’s largest centrally managed farming operation. George Baldwin of Wisconsin, an extraordinarily successful investor, had amassed 300,000 acres of land over several states by his death in 1907, 70,000 of them in North Dakota. In 1914 his son George Jr. began an experiment that turned eight Dickey County ranches of the Baldwin estate into scientifically managed farms. Though not as large as the earlier Bonanza Farms in the Red River Valley, the Baldwin operation used similar advanced management and economies of scale to develop a highly productive agricultural enterprise. The Baldwin Farms operated this way for nearly four decades, until financial difficulties and changing interests led their owners to sell them off in the mid 1950s. Details about the Baldwin Farms can be found in the Ellendale 125th Anniversary Book, 192-193.In 1952 Dickey Rural Telephone (now DRN) purchased the Baldwin Building on Main Street in Ellendale and made its headquarters there. In the late 1970's the company built a new headquarters north of town on Highway 281. (Ellendale 125th Book, p. 56In 1981 Toni Betting, owner of the Dickey County Abstract & Title Company, purchased the building, and operated the business along with her daughter Monica Peldo, who later became the owner. In 1989 the Dakota Plains Credit Union of Edgeley opened a branch in the building, sharing space with the Abstract Company. In 1995 a balcony level was added to provide more space. Dakota Plains later constructed its own building on 1st Street North, across from Char’s Food Pride, leaving the Dickey County Abstract & Title Company as sole occupants of the historic building.

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117 Main - Ellendale Pharmacy . Axtell-Amphlett/Rexall Drug

This block has had a drug store since Ellendale’s earliest years. E.F. Bodle and C.M. Axtell were partners until Bodle retired in 1907. In 1909, the original Bodle building (which was on the north side of the street) became the Lyric theater, which operated there for a season and then relocated on the south side of the street. In 1910, Axtell joined with A.R. (Roe) Amphlett and the store (located for a time in the Holte building on the south side of the street) was known as Axtell-Amphlett.The big 1916 fire destroyed nearly everything on this block. Axtell-Amphlett operated out of the Hotel Ellendale until they completed their new store on the north side of the street. Amphlett purchased the Axtell interest in 1920 and was the sole owner until his death in 1949. His son, Owen, then became the manage until the franchise was sold to Norm Glarum in 1955. Gerald Mell managed the store from 1958-1961, when it was sold to John Anderson and the name changed to Anderson Drug.John (Jack) Beringer came to work for Anderson in 1971 and bought the business in 1975. Beringer operated the Drug Store until it closed in 1998.In October 1986, Thomas Ulmer of Fullerton purchased the Clinic Pharmacy from Dorothy Hansen. He worked out of the clinic for 10 years. In 1996, Ulmer purchased the Anderson Drug files from Jack Beringer and started Ellendale Pharmacy. The business provides residents with a prescriptions, and a wide variety of over-the-counter products, cards, gifts, candy, film developing and dry cleaning.

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111 Main—Rath Optometry / Helder’s Barber Shop

111 Main—Rath Optometry / Helder’s Barber ShopFor most of its history, Ellendale has had several barber shops. Helder’s on Main Street was one of the most popular.The Helder Brothers, Francis (Pete), Bernard (Buck), Daniel (Danny) and John (Jack), came to Ellendale from Conde, SD in 1924 and purchased a building from the Brown Estate. The west half of the building would become Helder’s Barber Shop and the east half was purchased by Mr. Fred Kuni, who established a jewelry store there.Three of the brothers left prior to and during the war, but Jack stayed. His wife, Alice, operated a Beauty Shop in the north end of the business. This section was sold in the 1950's. They lived in Ellendale the rest of their lives, Jack passing away in 1953. Alice rented the shop out for a few years, and it was sold in about 1963-65. Jack and Alice had one son, John (Jack) Helder.Dr. Rath's Optometrist practice began in Ellendale in August of 1981. Originally he was in partnership with longtime Oakes, ND optometrist Dr. Lloyd Reneir. Dr. Renier retired in 1986 and Dr. Rath continues to practice in Ellendale today. Complete family eye care is provided including examinations, glasses, all types of contact lenses and the treatment of eye diseases. (125th, p. 49)

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105 Main - Cutting Edge / Dobler & Brown’s Meat Market

105 Main - Cutting Edge / Dobler & Brown’s Meat MarketThis building, built after the 1916 fire, was a meat market owned by Hafner and Crocki when it was bought by Matt and Richard Dobler in 1933. It was equipped with a slaughterhouse so all butchering could be done on site. The meat was hung in a walk-in cooler to be processed after being properly aged. The cattle hides were cleaned, salted and stored in the little hide house until the hide buyer made his rounds to purchase them. The basement of the shop is where the grinding of meat, making of sausage, and curing of bacon and hams was done, as well as the making of headcheese, liverwurst, and barrels of sauerkraut.In 1948 Marvin Brown became Richard’s partner and the business was called Dobler and Brown. It remained that until the shop was closed.In later years the building housed a plumbing and heating store, a parts store, a storage space, Marnie’s Beauty Salon. The Cutting Edge now occupies the building.More details are provided in Ellendale’s 125th History Book, on page 18.

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101 Main - Merkel CPA / Blumer's Grocery / Town Hub Grocery

101 Main - Merkel CPA / Blumer's Grocery / Town Hub GroceryThe five storefronts sharing a common brick facade were erected following a disastrous 1916 fire that destroyed most of the buildings on Main Street. The corner building--presently Merkel CPA--housed one of Ellendale's most important grocery stores.Blumer Grocery was started in Ellendale in 1891 when Fred Blumer, Sr. and his brother Charlie opened a grocery store on Second Street South. They later moved to Main Street at the location of today's Starion Financial Bank (the former First National Bank). In 1902 Fred sold his interest to his brother's widow and opened a store across the street on the corner. The building was owned by Henry Martin.The 1916 fire destroyed the business as well as those east of there to the end of the block. But by September of that year Fred had formed a partnership with his son and the new store, built on the same site, was known as Blumer & Son. They were well known for famous brands, courteous treatment and efficient service. Groceries were delivered around town for customers who had called in their order.The business continued until until Fred W.'s retirement in 1947, when it was bought by Harold Hubbard and Howard Townsend. The first syllable in the two partners’ names provided the name of the store: Town Hub Grocery. One and a half years later Hubbard sold his interest to Howard and Marion Townsend. The Townsends operated the store by themselves until 1968, with only occasional part time help. Subsequently the building has had various owners. Early in the 2000s it housed the Coffee Bean, a corner cafe owned by Becky Tatum. Subsequently it was occupied by Jeberleco, an arts and fitness enterprise operated by local artist Jami Eberle. Mitchell Merkel, an Ellendale native, purchased the corner building in 2015 and continues to operate his CPA office there.

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200 Main - Ellendale Masonic Lodge

200 Main - Ellendale Masonic LodgeEllendale Masonic Lodge #13 is Ellendale's longest surviving community organization having received its Charter on June 12, 1883. At that time, it was known as Ellendale Lodge #49 A.E & A.M. of Dakota Territory. When Dakota Territory was divided into states, the Charter was endorsed in 1889 to Ellendale Lodge #13 A.E & A.M. under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of North Dakota.The Lodge owes its origins to nine Brother Master Masons that had settled in Ellendale and decided to start a Lodge in their new community. The nine charter members were: Theodore N. Larson, James A. Scott, Ebenezer P. Perry, Frank B. Gannon, Hans M. Bergendahl, William Worlds, John Wheelihan, Marcellus E. Randall and John S. Lanney. Four petitions for membership were received at the second meeting of the fledgling organization from Alexander D. Flemington, Robert Wells, Thomas Sefton and W.H. Becker.Brother Flemington was the first to be raised to the sublime degree of Master Mason by the Ellendale Lodge. Their first meetings were held on the second floor of a building erected by Wesley Moran in which the Dickey County Leader was published. In 1887, the Leader was sold to E.J. Moore and E.S. Goddard. They needed the second floor to use as a residence, so the Lodge meetings were moved to the second story of the Model Drug Store owned by Dr. Osborn which was located on the site where the current Masonic Lodge building is situated. In 1888, the Lodge moved once again, this time to a newly erected building that was located where the present Corner Corral is located. The second floor was used not only by the Masons as their Lodge, but also by two other fraternal organizations, the Odd Fellows and the Workmen. This remained the Masons home until 1913 at which time the Lodge moved once again, this time to a room located on the third floor of the Opera House.On July 6, 1916, the Lodge purchased the lot where the current Lodge building is located. The building that had been on that site had been destroyed by the great fire of May 9, 1916 that devastated much of Main Street. However, it wasn't until 1933 that the building itself was finally erected. Much credit goes to Brother Guy Shufelt who did all the plumbing and heating installation. Brother George H. Keyes, a past Grand Master of North Dakota, was honored at the dedication for his contribution to the Lodge enabling the temple to be dedicated free of debt.The Ellendale Lodge has been very active in the community since its inception in 1883. They have participated in the cornerstone dedications of both the Carnegie Hall building at the NI and the Dickey County Courthouse. In 1987, the Lodge started an annual baked Potaro dinner for the benefit of Ellendale High School students who participate in the Close Up Program. Through the first 19 years, the Lodge has raised over $37,000 for the Close Up students.

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210 Main - Dakota Dental Care

210 Main - Dakota Dental Care Dakota Dental Care started out as The Area Dental Clinic. It was built in 1975 and the first dentist to occupy the building was Dr. W.S. Stemm. The practice was eventually sold to Dr. Mark Persson and Dr. Ray Murray. The clinic was affiliated with clinics in Edgeley and Kulm. In 1987, Dr. Lana Schlecht, bought the clinic and a year later renamed it "Dakota Dental Care.” In 28 years of service, she became renowned for her interest in the community, establishing personal relationships with hundreds of local residents, serving on community and state boards and arts councils, engaging in philanthropy, and working in dental outreach projects. Dr. Schlecht has done dental outreach at Evergreen Place and Prince of Peace Care Center, worked with “Give Kids A Smile,” the AGAPE Foundation, and Head Start, and has also provided free dentistry through outreach trips to Mexico, Siberia, Morocco, and Romania.In early 2015, Dr, Schlecht passed the practice on to Dr. Caleb Johnson. Dr. Johnson had the business for a little over two years and then left because of personal problems. The business was then purchased by Buck Cotter, who relaunched it as Cotter Dental. A newspaper article about Dr. Cotter is below:(NEW LOCAL DENTIST BRINGS STRONG VALUES, LATEST TECHNIQUES TO ELLENDALE PRACTICEDickey County Leader, April 2018)“I didn’t want to be in a corporate environment, in the middle of a city, fighting for business with high overhead, pressured to do dentistry that I didn’t believe in.” Instead, said Dr. Buck Cotter, Ellendale’s new dentist, wanted to be in a small community, “where I could do the dentistry I wanted and be appreciated for doing it.” The mission statement of the new practice explains what he’s about: “Our goal is to save teeth and keep people smiling their entire life. We do that by educating our patients on habits that strengthen teeth and gums and providing modern dentistry that improves their lives This is how we are bringing smiles back.” Buck, his wife Nadia, their second-grade twins Wes and Sadie, and their kindergarten son Dax have taken up residence in Ellendale, and, are looking forward to growing with our area. Buck and Nadia are both Arizona natives. Both have spent significant time in church and volunteer work, Buck having served a mission in Idaho and Nadia in Central America. Buck has a business background and Nadia has worked in nursing. Their children are happily enrolled at the Ellendale Public School. The family is appreciative of Ellendale for its social environment, whatever their reservations about this year’s unusually long winter. Dr. Cotter replaces Dr. Caleb Johnson, who in 2014 purchased Dakota Dental Care from Dr. Lana Schlecht. Under Dr. Cotter’s ownership, Ellendale dentistry has moved into a new phase that places a heavy emphasis on consistent, reliable service combined with the latest in high-tech dentistry. Dr. Cotter is a graduate of Arizona State University and earned his D.D.S. (Doctor of Dental Surgery) degree from The University of Southern California in 2016. He practiced for a year in Albuquerque before coming to Ellendale. Buck is an early riser, typically beginning his routines before five o’clock each morning. As he explained in a morning interview, USC is unique in how it trains dentists. Its graduates complete a very demanding program requiring 44 courses taken in 11 consecutive 14-week trimesters. Each course carries the designation “problem based learning,” an approach that describes a distinctive philosophy of education. As Dr. Cotter explained, USC dental students are intensively trained to recognize and respond to real-world dental situations, not by relating those problems to typical textbook examples, but by understanding what is actually going on in the patient’s mouth. And more than in other programs, they learn to relate tooth-related issues to a very wide range of physical conditions that both stem from and contribute dental problems. It’s a rigorous, difficult method. But it produces dentists who are highly confident and capable dealing problems they’ve never seen before. Given Dakota Dental Care’s circumstances in past few years, Dr. Cotter is particularly aware of the importance of stability and confidence in the doctor-patient relationship. One of his first moves in the new practice was to install, off the side of the lobby, a small consultation office. It’s a soundproof room with a small glass-door, where he can visit confidentially with clients about every issue that relates to their dental health. His work focuses extensively on educating patients both on maintaining their teeth and finding the best solutions to their dental problems. Dr. Cotter is particularly aware of the financial burdens dental care can place on low-income and fixed-income patients. He and Nadia “were both raised by hard working single moms” and understand issues of cost and care both from the side of the practitioner and the patient. Dr. Cotter stressed that while he has purchased the building, its equipment, and the dental records of the clients, he did not take over Dr. Johnson’s practice, per se. He did not purchase the accounts receivable, and thus has made a “clean break” in the matter of any moneys that patients may owe to Dr. Johnson. “If anybody owes money to Dakota Dental Care,” he stressed, “they owe Dr. Johnson (P.O. Box 310), and not us.”The new practice differs also in that it utilizes a policy wherein payment is required at the time of treatment. Along with this payment procedure, Dr. Cotter is committed to offering very extensive personal consultation in which all viable treatment options are considered, and all costs are laid out clearly in advance of treatment. As the proprietor of a relatively low-volume practice, he believes he can offer better and more extensive personalized consultation and care than one would find in a larger practice, particularly one associated with a regional dental chain. The practice is also breaking ground in technology as well. Amid the extensive investments Dr. Cotter has made in equipment is a computer-aided design and fabrication (CAD-CAM) machine that mills dental crowns in the precise shape determined from a scan of the patient’s mouth. High quality porcelain crowns can be constructed and hardened while patients wait, thus avoiding the need for temporary crowns and repeat visits. A variety of brand new equipment is found in each room. One new state-of-the-art chair has ben added, as well as a high tech sterilization unit for dental tools. Dr. Cotter noted that even though Ellendale is a small town, the practice is still subject to all state and federal regulations, such as those required by OSHA, the state dental board, and medical organizations. “Everything is up to code,” he emphasizes, and is thoroughly modern. Launching the new practice has required “quite an investment” of both time and money, “but people are going to like it in the end. Already we are getting very good responses from our patients.”

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216 Main - DMV / Dickey County Leader Office

216 Main - DMV / Dickey County Leader OfficeThis building, completed in late 1916, was the second home of the Dickey County Leader, Ellendale’s oldest newspaper. The original building, which was on the same site, was destroyed in the big 1916 fire that consumed all the structures on Main Street except for the First National Bank (now Starion), and wiped out nearly all the buildings on the north and south side of Main all the way to City Hall. Details about the new building and the new equipment it was supplied with are provided in the January 11, 1917 Leader: https://archive.org/details/DSC0064_201701The Leader kept this building as its headquarters until 2003 when it moved into a space at the rear of the building that is now the Sanford Clinic (formerly the Roy and Guy Lynde Chrysler garage). The smaller space was more practical, as the paper was no longer using the bulky printing equipment that occupied most of the space in this building. The building was then purchased by attorney Kim Radermacher, who described it as “an extraordinary building” and proudly maintained the Leader sign: “It’s part of the building’s and Ellendale’s history,” she said. The building is now occupied by the Ellendale Branch of the Division of Motor Vehicles. The Ellendale Job Development Authority (JDA) keeps an office in the back, where strategic plans are hatched to help the town develop its many resources.

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241 Main - Evergreen Place / Ellendale Hospital / Site of Original Courthouse

241 Main - Evergreen Place / Ellendale Hospital / Site of Original CourthouseThe space now occupied by Evergreen Place was the site of the first Dickey County courthouse, which was erected in 1884-85. The building served not only the legal purposes of a courthouse, but was used for a wide variety of public events, including receptions, dances, roller skating, and even athletic practice.The large new courthouse, on 2nd St. N., was built in 1911-12. In 1916 the Presbyterian congregation purchased the original building and disassembled it for the lumber.In 1952, the fruits of a six-year quest were realized, as the doors were opened for the Dickey County Memorial Hospital. The hospital had 21 beds and the base charges were $8.00 per day. In 1958 air conditioning was installed in each room. In 1973 a major remodeling job was completed.In 1995 the hospital closed its doors. Since then the building has functioned as an assisted living center.

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55 3rd Ave. S. - City Hall, Water Tower

55 3rd Ave. S. - City Hall, Water Tower1914 was a good year for Ellendale advancement, as it marked the completion of a new City Hall building, and the beginning of a municipal electrical generation plant. The new brick City Hall, built, across the street from the original building, was finished without incurring any debt, and it allowed the rapid improvement of city services. The building also housed the public library, which had previously been located in the Opera House building.The area’s high-pressure artesian water supply was originally a major boast of the town. However after several decades, the pressure proved to be too small to adequately service the community. In 1917 a 110,000-gallon water tower was erected, which provided the needed pressure. Over the next 100 years many improvements were made to the water system, and in 2017 construction of a new water tower was approved. For six decades the City Hall building housed the fire department. In 1976, when the city purchased the Redlin Implement building on Highway 281 near the middle of town, the Fire Department moved into the large service bays in the back of that building. Ellendale’s City Hall is known for its efficient administration of public services. Ellendale’s city fathers are well aware that the quality of life and future prosperity of the town relies to a large extent on the ability to provide good, reliable basic services like water, sewer, and garbage pickup.

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301 Main - Bjornstad Park / Ellendale Municipal Pump House

301 Main - Bjornstad Park / Ellendale Municipal Pump HouseThe Harold Bjornstad Park was restored and in 1975 it received the Bicentennial Award for municipal beautifucation. The small building houses a water pump that was used for the municipal water supply for many years.

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321 N. 1st St, - Ellendale Public School

321 N. 1st St, - Ellendale Public SchoolThe history of the Ellendale Public School is so long and rich that it deserves the full accounting it received in Ellendale's Sesquicentennial Book. Click here to download a pdf (7 pages): http://bit.ly/ellendaleschoolsThe Ellendale High School was one of the most advanced in the state by the 1890s. For an idea of the level of educational quality, please download and browse the pdf of the 1896 Public School report for Ellendale: http://bit.ly/ehs1896handbook

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421 2nd Ave. N. - St. Helena’s Catholic Church

421 2nd Ave. N. - St. Helena’s Catholic ChurchThe Catholic faith has been part of Ellendale’s history since the very beginning. The first mass was held here in 1882. In 1886 the corner section of this block was purchased for the price of $75.00. The original building, of which almost no photographs remain, was planned and built by parishioners at a cost of $1,000, which included furnishings to seat 125 people. It faced south, and was located approximately where the parsonage sits today.The parish was not a wealthy one in the early decades, but the members persevered despite lack of funds. In 1922 the first furnace was installed, replacing the coal stove that had warmed the building for many years. The best known priest of the parish was Father Charles F. Veach, who served nearly four decades, beginning in 1943. Father Veach, much loved in the town, was knowns as the “Farming Priest” for his energetic work on land owned by the parish. When he retired in 1979, the congregation had this beautiful new building, a fine parsonage, and a $120,000 Social Center with classrooms and dining center. Father Veach’s legacy is perhaps best symbolized by the large crucifix sculptures he commissioned, one of which stands in front of the Social Center, and one of which adorns the Catholic cemetery east of town. Another, lesser known, stands on a hill west of Guelph, overlooking land farmed by the priest and his parishioners. For Father Veach and his successors, and for members of his congregation, service in and around Ellendale has truly been a labor of love.

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309 N. 2nd St. - Dickey County Courthouse

309 N. 2nd St. - Dickey County CourthouseDickey County’s first courthouse was constructed on Main Street in 1884-85, and served the community and area until 1912, when the present structure was completed. The new building cost about $100,000 and was dedicated July 4, 1912. In 1980 the building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. All updating efforts have fallen under federal guidelines for historic preservation, and Ellendale is proud to be the home of one of the finest courthouses in the state.

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115 3rd Ave. N. Original Presbyterian Church / Zion Lutheran Church

115 3rd Ave. N. Original Presbyterian Church / Zion Lutheran ChurchIndividuals and families of Scottish heritage played an outsized social and cultural role in the early years of Ellendale. The Presbyterian Church was home to much of this dynamism. This ”Concert of Ye Olden Tyme” graphic was at the top of a broadsheet advertising an ecumenical community gathering held there in November 1883, two weeks before the building was formally dedicated. The full broadsheet is evidence of the appreciation for humor and culture that these settlers brought from their previous homes in states like Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Ohio, and New York. It can be viewed here: http://bit.ly/1883concertThe Presbyterians worshiped here until 1927, when the building was sold to the Evangelical Lutheran Society and the building became home to the Zion Lutheran congregation. In 1954, the Zion congregation, having long outgrown this facility, dedicated its fine new building at 121 2nd St. S.Subsequently the building was used for living quarters, and today it houses apartments.

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121 1st St. N. – Char's Food Pride / Ulmer's Jack and Jill

121 1st St. N. – Char's Food Pride / Ulmer's Jack and JillEllendale has had numerous food stores over its history, and at times three or more grocers competed for local business. The last remaining grocery store was bought by Char Knight in 1999. Char’s Food Pride continues to serve the community with excellence as an affiliate of Nash Finch. Ray Ulmer, who bought the Red and White store on Main Street in 1947, became legendary for his economy and dogged competitiveness. In 1958, Nash-Finch retired the Red and White brand and switched to Jack and Jill. Ulmer’s Jack and Jill prospered, and moved to this location—the former home of Zimmerman John Deere--in 1970. The Ulmer family ran the store until 1999. Subsequently Ray Ulmer became known for local philanthropy. The fieldhouse at Trinity Bible College, for example, is named in honor of his generous contributions.Ellendale merchants often point out the advantages of shopping locally. One of those is that food items in North Dakota are not taxed, a fact that makes Char’s Food Pride a good alternative to driving to Aberdeen to make use of larger stores. Over 100 years ago, local businesses were well aware of the trends toward mail order shopping (though food was usually not involved at that time). The Leader ran a doggerel poem called “Mister Brown of Shopless Town” that called attention to the concern (see graphic on this app page). The original clipping can be seen here: http://bit.ly/shoplesstown1

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111 1st St. N – Ellendale Post Office

The Ellendale Post Office was originally located in the First National Bank building (now Starion). In 1953 it was moved to the Red Owl Store east of the bank. It remained there until 1975 (?), when a new building was erected just west of Ulmer’s Jack and Jill (now Char’s Food Pride).

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47. 61 1st St N. - Blumhardt’s Chevrolet & Lots

47. 61 1st St N. - Blumhardt’s Chevrolet & LotsWhat was previously a livery stable became a garage when F.M. Kendall and Edward Hamar opened for business as a car dealer in 1915. Kendall & Hamar built a first-rate Chevrolet franchise. From it has descended one of Ellendale’s premier businesses, occupying space on three corners of this intersection.In 1947 Kendall and Hamar sold out to Thorp Auto Company of Britton, SD. The dealership changed hands again in 1953 when Thorp auto was sold to Herman Chalgren, Donald A. Nelson, and Ivan Sprouse. They opened under the name “Quality Chevrolet Company.” In 1972 Willie Blumhardt (a mechanic who had worked for years at the business) and George Hall purchased the business, and it became Blumhardt & Hall Chevrolet-Pontiac, Inc. Hall retired in 1979, and since then the it has been simply Blumhardt’s Chevrolet. It is a full-service dealership offering new cars and trucks at every price range, as well as used vehicles. Blumhardt’s service department has an excellent reputation in the area, and Willie Blumhardt has a well-deserved reputation for friendliness and good humor.

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71 1st St N. – Pheasant Lanes Bowling

Bowling has a long history in Ellendale. Some of its history since the 1950s is recounted in this doggerel poem by one of Ellendale’s biggest bowling fans: http://bit.ly/bowlingpoemSeveral smaller establishments featured bowling lanes, but this full-sized dedicated facility—named “Pheasant Lanes” dates to 1961.The business was a partnership between Elmer Bjorlie, Iver Undeby, Roy Jolliffe and Avis Jolliffe. They ran it for several years, and then Pheasant Lanes, Inc. was established as a limited partnership between Alex and Pauline Zimmerman, Pete Flynn, Ray Ulmer, Ray Ginsbach, and Jim Comstock.In 1973 Verland and Nadine Zinter bought the business and changed the name to Zig Zag Lanes. In 1980, the Richard Young family purchased the business and brought back the original name. In Dick and Twyla Young took full ownership. Since 2012 Pheasant Lanes has been owned by Dana and Lou Ann Geller.

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50 N. 1st St. Carquest/Cenex Automotive / Salzer Lumber

50 N. 1st St. Carquest/Cenex Automotive / Salzer LumberAt the present site of Cenex repair and Carquest Auto Parts stood, a century ago, a large full-service lumberyard that serviced Ellendale with high quality lumber and specialty construction items. Salzer Lumber was a well-established chain, with sores in numerous North Dakota communiti8es. Their advertisements in the Dickey County Leader suggest that they were appealing to an upscale market.Salzer Lumber is prominent in the panoramic photo of Ellendale in December 1914. It was one of several prominent lumber yards that serviced Ellendale in its early years.

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End of Tour - Ellendale Coleman Museum

End of Tour - Ellendale Coleman MuseumYou are back at the starting point. We hope you have enjoyed this tour. Please direct comments, questions, errors, additions, suggestions, and flattery to colemanmuseum@gmail.com.If you are taking this tour on paper, please feel free to write down your comments, questions, errors, additions, suggestions, and flattery on the pages before you return them to the museum. Thank You!