February 7^th, 1975

I am trying to write up a history of Fairdale and how it became a town. In 1904, Fairdale was nothing but fields, coulees, little hills, and a country store. The store was started in about 1901 or 1902 by Jim Gordon. It was soon sold to a Mr. Blevins, who had two boys who walked to our country school. The school was located a half-mile south of the corner of present # 9 and # 22. The store was about five rods west from the corner of # 9, on the north side of the road, on the property of the present school. At the store we could buy almost anything we needed, so we would not have to drive a team clear to Milton to get some needed groceries. It saved the farmers here many trips to town_, but they still had to haul their grain to Osnabrook, Milton, or Edinburg.

Then came the rumors that the Soo Line was coming through, and the course was staked out in the spring of 1904. Three different routes were staked out: one was a little ways south of our barn, on our farm north of town, another was near where the schoolhouse is now, and the third was where the track actually came.

Many figured it would come south where the country store was, so they started building small shacks out there on both sides of # 9. J.S. McNish came and built a large building of one single wall, like a barn, just to be the first hotel operator here. Jack McGregor, who lived on the farm known as the Henry Johnson farm, sold his farm and put up a livery barn.

In the spring of 1905, Ed Larson came from Milton and put up a small shack for a grocery store, about where the Fairdale Supply is. By then they had discovered where the railroad would be, and they all had to move closer to it. John Rorvick moved his little store and put it up where the new Farmers’ Union Oil Co. is. J.S. McNish moved up and built a real nice hotel right on the corner where the Farmers' Union Oil Station is.

Lots were measured up and then things really started booming. By the time the rails came, there was already a good-sized town. Ed Larson built a nice big store right where the Community Hall is now. Ole Nordlie, a farmer, built the double building, which is now the Fairdale Bar. The south part was a general store and- the north part started out as a confectionery store, or candy store, as it was usually called. A year or two later, it was used as a butcher shop by Ted Nordlie, Ole Nordlie's brother.

Also in 1905, Ed and Louie Conlin, who had the country store at that time, moved closer to the tracks and built a pretty good-sized store. We were kind of sorry to see that country store close up, as we kids walked past there every day to the country school a half-mile further south. If we had a nickel to spare, we'd stop in on our way to school and get a big bag of candy, or even cracker jacks. If it happened we forgot our lunch pail, we went in there and got a nickel box of crackers.

That store was also nice for the farmers to get their groceries. The Post Office was in the store, so the farmers spent many happy hours there on the long winter evenings, sitting on some boxes or nail kegs around the old pot belly stove, telling stories of olden times, and discussing farming.

Now we had three good sized stores where we could buy anything we needed; groceries, clothing of all kinds kerosene, men's suits, overcoats, shoes and overshoes, rubbers, shirts, hats, women's clothing, coats, shoes, dresses, all kinds of cloth - anything we could use. There was even a millinery shop for a couple of years, run by a girl named Annie Isackson, and located in the front part of the Conlin store. It didn't pay off very well though, and she quit.

John Rorvick built the hardware store that is still there, now the Fairdale Supply. Upstairs there was a large hall - this was the only hall and everything was held there; shows, dances, lodge meetings and any other meetings.

The Sorenson Brothers built a good-sized hardware store in 19O5. The building is currently Stoa's Store. Then Frank Olson and his brother-in-law, Art Lewis, built a hardware store, which is now the Fairdale Locker Plant. There were living quarters upstairs for two families. Frank Olson quit the hardware store after a few years and worked in Rorvick's hardware store.

For a time, Fairdale had three complete hardware stores, stocking hardware of all descriptions, including cook stoves and heaters. John Rorvick handled the Monarch range, Frank Olson had the Mealable, and Sorenson had the Quick-Meal. John Rorvick also sold John Deere and McCormick machinery (horse machinery), repairs, wagons, buggies and harnesses, oil, twine, feed mills, windmills, and one-cylinder gas engines.

In 1905, George Johnson, from Edmore, built a small drug store on the lot where the cafe is now. He later moved it and built a larger one which is the cafe now. He also had an ice cream parlor and a soda fountain where we could buy soda water with any flavor we wanted. He had candy, a real line of valentines at that time, and doctors' prescriptions were filled there. This small drug store moved across the street and used as a cafe for many years. One cafe was built by Charlie Tappen from Wisconsin, (he was a cousin of my wife’s mother) but that was moved out soon.

Olaf Hammer built a small store east of the Smith Hotel and sold confectionery, some groceries, ice cream, and even some lunches. Then another bachelor farmer built a little place east of Hammer’s and he also had confectioneries, soft drinks and maybe even some hard drinks.

Bill Robertson built a bank right on the corner south of the new hall and lived in the back part. A Mr. Larson built a nice brick building right north of the present cafe on the corner. It was a real nice bank. Ed Larson built a furniture store right east of Robertson' s Bank. That did not do well so it was sold and fixed up as a photo studio, run by Barsness for some time. Fred Rulstrand also had it awhile before moving to Park River.

Mrs. Esther Smith, a widow with three girls, came and built a small hotel with about six rooms upstairs. She ran it for many years, but finally sold it to Simon Bolstad who fixed it up for living quarters. This is the house where Duane Severson now lives.

Manley Livingston moved up from the south corner and built a nice barber shop of brick or some kind of blocks, right north of the Mary Reinholt house.

Pete Johnson built a printing office. I don't know where he came from but for awhile we had a weekly newspaper called the Fairdale Times. Johnson ran the Times for a few years, then by Van Dahl. But the business declined, was back away, fixed up, and is now is the house Mrs. Verke lives in.

A pool hall and bowling alley were built a couple of rods north of the Locker Plant by Ole Stromen. I think George Davidson had it next, and it was later sold to Jack McGregor. (Some people thought he bought it because his horses got sick and had to be shot, plus his barn burned.)

Fairdale also had two very good lumberyards. The Bovey Chute was built on the lot where Andrew Aune's Garage is now - a nice lumber yard, but not very big. Then the Robertson Lumber Co. put up a big yard on the ground where the Fairdale Supply keeps all their machinery. The Bovey Chute put in a large scale outside of the sidewalk in front of their office. The farmers could drive right on and weigh loads of grain, hay, rocks, etc. Rocks were weighed because farmer were being paid so much a ton for rocks being used in building the old part of the present school. We have not had any lumberyards in Fairdale since about 1932.

Things were really booming as carpenters, stone masons, and painters came to Fairdale in bunches looking for work. There were traveling salesmen, agents, and peddlers coming in their buggies and driving around. The livery barns, hotels, and cafes were doing business. All lumber, building material, and goods for the stores were hauled in with horses since there were no rails or trucks.

I have to go back now to 1904 when the grading and leveling of the railroad base was made. It was all done with horses, large scrapers, plows, wagon, and, of course, men. At our place just north of town, we had four men and sixteen horses boarding during much of the summer. Men were always looking around for a place to stay overnight or for meals. There were agents driving with horses and buggies, and working men around wanting milk, eggs, potatoes, and my mother to bake bread for them. Mother baked lots of bread for customers.

The railroad came through Fairdale on a Sunday in June of 1905. We knew it coming, so we were watching for the smoke all Sunday morning. About noon, we saw the smoke about two miles from the southeast, and watched as it came. When it was about half a mile east, people came from all directions, walking, driving, and riding bikes to meet them. When they were going through town people followed along looking on for about a mile west. For those of us who had hardly seen a train before, it was really something to see. It traveled quite steadily at a slow pace. The ties came forward from the flat cars to the front to the engine, and a crew of men picked up the ties and spread them out. I believe rails came on both sides and were carried by a bunch of men and laid in front of the engine. A crew came along with big hammers and put in just enough spikes to hold the rails in place so the train could pass over, as it moved just about steady. Another crew came behind and put the track in good shape.

The finishing crew was made up mostly of Italians. I don't know for sure but there must have been close to twenty of them working all that summer and I think the next summer too. They leveled and straightened the rails to make the road fit to use. They all stayed in the section house and most of them came out to-our place for milk and eggs. They carried water from our place, too, as there was no good water in town. These men baked their own bread, usually on Sunday. There was a deep cut through a hill on our farm, a quarter mile from the dago house, where they dug into the side of the cut and made a cave about five feet long and three to four feet wide, a couple feet higher than the ground outside. They left a small opening, which they covered with an iron cover. They burned wood in there for a day or two until the clay was very hot. Then they raked out the cinders and ashes, quickly laid the bread loaves on the clean ground with a wide flat spade with a long handle, and closed up the opening. That way they baked very nice bread. Maybe twenty-five loaves at a time were baked, and when they were baked, they quickly took them out and had another batch ready to put in before the oven cooled off. Those loaves were a lot bigger than our loves, about ten inches across and round like jule kake. The bread was made in the section house and carried to the railroad. There they put it on a flatcar and pushed it over near the cave. When it was baked, they put it back on the flatcar and pushed it back and. carried it into the house. There was always plenty of help, as they all pitched in.

The elevators could not be built until the railroad came though, so, as soon as the railroad was laid to the next division they received lumber to build the elevators. I think the next division was Egeland. When the elevator crews came, we had eleven men boarding at our home. Some had a cook car and cooks with them and some probably boarded uptown. Five elevators were built and all had a coal shed with about four bins each. These elevators were named as follows from the east to the west: The Atlantic Co., The Woodworth Co., The Northland, The Spaulding, and The Eaton Co. They all operated for years. Some farmers couldn't wait for the elevators, but wanted to sell some grain that summer so they shoveled their wheat into railroad cars and shipped it. By threshing time, though, the elevators were ready for business.

Some houses were built, though not too many at first as there were living quarters for two families upstairs on each of the five stores and two hotels. There were two dray lines with two men on each and they were busy filling up the two lumber yards, hauling all the freight from the depot, and hauling coal all places of business and families.

Fairdale had a number of doctors over the years. The first one was a Swedish man named Dr. Lindberg. He was killed when he fell under a train at Adams. Then Dr. Joistad came from Minneapolis about 1910 and stayed until 1919. He built the house, which Clarence Skytland has now. Dr. Oscar Dixon came next and served us until he died in Minneapolis about 1938. He was the last doctor in Fairdale.

Four dentists served Fairdale, all of them did their work above the hotel. The first dentist, Dr. Chively stayed only a couple of years (probably 1910-1911). Dr. Hughes came but went to Langdon and worked there until he died about four years ago. The last two, Dr. Baason and Dr. Tom Smith came only a few days each week.

We also had a jeweler come here from Minneapolis for a couple of years. He was a Jewish man named Hosenpud and he did his work in the back of John Rorvick’s Hardware.

There was a section house built on the lot where Russell Johnson lives. That house was sold and moved out to Clarence Kveseth’s farm.

About 1907, some promoters came around and organized a Farmer's Store, the farmers buying shares for $100.00 each. They bought out the Conlin Brothers and operated a Farmer’s Store for a few years, but it did not work very well. Crooked management and other factors caused it to fold. The Farmer’s Store was empty for some time, but finally rooms were divided up for living quarters. Of course, there were always people upstairs in all the stores. There were many large families in town.

Now there was another machinery dealership in town. David Aitken and Mr. Grass built east of the hotel, by the blacksmith shop. They sold Deering machinery and also had a harness shop and shoe repair shop. David Aitken was a brother of Mrs. Andy Hulstrand's father.

There was a heavy plank platform built by the track west of the elevators for loading and unloading railroad cars. On the east side of the east elevator was built a good stockyard of heavy planks which had a chute right up to the cars. This was for cattle buyers to ship their cattle to St. Paul. One room had a roof over it where they could stay in cold weather. That was a good place for the hoboes to camp and cook their meals. They would make a fire, cook food in tin cans, and make their beds in the yard. Those days the hoboes were riding the freight trains back and forth all fall, looking for work or for a handout.

There were sidewalks made of 2 X 6 planks, five or six feet long, laid across heavier planks lengthwise all the way from the depot to the corner, then east to the livery barn, then from the blacksmith shop up to the hotel, and south two blocks. It continued from the Robertson Lumber Yard to the corner of Rorvick’s Hardware and west two blocks and north one block, then from the brick bank south one block and west one block and in front of the school yard. These sidewalks were kind of tricky, as the nails would rust out and if a heavy person stepped out on the end, the other end would flip up and someone would take a tumble. In some places they were so high that they had to put up railings so nobody would fall off.

Some residences were built the first years. We had a good town now, and did not think of going to other towns to trade as we could get anything we wanted here, and could trade in any place until 9 or 10 o'clock every evening, and on Saturdays until 11 o'clock. We could even get out mail at night. Farmers from far and wide came in buggies and wagons, put their horses in the barn and spent hours trading.

The business places had some large gaslights at first, which were pretty good. Then in 1912, after the Bovey Chute lumber yard went out, Andrew Aune put his garage in that place. Aune also put in a light plant-kind of a dynamo that was run by a. large stationary gas engine. Most of the places in town were wired up to this, so they had electric lights for a few years before Ottertail came in. When Ottertail came, they all received light and power and some more streetlights. (They had some streetlights with Aune's plant.)

The first years of Fairdale were good years. There was always excitement and fun, as well as work. There were lots of people in town and good business in the stores. The livery barn was always a lively place. Many people put their horses there and there was an office connected which had a stove that kept it nice and warm. Many men liked to get drunk and stay there and talk and drink until some of them got a little more than they could handle, so they often ended up in a fight. There was a jail, too, after the little confectionery store closed. That little building was fixed up for a jail. I think there were two cells, but not very many people were put in there. Some were put in and they broke out again.

The John Rorvick Hall was a lively place. It served as a dance hall, show hall, and center for lodge meetings. They had the Woodmen's Lodge and the Masons. There was also roller-skating later on. In the winter of 1905-06 our congregation used it for church services, as our old church was not built and ready for use until late summer of 1906. The 17th of May celebration was often held here too.

We also had a blacksmith shop started by Ole Tappen and Mr. Ramberg. They had it for about a year. Ole Tappen was an uncle of my wife's mother and came from Cumberland, Wisconsin. Henry and Herman Naegli bought the shop and operated it for many years. The first one burned down and they rebuilt and operated until 1925 or 26, when they sold to Mr. Fattler. It burned down again and had to be rebuilt. Then they built the one which is there now. Fattler sold out and left sometime in the late 30's.

The Sorenson Hardware was the first to close up, as there were too many hardware stores. It was used as a meat market for awhile. In 1908 it was used as a schoolhouse, as the new schoolhouse was not completed until the 1909 term started. The town children walked out to our country school in 1905-1907. That was just summer school. Then the schools consolidated, and, with the town started work on the schoolhouse in the fall of 1908 and were completed in 1909. We had busses, horsedrawn, of course. There were four busses at first and later maybe five. There were many children in town and still more in the country. I am sure there were 150 children in school and that was only the four rooms in the old part. It was crowded but they got by, and they brought their own lunch.

The Sorenson building was often empty, then something would start up again for awhile. Henry Lien had a cafe there, then Alvin Grove had a cafe for some time. Banker Larson sold the brick bank to Bill Robertson. Olaf Rammer bought the old bank and moved his confectionery store in there. Ed Sholey, a farmer, moved in and bought Hammer’s other building and ran a little cafe or lunch business. He and his family (eight of them in all) also lived in that building. (Marvin Hammer, son of Olaf Hammer, was the first child born in Fairdale.)

The farmer’s store was empty for some time but finally rooms were divided up for living quarters. Of course there were always people upstairs in all the stores. There were many large families in town.

I must not forget we had a feed mill east of the livery barn, built by Ingval Myra and John Midboe. Ingval was an uncle of Leon and Gene Weberg, and Midboe was married to Myra’s sister. John Nidboe then had the little runabout car that was pictured in the paper last summer and demonstrated in Park River by Mr. Skjerven. It was then in running order after 69 years. Mr. Grass had the first car in Fairdale, a little red one-seater with a rod for steering. Bill Robertson had the first real car, a Kissel car in 1908, I think. He paid $3,000 for it.

Robertson, at the Farmer's State Bank, was now the only banker, until about 1915 or thereabout when Charlie Hanson and possibly some others started. What they called the Security State Bank. It was built between the locker plant and the pool hall, but that folded up in the late 20's. Tollak Sholey rented it for a cafe for awhile, and then Andy. Hulstrand ran a grocery store in it for a few years until he bought the Nordlie store. Later, it burned down. John Rorvick bui1t his brick garage in 1913 and did only car repair at first, as there were not many tractors, but later it was only tractor repairing.

The bowling alley (and pool hall) was a lively place those days, as there were many young men bowling and playing pool every evening. We boys brought milk to town each morning and evening and had to walk past the pool hall. We heard the rumble of the bowling and the clicking of the pool balls every night, but we were not allowed to go in until we grew bigger. Then when we were asked to come and, set the pins for bowlers, we were paid 5 cents, per game, so it was fine. We could make 15 to 20 cents, or sometimes even a quarter.

We had many fires in Fairdale, two or three' elevators burned, and were built up again, one livery barn burned, one garage, two blacksmith shops, a nice house built by Ole Nordlie burned, the big hotel burned, the pool hall burned and the Security State Bank burned.

The Conlin Store was used two different times as a beer parlor and card playing parlor by different men who came from far off. I. J. Iverson bought it and ran a store for many years until he tore it down and built the Post Office.

The depot was always lived in upstairs. The first depot agent was Lee Pearson, a single man, and the second one was Olaf Fjeld, also a bachelor. A Mr. & Mrs. Bellrud came with a family as did Andrew Glaholt, who was agent for several years, and had about six children. Next were Mr. Preston and his wife with nine children. Then we had Earl Wells and wife with about six, Roy Ingebretson with three children and another couple, name unknown. Mr. and Mrs. McManus came with two children before Jean Milius (bachelor) and finally the agents were taken out.

Peder Johnsrud had a grocery and meat market for some time in the building that had been Olson's hardware store. Later John Nordlie had a butcher shop in it until he sold it to Bill Meier. There were several different owners of this store. Ed Larson sold out and went to Buehl, Idaho. There was Burt Lander and his wife's father, whose name was Larson, but I am not sure who really owned it. Other owners included Piltingarud, Pete Rygg, and Mr. Rakstad.

The first Post Office was in the back of the Nordlie Store and I believe Pete Solberg was the first postmaster with Annie Graving as assistant. Next was Ole Nordlie. Mr. Dow Thompson got the post office in the drug store, which had belonged to Mr. Green, and was our post office unti1 he sold out around 1925. Peter Bygg came here quite early and worked in the Larson and Lander Store for several years. Afterwards, he worked at the Nordlie Store and later became postmaster, so the Post Office went back to the Nordlie Store.

Pete Rygg married Etta Okland from Merle Township in about 1914. Ed Solberg came here quite early and worked in the Farmer's State Bank and married Jenny Arneson from Kinloss Township in 1914. Later, he became a cashier in the new Security State Bank.

Our first professor in school was Mr. Davis. He was professor for two years, married Emma Schuster from Soper Township, and built the house now owned by Oscar Nygard. After Mr. Davis came Mr. Chase, who stayed for one year and was replaced by A. G. Strand. Mr. Strand also married a local girl, Minda Arneson, and he stayed here until 1932. (20 year since then we have had so many I can't count them. all.)

The Bovey Chute Lumber manager was Charlie Richardson. The first manager for the Robertson yard was Mr. Yotter, then Art Stull. Mr. Stull got married here and lived here until about 1917 when George Sholey took over the lumberyard.

Tallock Wogie was one of the first dray men here. He built a house on the lot where Mrs. Bekke's house is now, went farming on some of Robertson's land in 1909, and afterwards came back and worked for many years for John Rorvick. Henry Naagli bought Wogie's house and lived there until he sold the shop in 1926. The house was moved out to Harry Bergquist's farm some years later.

Henry Naegli built the house that now is Everett Latulippe's house. Art Stull built the house, which Einar Westby lives in, but he sold it to Mr. Lander right away.

Peter Solberg built the house that now belongs to Omar Johnson. Mr. Olstad, an elevator manager, built the house that now be1ongs to Clara Johnson. Peder Johnsrud built a house on the lot where Walter Aune is located, but moved it out to the farm known as the Gyda Monson farm, which he bought. Jack Aitken, one of the first elevator operators, built the house, which is now Andy Hulstrand's. J. H. Lyford, who took over the Farmer's State Bank after Robertson lost out; built the house that now belongs to Mrs. Emil Reinholt. One house was built on the lot where Bob Hamre's house is now, by old Andrew Blacksvet, but his wife wouldn't live in town so it was rented out to different parties. Later it was sold to Ed Torgerson and he moved it out to the Torgerson farm. One house was built south of the house owned by Ernest Watne, but was sold and moved out to the Torval Rundhaug farm.

Ole Stromen built the house Jesse Olson is living in, but it is so improved that it is almost a different house. I know this because I brought milk to Ole Stromen the first year or two of Fairdale- and she is still living in Adams (87 years old.) Henry Lien had a house and a stable up where our trees are on the north but later moved the buildings down to the field south of us and there had milk cows and supplied most of the town with milk.

Jack Aitken operated first the far west elevator, but later had the one on the east side of the road. It had then been taken over by the Kellogg Co. Tom Cazneron operated that one for some years first.

I am just mentioning a few of the early ones, as there have been so many I could-.never tell about them all. The first one on the very east elevator was one Iverson and then Lofthus was at one, and Stromen, and Norby. Mr. Olstad was, I think, the Northland. Martin Arneson operated the Northland from 1914-1418, where he became manager of the Farmers Elevator Co., which had bought the Woodworth. After that there were so many elevator-men that I cannot tell about them.

Finally, one after the other, the elevators quit. The Northland was picked up and hauled clear to Egeland. The others were torn down. The two remaining belong to Selmer Amundrud.

In 1905 a livery barn was built by one Koppang, but sold soon to Gust Olson, a farmer who lived on the farm half a mile southeast of town. That barn was about on the lot where the Farmer's Elevator house is. Jack McGregor moved his barn over north of the House were Junis Dostert lives. He also bought the house Ed Conlin had by the country store, and moved it up where it is now, known as the Melland house.

The livery barn was sold in about 1910 or 1911 to Henry Lien, then my brother, Ingolf bought it and had it until 1916. He sold it to Charlie Halvorson, the father of Vernon Halvorson who is the manager of the Triple A Office in Park River. Vernon was born in Fairdale.

One of the first small store buildings was moved up here on our hill on the very spot where our house is. Andrew Siebert lived here with a family, and then Fred Gordon lived here with his family. Later, Dr. Dixon lived here and had a stable for his team. When he bought the farm known as the Guttered farm, he moved the house out there.

Then Truls Tollefson moved the house we are living in up here. Lloyd Bakken bought this place and added two bedrooms and a bathroom. We bought it in 1964.

The water situation in town was not good. There were a few wells and some people had to carry water quite far, but the water was not good, very poor for coffee. Some folks hauled water from the country and some had five-gallon cans shipped up on the train from Fordville for drinking and to make coffee.

The sewer system wasn't very good either - a little house in back in every alley. That was where some guys had their fun on Halloween night. They tipped most of those little houses over. There was rumor that someone had moved the little house off the pit and covered it with dry twigs and king weeds, so in the dark when they came to tip it, someone fell in--but we never found out who!

Olaf Hammer traded his store to C. S. Moffet for the farm, which Elmer Hammer is now living on. Mr. Moffet operated a confectionery and grocery store for many years. His son, Wilbert Moffet, got married and worked in company with his dad. Wilbert, a good musician, organized a band in 1916, which many of us tried to play in for a while. In the early 30's Moffets sold the store to Mr. Rorvick, not related to John Rorvick. Rorvick later sold it to I. J. Iverson, who later moved into the Conlin store. The old store became a bar for many years but was finally torn down and burned.

Joe Thompson moved in from the north country and built the house which is now the teacherage. Joe was the Fairdale Marshall for several years. In 1920 he left for Silverton, Oregon, which is where the Moffets went also.

John Rorvick was the regular undertaker for many years, and I am sure they continued there some time after Rorvick passed away.

Fairdale had a baseball team and I mean team! I think they started about at the beginning of Fairdale and they really played ball. They beat any team that dared to play against them. Fairdale beat the Boston Bloomers, an all girls team that traveled all over. They had a railroad car of their own, a tent, and a full supply of posts and stakes. They set up the tent around the whole ball field so no one could see the game without a ticket. As closely as I can remember, the main players were: Fred Thompson from Soper Township, pitcher; Martin Tappen from Cumberland, Wis., catcher; Fred Robb, first base; Edmund Robb, Alfred Thompson, Hans Tappen, Oscar Tappen, and the Naegli boys played after they came here. I cannot think of any other home boys, but Harry Sprague came from Grafton and played with em at times. There must have been one or two more that I cannot think of. The ball ground was out north from the elevators. It was all grassland at that time and was fenced. There was a grandstand where many could sit. Those who couldn't get, in stood outside the fence. When there was a ball game, there was always a crowd, and when the game was over there would be a string of people walking uptown that reached from the depot to the new hall. Many baseball games were played in the afternoon. Then most people would stay in town even longer.

The general stores in those days were different from the stores we have now. Most of the goods were in showcases. All dried fruit, like prunes, raisins, dried apricots, peaches, pears and apples were in different drawers in a large cupboard with a glass front where you could see it all. There were beans, peas, rice, sugar, brown sugar, and loaf sugar in these drawers. Sometimes there were two, three, or four clerks ready to serve you. You told the clerk what you wanted and he went and got it for you. There was the old cracker barrel, the pickle barrel, a keg of sardines, a pail of salt herring, wooden pails of jelly, etc. Cookies were mostly in big boxes, and all these things were scooped into paper bags and weighed. There was also the whole banana bunch hanging from the ceiling, where you would pull off whatever you wanted. There was a large round cheese, maybe 25 pounds, on a cheese-cutting device. They would cut off as much as you wanted. A pipe tobacco cutter was also in the store. Coffee came in bulk and there was a large coffee grinder where they poured in a pound or two or more and ground it in seconds. I think the coffee started at about ten cents per pound. I know my dad once bought three one-pound packages of whole Arbuckle Coffee in Milton for 25 cents. That was maybe two or three years before Fairdale was started.

Meat was quite a bargain in Fairdale the first two or three years. I used to go to town to buy meat for dinner, and we got all the hamburger we cared for about twenty-five cents, and there were nine or ten of us. It was usually ten cents per pound, but I believe we got three pounds for a quarter sometimes. Soup meat was five cents per pound and the best steak was twenty cents. Sugar was seven pounds for 50 cents. Flour was $2.00 to $2.50 a hundred pounds. Most cookies were ten cents per pound. At Nordlie Store they had bread that came in by express in a large box like a trunk, and sold it for five cents a loaf, but they looked like only one pound loaves.

I remember so plainly as we went to town with the morning milk, Mr.Yotter, the manager of the Robertson Lumberyard, had ordered one quart of milk and I brought it to the yard. I was wondering what he wanted milk for, as he was a single man and lived in the hotel. Well, he had a big dog, and he had been uptown and bought a loaf of bread. He broke the whole loaf up and put it in a big pan. Then he poured the whole quart of milk on it. I sure thought he was an extravagant man--after all, it cost him a whole dime!

A clerk in a store, even a family man, got from $50-60 per month. Those that got $60 were especially good clerks. We brought milk to most of the places for 5 cents per quart. We had mild tickets printed and gave them 22 tickets for $1.00. People had no cars to buy gas for, no electric bill; no phone bill, no water bill; no sewer cost, and did not belong to a church, so they got by without too many expenses. As for house rent, they paid $10-12 per month. A good cigar was 5 cents, and most men used Bull Durum, 5 cents a package, paper and all. Pipe smokers got a bag of True Smoke for 10 cents. Breakfast food was 10 cents a package.

I'll try to write down the names of the families that started here in the early years and up into the 30's. Those who came after that most people will know. Juel Christianson was section foreman from 1909-1929. He had four girls. Tom Cameron, John Aitken, Peter Johnsrud, Mr. Olstad, George Thompson, George Carlson, Pete Solberg, Jack McGregor, Jack Dyer, Talok Vogie, Einar Myklebust, Mr. Yotter, Art Stull, George Sholey, George Johnson, Mr. Green, Daw Thomson, Bill Robertson, Ed Solberg, Pete Johnson, Fred Kiye, Mr. Lofthus, Ole Stromen, Emil Norby, Ray Hanson, Victor Lundberg, Andrew Glaholt, Mr. Preston, Charlie Richardson, George Davidson, John Nordlie, Ole Nordlie, Ted Nordlie, Ed Larson, Ed Gorseth, George Gorseth, Mr. Rakstad, Edward Lian, Helge Piltingarud, Burt Lander, Pete Rygg, Olaf Hammer, Clarence Moffet, Wilbert Moffet, Henry Lien, Charlie Halvorson, Ole and Hans Huka, Edward Sholy, Ole Lykken (Ed Sholy and Ole Lykken were brothers), Mrs. Esther Smith, Mr. Barsness, Andrew Sievert, Fred Golden, Ole Tappen, Charlie Tappen, Mr. Ramberg, Herman Naegli, Axil Chilberg, Oscar Wass, J. S. McNish, Manly Livingston, Henry Ebeling, Joe Colings, Mr. Jacobson, Dan Hanson, Rev. Ludwig, Pederson, Rev. Ryberg, Rev. Ulring, Rev. Laurhamer, Art Boudrie, Oscar Isakson, Ole Haug, Ernie Wilcox, Mr. Towson, Andrew Aune, Herman Kjungran, Fred Thomson, Joe Thomson, Sam Tefjord, Hans Berg, Truls Tollefson, Talack Sholy, Hans Sholy, Selmer Stoa, Carl Teie, Meier Torgerson, Dr. Linberg, Dr. Joistad, Dr. Dixon, Martin Arneson, J. H. Lyford, Ingolf Westby, Einar Westby, Peter Haug, Lewis Hanson, Jule Christianson, Prof. Davis, Prof. Chase, Prof. A. G. Strand, Simon Bolstad, Herman Overbye, Mr. Kopfer, Bill Meier, Lewie Larson, Lewis Hegum, Mr. Belrud, Clarence Lien, Ed Conlin, Lewis Conlin, Willie Conlin, Mr. Dahl, Frank Olson, Art Lewis, Christ Fatterson, George Dike, Peder Holth, Mr. Grotbeck, Christ Torgerson, John Fossholm, Clarence Dammon, Rev. Oscar Rud, Gilbert Thompson, Olaf Sholy, Harry Drake, George Lundeby, Pastor Gustav Norberg, Pastor George Larson, Home Knauss, Ole Shostad, Mr. Williams, Peter Sethedahl, Martin Hanson, Olaf Johnson, Mrs. Halvor Overbye, Andrew Bjornson, Mr. Turner, Math Strand, and Elmer Lunberg.

These are all I can -think of now. There may have been a few more men that worked: at the elevators, but I cannot remember their names. If someone wants to know about the men mentioned above, I could tell their occupation, etc.

Fairdale had many big celebrations in the early years. In 1909, Fairdale had the biggest 4^th of July celebration that ever was in a small town. That was really a big day. People came from all towns around. They all had horses, so every barn in town and many in the country had their barns full of teams and teams were tied out in the trees. There were stands put up all over town. Main Street and the street east towards the livery barn were cluttered up with all kinds of games, covered wagons, tents, and open stands. People were so thick you couldn't move. There were ball games, horse races, and dancing in the hall. It started early in the morning and didn't stop until 2 or 3 in the morning. Many walked to town and walked back again.

In 1912 they had two days during the summer with large crowds and all kinds of entertainment. In 1915, there was a big day. The town wanted a merry-go-round to come. To get one, however, the town had to guarantee them $400. They did that, and they took in $800 the first night at 5 cents a ride. So they kept the merry-go-round here several days and had a big crowd every night.

In 1916 they had a picnic with all kinds of sport, and then horse races. I had a horse of my own then, so I rode him and placed second. That horse should taken first, but I was a "no good" rider.

Jacob Westby
Fairdale, North Dakota