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Rivers and Railroads

Steamboat Pluck at the Alsop Line warehouse in Fargo, N.D. 1878

A steamboat is docked at the Alsop building on the Fargo side of the Red River. Several men are visible standing on the deck of the boat. Large lettering on the side of steamboat reads Henry W. Alsop, Pluck. On the extreme right is a Grandin Line Elevator on banks of river. The view taken from Moorhead on the eastern bank of the Red River. [North Dakota State University Archives, Digital ID: rs005367]

 The Anson Northop was the first boat on the Red River, but the Alsop was among the first boats doing business on the river during the early boom days of Fargo’s infancy.  Likewise, lumberyards and granaries erected near the river or on its banks facilitated efficient transfer of goods and services arriving and departing along the Red River and accommodated around 300 railroad car loads of lumber and tons of refined grain products.

-Stacy M. Reikowsky, Digital History 2012

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The Fargo History Project

This project began as part of a Fall 2012 Digital History class at NDSU. With the goal of exploring Fargo’s history between 1871 and 1897, students visited libraries and archives to search for clues to the city’s history. Future classes will conduct further research and add to the site.

Do you know some interesting tidbits about Fargo’s history? Share them with us by posting a comment or sending an email. We welcome your participation as we explore our past.

Fargo History Resources

The Fargo History Project is a public history initiative produced by students at NDSU. ©North Dakota State University