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Prostitution in Fargo: An Overview

Prostitution is known as the world’s oldest profession.  It should be no surprise then, that it was one of the earliest to arrive in Fargo, following the railroad into the city in its earliest years.   Rather than provide a thorough analysis of prostitution in Fargo or focus on one particular figure, what follows is a brief outline of the rise and fall of prostitution in Fargo in the late 1800s and early 1900s,
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Repurposing Fargo

Fargo has grown immensely and gone through numerous changes in its 142-year history. Growing from just over 2,500 people in 1880 to over 107,000 today and surviving such natural disasters as fires, floods and tornadoes; nothing has been able to stop Fargo from thriving. Fargo’s downtown has always been a thriving business mecca[1] of the Red River Valley and is a key reason Fargo has survived to be the city it is tod
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Alexander Stern and the Rebuilding of Fargo

In 2007, the Fargo Forum asked a five person panel of local historians to name the five most influential individuals in the history of Fargo-Moorhead. At the top of the list was Alexander Stern.[1]Originally from Germany, Stern moved to Fargo in 1881, and started his career in Fargo as a local retailer by opening a clothing store. In 1885, he moved this clothing store to the corner of Broadway and N. P. Avenue. He wa
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O.J. deLendrecie

O.J. deLendrecie was born in Canada and worked all around the world before coming to Fargo in 1879. He built the Chicago Dry Goods House, which did an amazing business. He owned a good amount of land around the city.  On the night of November 24th, 1893 a blaze started in Holzer’s Cigar store in the back of the Park Hotel. One of the townsfolk was walking by when he discovered the flames in the back of the store. He
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DeLendrecie’s

There were many department stores in Fargo. One was the Chicago Dry Goods House department store at 618 Front Street.  It later changed its name to the deLendrecie’s. It was situated right in the heart of the city and the location helped to keep it profitable in the midst of the depression in the mid 1890s. That made the store a staple of Fargo until the fire in 1894. The fire led to an influx of architects, many of
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Peter Elliott

  Peter Elliott was a man who moved to Fargo in April 1893. Before he moved, he worked on a steamboat sailing up and down the Red River, to and from Winnipeg. After his time working on the steamboat, he spent two years working as a surveyor for the United States surveyors. When he relocated to Fargo, he opened a restaurant in the basement of Martin Hector’s building on the corner of Front and Fifth. His re
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The Arrival of Row Housing

Row construction allowed for quick and efficient “business-raising” where new enterprises could be in operation seemingly overnight and able to accommodate nearly any kind of commercial business imaginable. With easy and convenient access, the arrival of business set an elevated standard operating procedure for additional expansion and inclusion of new business and industry. -Stacy M. Reikowsky, Digital History 2012
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Fargo’s Growing Businesses

When Fargo’s settlers completed the initial phases of construction and growth, the commercial structures created a centripetal force, and continued boosterism, encouraged businesses to rally and grow. Community support for buildings like the Headquarters Hotel and the courthouse provided the nucleus for rapid growth, a diverse assemblage of even businesses arrived to compete. This ultimately created a stronger city c
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Goodman & Yerxa Groceries and Dry Goods

  Peter Goodman and W.A. Yerxa founded the Goodman & Yerxa Groceries and Dry Goods general store in 1875. Shown in the above 1879 photograph is the Union Block, built in 1878. The Goodman & Yerxa general store was one of the original businesses on the block. The Union Block stood two-stories tall and was built of brick. It had ornate brickwork design adorning the top of the building. Goodman left Fargo i
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