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Plymouth Congregational Church

 On April 25, 1885 the Plymouth Congregational Church was organized by Revered William Ewing.  The congregation had 10-12 original members, but by 1893 it had grown to 50 members with Reverend A.H. Tebbets as its pastor.  Reverend O.C. Clark built the first church on Ninth Ave North near Tenth Street, but the building was moved to the west side of Broadway between 8th ave and 9th ave in 1884. That building was blown
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Zion Evangelical Church

The church was established in 1879. A second church was dedicated on October 23, 1881 with the following scripture,”For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ; for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth;to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”Zion_01 Heather Brinkman, Digital History 2012
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First Norwegian Lutheran Church

A group of Norwegian immigrants settled in the Fargo-Moorhead area in 1871.  Many of them were living in tents located in the river town district.  The first service for this group was held on October 4, 1872 by Rev. Niels T. Ylvisaker in a Moorhead home.  The congregation named itself Moorhead Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Congregation at that time and built their first church in 1874.  They were forced to sell the
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The Swedish Baptist Church

The First Scandinavian Church was founded in 1883.  It held its services in Norwegian.  The Swedish population left the church because of the language used for services and formed their own church on August 1, 1891: the Swedish Baptist Church.   The members of the Swedish church were A.J. Solestrom and his wife, Nels Johnson and his wife, Mrs. Anderson and her two children, Charles Wiklund and his wife, Lars Loren, A
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First Baptist Church

First Baptist Church was organized on January 27, 1879 by 26 people who were meeting at Chapin’s Gall on NP Avenue.  Their first pastor was a supply pastor, Rev. George Vosburgh, who only stayed for a few months.  The church was incorporated on July 20, 1881 and a new building started in the summer of 1881.[1]  Many involved in the divorce rush during the early 1890’s found a home at the church because of
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St. Mary’s Catholic Church

On May 30th, 1899, St. Mary’s Victorian Gothic cathedral was dedicated.  It is located at 619 7th Street North.  The cathedral’s tower is 172 tall and houses the sole bell of the church.  This is the church built by Fargo’s first bishop, bishop Shanley.[1] St. Marys_01 Heather Brinkman, Digital History 2012 [1] Caron, John. “Fargo, N.D., History Exhibition, Institute for Regional Studies, NDSU.” Far
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NDAC 1870-1905

Click on the following link to open a powerpoint of the North Dakota Agriculture College
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Vaudevillian Culture in Fargo

Vaudeville shows were a major form of entertainment in the early years of Fargo.  Records of these theaters are numerous, but  but due to the culturally tabooed art forms played in vaudeville theaters and their association with sinfulness, alcohol consumption, and sex these theaters were minimally mentioned in the press of early Fargo and are mostly noted on accounts of deaths, crime, disturbances, or imposed fees.[1
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Fargo’s First Theater

The first theater in Fargo was built by John Erickson in 1880.  In 1888 the theater was purchased by Alexander Stern and was located on the second story of the Stern Building.  It burned down in the fire of 1893 but was undoubtedly a rich source of culture for Fargo. The theater featured actors of which many went on to become prominent in their time such as the famous 19th century Italian actor Salvini who played in
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The Fargo Opera House

The Fargo Opera House was a source of pride and a symbol of prestige for the town’s early residents.  In contrast to vaudeville theaters, the Opera House was acceptable for all ages and genders in the community to attend openly.  The building stood on the corner of Broadway and N.P. avenues. It was originally called Chapin Hall and housed the Luger Furniture Company on the first floor.  Initially Chapin Hall wa
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