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Frank Jay Haynes and Early Photography

Frank Jay Haynes was one of the first professional photographers working in the Fargo-Moorhead area.  With a creative eye and a flair for unique business architecture, Haynes maintained a prolific body of work from across the Northern Plains and early western settlement. Please enjoy a brief pictorial biography of his life and nineteenth-century photographic pieces. Images courtesy of the Montana Historical Society a
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Central High School

In 1874, a School Mill was passed to establish a school district in Fargo, North Dakota. In May of that year, Miss Gillings was hired to teach the children for $45 per month. In 1875, the first school house was purchased for the use of the school, and there were 105 school age children in Fargo, according to the Census records. In 1883, a combination grade and high school building was constructed, which was Central h
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Songs/Poems of Inspiration

Early pioneers to the Fargo area ran into hardships living on the edge of the Great Plains. They took comfort in the fact that most of their neighbors would come to their aid if need be. They also took comfort in a friendly game of cards, some fiddle, and shot or two of the local drink to calm their souls.  It was never easy for anyone, but to make thing just a little bit better they sang songs and wrote about their 
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Streets

From the city’s conception, Fargo officials have had to struggle with issues dealing with maintaining and funding the city streets. The wet season brought deep ruts in  the sticky North Dakota clay making travel tough and some streets inaccessible. Grading the streets of Fargo began in 1875 and paying for it fell to the citizens. Every male between 21 and 60 years old who was able to work paid with one day’s la
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Ladies Aid Societies

In every church history, one theme consistently appears.  Whether it be the Scandinavian Lutherans or the English speaking Presbyterians, each church had the women of the church to thank for being the driving force behind sustaining the church.  For example, in fall of 1873,  women in both Fargo and Moorhead churches organized events to benefit the church in Fargo.  The proceeds of the first oyster supper and art sho
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The Making of Bishop Shanley

Father Shanley was ordained on May 30, 1874, at the age of only 23. Following his  ordination, Shanley arrived in St. Paul in July 1874 where he began as an assistant to Father Augustine Ravieux, Bishop Grace, and Father Ireland. In the well developed city of St. Paul, a large Catholic congregation offered Shanley many opportunities to grow in his ministerial skills.  Ireland took Shanley under his wing and gave him
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Fargo: Gateway for Presidents and Political Dignitaries

During the early years of Fargo, many political notables made their way through the town, including Presidents Rutherford B. Hayes and Chester A. Arthur, and former president, Gen. Ulysses S. Grant. In 1883, Grant made a stop in Fargo en route to Montana, where he was to be one of the dignitaries present for the driving of the golden spike to mark the completion of the NP mainline to the West Coast.  He offered these
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New Jersey Man Ensures a Quick Divorce at the Last Possible Moment

The following story from “Fargo: From Frontier Village to All America City, 1875-2000,”  demonstrates the end of an era of lenient divorce laws for Fargo. Many fought to see an end to Fargo’s notoriety as the “divorce capital of the Midwest,” but there was a negative side, too. Fargo lost the revenues from a large number of people who established a three-month temporary residence in Farg
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