Are you curious about something you heard about an event, place or person from Mandan's past?Place your question in the guestbook on the [HOME]/[Welcome] page, or submit to the Society at info@mandanhistory.org - otherwise some tidbits and factoids not yet deserving of a webpage (or buried among the historical tidbits within the Mandan Timeline webpages) will be posted here.
Note: Answers will not be attempted for living residents, topics or issues relating to "current events." After all, this is a webpage from a historical society...
Answer 1.11 Did Lt. Colonel George Custer actually have "life insurance?"
Apparently, yes.
According to an advertisement placed by the New York Life Insurance Company in the 1961 Dakota Territory Centennial Celebration newspaper supplement published statewide, George Armstrong Custer had purchased a $5000 policy ($150,000 2025$) on himself.
The ad also reports 5 more officers who lost their lives that day also had policies on themselves, but their policy limits were not listed.
Answer 1.10 When was the actual closure date for Fort Abraham Lincoln?
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1891? 1892? or 1894? Again, details matter.
On June 9, 1891 Major Powell received a telegraphed notice the fort was to be abandoned. A letter received the following week outlined the disposition of the troops and materials at the fort. Troops were reassigned in 1892; but operations continued until the fort's post office was officially closed in 1894.
The land outside the actual fort but part of the military reservation was subdivided into smaller parcels and were offered for sale begining in January 1896. The land within the fort's boundaries were given to the State of North Dakota in 1913 and eventually became today's Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park.
Answer 1.09 When was the first railroad bridge between Mandan and Bismarck completed?
1882 or 1883? Details matter.
While the bridge was opened for operation in October 1882, all the contractual provisions of the construction contract, like dressing out the project with paint, signage, demolization (i.e., cleanup), landscaping, etc., were not complete until 1883.
Technically, 1883 is correct.
1883 NP Railway "High Bridge" at Missouri River Crossing
Answer 1.08 What is the real backstory on the "Where the West Begins" slogan?
1956 Car Window Decal
The Mandan Town Criers club held a public competition in 1921 to develop of a trademark and slogan to promote civic pride and business. A total of 225 entries were received.
The slogan "Where the West Begins" was submitted by 20 contestants, with A.W Patterson of Leith submitting his entry first. The phrase was used in the recent past on promotional material produced by the Northern Pacific Railway designating the Missouri Division as the eastern edge of its western service territory in the 1890s.
The railroad's use predates the famous poem "Out Where the West Begins" by Arthur Chapman, written in 1912 and published in 1917.
The slogan continues to be used by the City of Mandan even after its use was discontinued by the Northern Pacific Railway. The City of Fort Worth, Texas also claims it as its own.
A native of Hurst, Texas has the tagline registered with the US Patent and Trademark Office since 1974 as a service mark associated with his western art business.
Answer 1.07 What is the backstory on the "Blue Thunder" logo?
The Mandan Town Criers club held a public competition in 1921 to develop of a trademark and slogan to promote civic pride and business. A total of 225 entries were received.
Mrs. H.E. Hagerman submitted the suggestion to use Blue Thunder as the graphic for the logo. Blue Thunder was a scout and translator for both the Catholic missionary Father DeSmet and the military stationed at Fort Abraham Lincoln. Blue Thunder was famous for his loud, booming voice which was reportedly heard for up to five miles.
The British Museum and documents kept by the Smithsonian Institute refers to Blue Thunder was a member of Yanktonai (band) Dakota (nation). The state-approved ND Studies curriculum lists him as a member of the Lakota nation.
The Society chose the symbol as its logo due to its long association with the city of Mandan; specifically its use by the Mandan Town Criers / Commercial Club in the 1920s. After over 75 years of inactivity, the Society has registered the logo to control its use and protect it from misuse.
Answer 1.06 What and Where was the "Barrows' Building?"
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The 2-story brick Barrows' Building was constructed in 1910 for W.S. Barrows on the northeast corner of 3rd Ave NW and West Main St with an address of 322 West Main St.
Barrows came to Mandan in 1882 and with the first "chief clerk" of the Inter-Ocean Hotel. He would buy the hotel in the late 1880s and operated it until 1909.
After selling the Inter-Ocean Hotel, he purchased the corner property across the street. Barrows engaged Hancock Bros Architects of Fargo and Bowers Construction to build a 2-story brick building with basement as a mixed-use space; clothing store in the front 2/3 at street level with a shoe store in back with 3rd Ave NW entrance. Twelve offices were installed on the second floor.
While the back 1/3 of the basement was used as the boiler and utility room, the south portion of the basement became the Havana Club; and eventually the first location of the "Seven Seas" restaurant and nightclub. A fire destroyed the building in 1970.
A 3-story poured-concrete building, the "All Building" was subsequently built on the site and remains in operation today.
Answer 1.05 What and where was "Hudson Hall?"
Hudson Hall refers to the former second floor gathering space in the Hudson-Wynn building located at 302-304 West Main in Mandan, ND. The second floor was originally used as the clubrooms for the local Elks Lodge as denoted by the building's "BPOE" crown facade nameplate.
The first floor was originally home to F. S. Hudson and John Wynn's dry goods and candy stores (which included an ice cream parlor.) The candy store would later become the site for the The New Palace Cafe. After the Mandan Elks Club built a new larger building on 3rd Avenue NW, "Hudson Hall" was opened as a general use space to host various community meetings and events, including dances.
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The building was designed in 1917 by notable Fargo-area architect William J. Gage who also designed another landmark in Mandan; the Lewis & Clark Hotel located at 404 West Main St.
Answer 1.04 What was the "Star Route Scandal?"
Starting in 1845, the US Postal Service outsource routes in major areas of the nation not served efficently by railroads or marine shipping routes. The Dakota frontier was part of the program (with postage cancellations denoted with astericks i.e., * * *) specifically Fargo, Valley City, Jamestown, Bismarck and Mandan were served by the east-west "Star Route." Fargo was also part of the north-south route along with Grand Forks and Pembina. While this approach is still used today, it is used on a more limited basis.
In the 1880s, scandal struck the Star Route Service. The Dakota route which was awarded a $2350 contract was awared a contract of $32,000 for the following year. Other routes nationwide saw similar increases. A company owned and operated by the Assistant U.S. Postmaster General Thomas J. Bradey and US Senator from Arkansas Stephen W. Dorsey participated in the bid rigging and were the subject of at least 4 Congressional investigations.
While the parties were brought to trial, no convictions occurred. Congress passed reforms to prevent a reoccurance in 1883.
Answer 1.03 What and where is "The Syndicate?"
A group of Eastern capitalists, organized by Henry Endicott from Massachusetts, invested heavily in the frontier town of Mandan once construction began on railroad bridge across the Missouri River. The investor group would grow to include Edward Clopp, William B. Crosby and Edward C. Turner.
While formally referred to as “The Boston Syndicate,” the designation was quickly shortened to “The Syndicate.”
They bought two quarters of land in southwest Mandan. The land was homesteaded by Judson P. Lansing in 1881, but the group acquired it through a series of transactions and formally platted it as Southside Addition.
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Once home to its own rail spur running north-south to the Heart River (today’s Railroad Avenue), a grain elevator and flour mill, the first horse-drawn street car in Dakota Territory also operated there. Tracks were laid on the South side of Main Street to the corner of Sixth Avenue NW, where they crossed the NP tracks to the Syndicate's southside residential area. The last run of the street car was on February 18, 1882 and the last remnants of the track were not removed until the 1996 re-construction of Mandan’s Main Street.
It remains in use today as the designation for the southwest portion of town north of the Heart River, south of the railroad tracks and east of 10th Avenue SW / State Hwy 6.
Answer 1.02 Who "in the Sam Hill" was Mandan's Sam Hill?
Samuel T Hill
An internet search for the origin of the phrase "What in the Sam Hill" reports that it's generally considered a euphemism or minced oath i.e., a gentler way to express frustration rather than "What in the Devil's Hell..." derived from the German Opera demon character named Samiel and Hill a replacement for the word "hell."
Some jurisdictions, however, claim the phrase was derived from the antics of one of their local residents. But Mandan's Sam T. Hill was the son of Clark Hill, a teamster who worked for the US Army at Fort Lincoln and a longtime resident of our city. Sam grew up in west Mandan with 2 sisters and graduated high school in Mandan. He served in the Army in World War I.
No evidence in local court records or newspaper reports to indicate he was ever in trouble. Since he apparently was not given to mischief and served his country in the military, he cannot be claimed as the source of the phrase.
Answer 1.01 What and where is "Dogtown"?
While most current residents would assume the question is referencing the fenced dog park located southwest of Sitting Bull Bridge across the Heart River on 6th Avenue SE/ND Hwy 1806, the original designation referred to the southeast portion of the city proper platted as Gerard's Edition.
Prior to the installation of dikes and levees along the Heart River by the US Corps of Engineers in late 1940s and early 1950s, this portion of town would flood frequently. The low value of the land property drew low income residents to the area. Bordering the city's edge and the railroad yards, packs of wild dogs would prowl the area as repeatedly reported in town newspapers.
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The MHSoc's museum and office is located at 3827 30th Avenue NW; Mandan, ND 58554 Contact us at info@mandanhistory.org
