By 1960, the Bismarck-Mandan micropolitan area had more than 60,000 residents.
Education remained a primary growth as public school enrollment jumped by nearly 60% while secondary education achieved great strides. The decade ushers in the opening of two junior high schools (Simle and Wachter) and two public elementary schools (Grimsrud and Rita Murphy), plus expansions of two other elementaries (Northridge and Riverside) and a major expansion of Bismarck High School. Bismarck Junior College relocates to its current campus during the decade too.
With the completion of Garrison Dam, widescale development began pushing south of Front Avenue for the first time, much of it on land owned by the Wachter Family. Building activity for the area will really take off in the 1970s.
Air travel increased considerably during the 1960s since the first commercial airplane landed in Bismarck in 1931, serving 35,280 passengers in 1960 to an estimated 122,000 in 1969. Frequency of landings and takeoffs also increased from one every 21.1 minutes in 1960 to one every 6.3 minutes at the end of the decade. In 1970, Bismarck was served with 16 daily flights offered by Northwest Orient Airlines (today Delta), North Central Airlines, and Frontier Airlines. A new terminal was dedicated in March 1966 that served until its replacement in 2005.
Other key developments during the 1960s included Dakota Zoo (1961), Veteran’s Memorial Public Library (1963), Northbrook Mall (1963), Interstate 94 (1965), and Bismarck Civic Center (1969).
1960: Arrowhead Plaza
The biggest construction project of 1960 was the expansion of Arrowhead Plaza to its present 60,000-square-foot footprint. The $249,800 expansion brought with it a relocated and significantly larger Dan’s Supermarket store, at approximately 14,400 square feet, where it remained until its 2018 closure. A bank (later U.S. Bank) and hardware store (noted to later be Scheels) was also added at this time.
That same year, in October, voters approved a $1,850,000 bond measure to fund a new junior high (Simle), as well as an addition to Bismarck High School and demolishing the neighboring East Junior High (built in 1912 as the high school).
New Governor’s mansion
A new Governor’s Residence was first occupied in March 1960. The previous mansion, built as the private residence of Asa Fisher in 1884, was home to 21 governors from 1893-1960 and is now a historic site. The residence was replaced in 2018, with the new mansion built immediately adjacent.
Unlike its predecessor, the new mansion was located on the Capitol Grounds – southwest of the state house. It was a ranch “prairie” style brick home originally containing 11 rooms, a two-stall garage, and an unfinished basement for future expansion. It cost a little more than $200,000 to construct. Despite it’s unimposing ranch-style exterior, once fully finished the mansion contained roughly 10,000 square feet with 16 rooms, 7 of which isolated as private housing for the governor’s family.
The state legislature first appropriated funding for a new governor’s residence in 1951, but Governor Brunsdale vetoed the bill citing more important matters than funding a new mansion. A second attempt in 1955 overrode Brunsdale’s veto and became law. It was originally planned to be located on the northeast grounds “on a grassy knoll 300 feet south of Divide Avenue” near the intersection of State Street. Ultimately, it was erected on the opposite corner near Boulevard Avenue and 4th Street.
The state originally awarded the contract to local architect firm Leonhard, Askew and Blake, but withdrew after plans were deemed too elaborate and expensive. It called for a contemporary multi-story house spanning more than 200 feet in length with massive windows overlooking the Capitol Grounds. After failing to meet consensus on design, the state backed out of its contract and later solicited local firm Ritterbush Brothers – the successor to Arthur Van Horn’s architectural firm. It was at this time that the mansion’s location was switched to the southwest grounds. It is speculated that the location change was both to reduce costs and to create symmetry with existing structures, notably the Bismarck Junior College building on the southeast grounds.
Groundwork and tree removal began in May 1959 with construction on the residence itself in June. Governor Davis was its first occupant, in March of 1960. The mansion received many improvements over the decades. The basement was partially finished in 1961, adding two bedrooms, then fully finished in 1972. Other improvements would follow, the most significant of which was completed in 2000. It was replaced by the current mansion built adjacent in 2018.
The site of the residence was once Bismarck’s first cemetery, most commonly known as Boot Hill Cemetery. By the time of its construction, most of the bodies had already been relocated to Fairview or Saint Mary’s Cemeteries – at least fifty during the original Capitol’s construction in 1883-1884 and thirteen during the streetcar line’s construction in the early 1900s, but some graves were unmarked and not known. Five additional coffins and bodies were discovered during the mansion’s construction. It is said that unknown bodies could still remain buried on the site.
1961: Bismarck Junior College relocates to current campus
Six years after occupying a building on the southeast Capitol Grounds, Bismarck Junior College relocated to its present campus in 1961. Several locations were considered before opting to build its new campus atop Meadowlark Hill overlooking the Missouri River on 70 acres donated by local entrepreneur Harold Schafer. The first building constructed on the site, Schafer Heights (now Schafer Hall) was completed in 1961 for $1 million and named in his honor. The Burleigh County Armory was constructed the following year. Numerous buildings have been added to the campus over the ensuing decades.
Voters authorized a junior college in a special election held on June 5, 1939. Bismarck Junior College held its first classes on September 4th of that year, with classes held on the third floor of the Bismarck High School building. Only a one-year program was initially available, consisting of general education courses. Sources vary greatly in initial enrollment and faculty figures. Depending on the source, initial enrollment was somewhere between 68-104 students with 4-12 part-time teachers.
In 1951, the state legislature approved deeding 15 acres of land adjacent to the State Capitol for a dedicated college campus. Voters overwhelming approved an 8-mill tax levy to operate and maintain the school. Prior to that, the college was financed entirely through tuition. Bismarck Junior College moved into its own facility at 900 Boulevard Avenue four years later, in 1955. By 1959, the college had already outgrown its new campus and the increasingly overcrowded state government sought the building’s space, which prompted the college to again relocate.
In 1984, Bismarck Junior College became part of North Dakota’s system of higher education, making it possible to enable partnerships with other state colleges and universities. Prior to this, the college was administered by Bismarck Public Schools.
For a brief time following its entry into the state university system, the school operated as Bismarck State Community College. The 50th Legislative Assembly formerly adopted Bismarck State College as its identity in 1987.
Prior to adopting Bismarck State College as its moniker, much consideration was given to using the campus as an extension of Grand Forks-based University of North Dakota, where it would have been called University of North Dakota-Bismarck.
Dakota Zoo
The Dakota Zoo opened in 1961 with 75 mammals and 23 birds. It attracted more than 40,000 visitors during its first year. Today, the zoo houses 125 species and attracts more than 100,000 visitors annually.
From 1965-1987, Dakota Zoo featured the largest known Kodiak bear ever held in captivity, named Clyde, who is symbolized as an icon. Efforts to mount Clyde’s body fail. A life-size carving of Clyde made by local artist Dave Ely now stands in the zoo.
Northridge and Riverside expansions
Northridge and Riverside Elementary schools expanded. Northridge added 13 classrooms, a gymnasium, cafeteria, multipurpose room, and janitor’s apartment at a cost of $337,043. Riverside added four classrooms and a gymnasium for $157,866.
Fleck House Hotel
Marcus Fleck opened Fleck House Hotel on the former site of St. Vincent’s Nursing Home, on the corner of Thayer Avenue and 2nd Street. It was the city’s first hotel to feature a swimming pool, outdoors (Holiday Inn was first to include an indoor pool, in 1966).
Fleck was a veteran hospitality owner-operator. He previously established a Fleck House Motel in Moorhead, Minnesota and, in, 1958, founded Fleck House Supper Club, which later became Gourmet House. He also established and operated the Skyline Motel in north Bismarck (opened in 1956 at 1806 N 12th – immediately north of the former Kelly Inn), and the Elite Motel and Modern Frontier (MF) Motel (later named Rivertree Inn) in Mandan.
Ownership later passes down to Bernie Feland, who is a partner in opening Bismarck’s Comfort Inn in 1983. The Feland family maintained ownership until about 1994-1995. The hotel dropped affiliation with Best Western in 1999, and became a Budget Inn Express franchise in 2000.
Dakota Beer
Dakota Malting & Brewing Company, best known for its Dakota Beer product, began production on February 23, 1961. Despite initial struggles, including quality control concerns, production exceeded 20,000 barrels a year at its peak.
The company was incorporated on June 6th, 1958 and began offering common stock in July 1959, raising $1 million in capital from 1 million shares priced at $1 each. Before operations even commenced, the company faced a mounting obstacle… a state law limiting alcohol production to less than 3%. Luckily, the state legislature was in session that year and passed a bill to change the law.
The original site selected was near Mandan on the west side of the river, but construction difficulties forced the facility to be located in Bismarck, instead, on the northwest corner of 26th Street & Main Avenue. The 5-acre site was leased for 50 years from Soo Line Railroad. Construction on the steel and brick building commenced on June 9, 1960. The facility was designed for a capacity of 65,000 barrels a year. It contained two wings connected to a 44-foot high brewhouse.
Despite strong demand, inadequate financing and high debt forced the brewery out of business within four years, ceasing operations on September 20, 1965.
1962: Simle Junior High opens, High School expands
1962 was the slowest year of the decade for new building permits, totaling $6.4 million.
In June 1962, demolition commenced on East Junior High as its replacement – today’s Simle Middle School – neared completion. Voters approved a $1,850,000 bond measure in October 1960 for both projects, along with an expansion of Bismarck High to be completed in 1963.
Hillside Park Junior High opened September 4th, 1962 with 711 students. It was renamed Simle Junior High two years later to honor former Bismarck school superintendent T.E. Simle, who died the previous November.
Originally, the building spanned 74,845 square feet and included 22 classrooms, library, gymnasium, “language laboratory,” three science rooms with two labs, guidance room, 900-seat auditorium, cafeteria, art room, band and choir room, workshops, and three music rooms. An athletic field – now known as Staiger Field – was included to its south. The school cost $844,626.92 to build. It expanded in 1992, remodeled in 2009, and expanded again in 2018.
Rosa Young Park, Holiday Inn
Located immediately north of the recently relocated Highway 10 west of Washington Street, Rosa Young Park was dedicated on June 22, 1962. In October, a U.S. Navy F9F Panther aircraft is put on display at the park, where it remains until 1981.
Nearby, at the entrance of the Liberty Memorial Bridge, Bismarck’s Holiday Inn opened its first 30 rooms on July 15, 1962 with a three-day Grand Opening beginning November 2. The hotel cost $1.3 million to build. Its partners included the Tjaden family who previously operated Tyler Cabins on the same site and maintain an ownership stake until 1983.
It was the city’s largest and most amenity-rich hotel upon opening, boasting three two-story buildings with 108 rooms, a small cocktail lounge, an outdoor 50×25-foot swimming pool, and a restaurant. Several expansions would follow. The first came in 1966 for $850,000 adding 60 rooms, a meeting room, and an indoor swimming pool. Enclosing the swimming pool was against the objection of Holiday Inn’s corporate office. As a result, Bismarck’s Holiday Inn was the first in the chain to include a pool indoor vs out.
The biggest expansion was a six-story tower added in 1972, bringing the room count to 261 and adding a 7,000-square foot banquet room. At this point, the hotel was valued at over $5 million.
The hotel sold in 1983. A $1.7 million renovation was completed the following year.
In 1992, Holiday Inn opted not to renew its franchise agreement with the property. In turn, it affiliated with Ramada while downtown’s Sheraton Galleria assumed the Holiday Inn name (today’s Radisson).
From there, the hotel changed owners dozens of times and went into steep decline. It lost the Ramada franchise in November 1996, when it became Hotel Bismarck and Convention Center. It later became Palace Arms before shuttering on December 7, 2001. The hotel was demolished and the Bank of North Dakota headquarters now rests on the site.
1963: Northbrook Mall
Northbrook Shopping Center (later known as Northbrook Mall and now Northbrook Professional Center) was Bismarck’s first fully enclosed and second overall shopping center (behind Arrowhead Plaza) when it opened in 1963 with Tempo and Red Owl anchoring. It was the second fully enclosed mall to open in North Dakota, after Minot’s Arrowhead Shopping Center one year prior, which was built by the same construction firm as Northbrook.
In the grand opening announcement, the enclosed mall – still a relatively new concept – introduced the shopping experience of entering a single exterior door to “leisurely” enjoy an afternoon of shopping “without being bothered by cold, wind, or sudden showers.” It was described as a “broad, covered walkway, which extends in an L-shaped manner connecting the various businesses located” within.
First announced on July 14, 1962, United Development Corporation highlighted the shopping center as a prominent fixture of its Homan Acres subdivision, which United began developing in 1958. Negotiations and planning spanned roughly two years before Minot-based Forsberg Inc. commenced construction in mid-1962. Forsberg owned the shopping center itself, leasing the land from United Development. A member of the Kavaney family was a principal in United Development, namesake of the bordering Kavaney Drive. The Kavaney family later has a hand in developing Gateway Mall, which opens in 1979.
Northbrook Mall spanned 72,950 square feet upon opening. Red Owl and Tempo, corporate siblings under the Minnesota-based conglomerate Gamble-Skogmo, anchored Northbrook when it officially opened on May 1, 1963 coinciding with Red Owl’s opening. Tempo preceded by a couple weeks, on April 17th.
At 40,000 square feet, Tempo was Northbrook’s largest store. Tempo was Bismarck’s first modern discount department store, opening nearly a decade before Bismarck’s Kmart. It featured a drive-in automobile service garage. It was the second Tempo in North Dakota, after Minot’s Arrowhead Center opened the previous year.
The 12,000-square-foot Red Owl store supplemented its downtown (then at 411 N 4th Street) and Mandan locations, easily establishing itself as the region’s dominant grocer. It had five checkout lanes and a service counter.
Completing the remaining space were Akre’s Dutch Oven, Northbrook Beauty Shop, Northbrook Beauty College, Northbrook Barbershop, and Northbrook Laundromat. A liquor store, Johnson’s Northbrook Bottle Store, opened in October.
Two major additions were added within its first few years of operation. The first was in 1967, adding two wings adjoining Tempo, one to its east and another, significant smaller addition to its northwest. The second, in 1971, expanded upon the eastern 1967 addition.
Tempo – the mall’s largest tenant – closed unexpectedly in May 1976, despite having six years remaining on its lease. Its former 45,000-square-foot space was converted into a “mini mall” to house multiple tenants. The “Northbrook Mini Mall,” as it would be referred, was divvied into 35 spaces averaging 1,200-1,500 square feet each, with the largest space being that of Hardware Hank at 6,500 square feet. The heart of the mini mall was an octagonal layout.
The new mini mall concept debuted in October 1977, with a grand opening in March 1978. In addition to Hardware Hank, new tenants to occupy Northbrook within the next year included The Wok, Hansen’s Mens Wear, The Cheddar Box, The Kitchen Cupboard, Feist TV and Electronics, and The Earth Pantry. A full-service post office and a drivers license service center were also established at this time.
Northbrook sold in 1979. Its new ownerships announced a massive expansion to be completed in 1981, but those plans never materialized and First Bank Bismarck acquired the shopping center in lieu of outstanding debt in 1983.
Northbrook’s occupancy rate had dwindled to 58% by the time Midwest Management (now GOLDMARK) assumed management of the mall in late 1986. A $500,000- renovation project commenced soon after. By July 1987, occupancy had risen to 90%. Northbrook had been rejuvenated, for the moment.
In 1986, Red Owl’s corporate office asserted control of the failing Bismarck franchises (then operating as Rod’s Family Foods). Shortly after, in 1987, both Bismarck stores underwent renovation and re-opened under the company’s new Freshmart Foods pilot store concept. The newly renovated 15,600-square-foot grocer added a new bakery, deli, and “smokehouse” for custom-made sausages. It also expanded its meat and produce departments. Its efforts proved unsuccessful, however, and both Bismarck Red Owl locations permanently closed in March 1989. This resulted in Northbrook’s largest tenant and sole anchor unoccupied. Like its Tempo counterpart previously, the space was split to house multiple tenants.
Throughout the 1990s and into the 2000s, Northbrook struggled with high vacancies. Today, Northbrook occupancy is high. It mostly houses professional services, along with a small handful of retail and restaurants. Its change in tenant structure has lead to its new identity of Northbrook Professional Center.
Veteran’s Memorial Public Library
The Veterans Memorial Library opened on July 8th, replacing Bismarck’s Carnegie Library (opened on January 5, 1918; building demolished in 1980). The new public library cost $375,000.
Its largest expansion and renovation concluded in 1989 at a cost of roughly $3.9 million. $3.5 million was financed, controversially, through the city’s $17 million sale/lease plan that also included a Civic Center expansion. The plan included a 1% sales tax increase, which was approved in 1986.
When completed, the project added 50,000 square feet and renovated the original 18,000-square-foot building. At the time of the renovation, the library housed 130,000 volumes. The expansion could hold 250,000. The expansion opened in summer 1988, at which point renovation commenced for the existing building. Funding excluded new furnishings or a completed basement meeting rooms.
Several other renovations have followed, including in 2009 to the Children’s Library.
Mandan Hospital
Mandan received a major upgrade to healthcare with the opening of the new $1.12 million 60-bed Mandan Hospital facility on September 9th in the northwest quadrant. It replaced Mandan Community Hospital. Construction commenced on June 24, 1962. Financing came from a $437,000 federal grant and $400,000 bond issue with the remainder coming from private donations.
The hospital originated in 1910 with the completion of a $22,400 three-story brick building at 1600 2nd St NW on Mandan’s West Slope. The hospital contained twelve private rooms, ten double rooms, and a large ward. It came to be the previous year through a fundraising drive that resulted in the formation of a stock company with 100 stockholders, 50 of which were area farmers.
In 1920, it became Mandan Deaconess Hospital after the area’s Methodist churches took over operations. It was the first of a three part goal to turn Mandan into a center of Methodism with the other two goals being to build a training school and grand church.
Later, control was turned over to the City of Mandan with an association established to administer. It became known as Mandan Community Hospital the new 1963-built facility opened when “Community” was dropped from its name. It was then operated by the Mandan Hospital Association. Medcenter One partnered to help administer Mandan Hospital beginning in 1987. Today it is known as Vibra Hospital of the Central Dakotas.
Heartview Foundation established a treatment center in the former hospital in July 1964. HIT, Inc. later occupied the building
Other 1963 highlights
- First Federal Savings & Loan completed construction of its new headquarters (now American Bank Center)
- City Commission appoints a citizens civic center committee to deliberate plans for what would become the Bismarck Civic Center, opening in 1969.
1964: Tom O’leary, William Guy Federal Building, Grimsrud Elementary
1964 witnessed the opening of Grimsrud Elementary and Bismarck Municipal Golf Course, which was renamed Tom O’Leary in 1969 and expanded to eighteen holes in 1986. The William Guy Federal Building also opened that year to supplement the original 1913-built Federal Building located on Broadway Avenue.
A second J.C. Penney store opened at the northwest corner of Main & 6th, in a building formerly used by Universal Motors (later McCarney Ford). The location emphasizes auto service, appliances, and hardware merchandise. Penney’s maintains two downtown locations until consolidating into its Kirkwood Mall anchor store in 1980.
Scotty’s Drive-in
Bob Koch and Bob Hintz opened the local Scotty’s Drive-in franchise in September 1964. Today, Scotty’s is reportedly the third-oldest continuously operating restaurant in Bismarck (behind Broadway Dairy Queen and Big Boy).
Scotty’s was once a regional chain with locations in at least six states. The first Scotty’s opened in 1962 in Aberdeen, South Dakota. As of 1966, Scotty’s had seven locations in both Dakotas, Montana, Idaho, and Nebraska. The Scotty’s franchise chain dissolved in 1968, at which time, the Bismarck location apparently operated as “Sandy’s” for a short time before reverting back to its original name. Today, only four locations remain operating, all independently: Bismarck, ND, Aberdeen, SD, Scottsbluff, NE, and Idaho Falls, ID.
Koch bought out Hintz in 1973, along with his interest in the DownTowner – a lounge and restaurant located at 208 N 4th Street, which the pair opened in March of that year. That same year, Richard and Carol Roehrich acquired a 25% ownership interest in Scotty’s, shortly after Richard graduated from college. Richard began working for Scotty’s in 1964 – only months after it opened. Within a few years, the Roehrichs acquire full ownership from Koch and maintain ownership until 2007.
In 1977, the DownTowner was converted into a fast food format called “Scotty’s Jr.” Junior relocated in 1978 to 1045 Interstate Avenue (present home of Country House Deli). It is unclear when Scotty’s Jr. closed.
Indoor seating was added to the original Scotty’s in 1985.
The restaurant changed hands in 2007 after a 35-year ownership by the Roehrichs. The new owners, David and Nancy Turner, completed several renovations, including restoring the original sign, albeit with a slightly altered appearance.
A drive-through was added in 2008, around the same time Scotty’s temporarily experimented with adding breakfast items to its menu.
2012 saw a major interior remodel, the first in decades, which saw a more-open dining area and freshened new retro look.
In January 2016, Scotty’s was purchased by local restaurant manager Kurt Dilger. Its new owner extended the restaurant’s hours, including temporarily opening on Sundays. Dilger also implemented other improvements, including a new website, new menu offerings, and a kids meal caddy.
Warehouse Market
Nash Finch opened Warehouse Market at Thayer Avenue between 17th and 18th Streets. The 21,000-square-foot “cash and carry wholesale” store offered low prices in exchange for a “members only” warehouse format. Nash Finch replaced the store with Econofoods in 1989. Today, the building houses Conlin’s Furniture.
1965: Interstate 94 completed; Traffic patterns shift
One of the biggest impacting events in the entirety of Bismarck occurred at the end of 1965 when the $1.2 million Grant Marsh Bridge opened on December 9th, completing Interstate 94 through Bismarck-Mandan. It was the second vehicular bridge to span the Missouri River at Bismarck. Roughly 200 people attended the ribbon cutting ceremony. The bridge is named for Captain Grant Marsh – a frontier steamboat captain known chiefly as captain of the Far West. At the time, much of the Interstate was outside of city limits.
The Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 authorized a network of interstate highways across the United States, including Interstate 94. The first stretch of Interstate 94 completed was between Jamestown and Valley City in 1958. That same year, preliminary routing plans were unveiled of the “superhighway” through Bismarck-Mandan.
Grading work commenced in the spring of 1964. The 15.3-mile highway section through Bismarck-Mandan officially opened with the dedication of the Grant Marsh Bridge on December 9th, 1965. At that time, only a segment between Bismarck and Dawson and another from Medora to the Montana border remained before the interstate was completed through the state.
Upon opening, two interchanges were completed on the Bismarck side – at U.S. Highway 83 and another at what was then called Ward Road (today considered Divide Avenue/Tyler Parkway). The original plan called for a cloverleaf interchange at Highway 83, but a diamond design was ultimately selected instead. Grade separations, or underpasses, allowed traffic to pass beneath the highway at Washington and Fourth Streets, as well as present-day Centennial, which has since been converted into an interchange. The bridge at 19th Street wouldn’t be completed until the mid-1970s.
When the Interstate opened, it was on the northern fringe of city limits, with little development nearby. Bismarck Junior College, Northbrook Shopping Center, and small handful of homes is all that existed within a half-mile of the highway, but its opening sparked a construction boom along the corridor. From its opening until the completion of Kirkwood Mall in 1971, it was the city’s principle center of growth.
The opening of Interstate 94 significantly altered traffic patterns in the area, shifting highway through traffic two miles to the north from U.S. Highway 10 that ran through downtown. As a result, businesses located along Highway 10 that were reliant on through traffic – notably hotels, restaurants, and gas stations – suffered greatly while a new influx of such businesses sprouted where the interstate bisected with U.S. Highway 83. Interstate 94 began the downtown migration that was hastened with the opening of Kirkwood and Gateway Malls in the 1970s.
Downtown hotels were greatly affected by the traffic shift as competing hotels opened near the new highway. The Grand Pacific was first to fail, beginning with Gate City Bank foreclosing on the lodging property in 1971 and followed by its closure two years later, in October 1973. The Patterson Hotel ceased operating in 1978.
New landfill
That July, Bismarck opened a new landfill on 180 acres near where Centennial Road intersects with the interstate. The city acquired the land from the Stopp estate for $15 million. The previous landfill had been in use for about 25 years and was considered an eyesore as the city’s growth pushed towards it. It is “cleaned up, levelled, and seeded to grass.” The parking lot for Century High School and neighboring dog park now sit on the former landfill.
1966
1966 saw a decline in new building permits with residential being the slowest year of the entire decade. Utility operators boosted their local presence in 1966. MDU, today a multi-billion dollar company operating in almost every state, announced that it would relocate its headquarters from Minneapolis to Bismarck. It commences construction of its new headquarters in 1967, located downtown on Rosser Avenue. The 5-story building is completed in the fall of 1968 for about $1.8 million. It boasted a public display room, heated walkway, and roof-top patio. It remains there until relocating to its current corporate campus in 2006 along Century Avenue in northwestern Bismarck.
Northwestern Bell Telephone added a second floor to its downtown building at 225 N 5th Street for $598,810. Work on a third floor begins in 1969.
That same year, Northridge Elementary added nine classrooms and a library, which itself was relocated and expanded in 1986, for roughly $190,000.
New airport terminal
Plans for a larger airport terminal were struck in 1963 with groundbreaking in April 1965 on the $471,000 new terminal located south and slightly east of the original 1930-era facility. It was part of a total $1.4 million improvement project that also included runway and taxiway upgrades. The replacement terminal, which contained 24 tons of glass with spanning windows, was dedicated in March 1966. It was replaced in 2005 with the current terminal.
Scheel’s
Scheels establishes its first Bismarck store upon acquiring Elf Our Own Hardware at 118 N 5th Street in January. The Elf store had been operating since 1955, affiliating with Our Own Hardware – a Minneapolis-based wholesaler formed in 1913 by twelve independent retail hardware dealers. By the time of the Scheels acquisition, Own Own Hardware had grown to an affiliation network consisting of 650 stores, including other Scheels stores.
One year later, Scheels acquired Arrowhead Plaza Hardware and consolidated its two Bismarck stores into the Arrowhead Plaza location, as Scheels Arrowhead Hardware. A second Bismarck store, originally measuring 7,585 square feet, opened at Kirkwood Mall in 1984. It was the company’s 16th total location and its first “All Sports” location, with a focus exclusively on sporting goods. Scheels ran both stores conjointly until selling its Arrowhead store in 1988.
Between 1984-1995, Scheels expanded its Kirkwood store at least four times to 14,700 square feet. In 1995, it nearly doubled to 28,000 square feet by expanding into the former Shades Nightclub and Dakota Pets spaces. Scheels graduated into a junior anchor and was, at the time, the 6th largest store at Kirkwood, larger than Osco Drug and only smaller than the primary anchors.
Scheels continued ongoing expansion henceforth, until enveloping most of the southwest wing by 2012. After expanding by an additional 40,000 square feet, it became the company’s largest single-floor store.
Blizzard of 1966
The Blizzard of 1966 was one of the worst snow storms ever recorded in North Dakota, often earning the nickname “Blizzard of the Century”.
The storm lasted four days, from Wednesday, March 2nd until Saturday, March 5th. In the end, 22.4 inches of snow officially fell on Bismarck-Mandan – the most from a single storm up to that point, beating the previous record of 19.1 inches in 1894. Higher snowfall amounts were reported across the state – with drifts even higher.
At least 5 deaths were recorded due to the storm and hundreds of cattle lost. The storm shuttered government offices, businesses, and area schools for the first time in more than twenty years. Even postal service was interrupted. Most streets were impassible and citations were issued to any motorist traveling for non-emergencies. Three Northern Pacific Locomotives became stuck in the snow just outside the city.
When businesses began to reopen the following day, controversy rang out due to a state blue law preventing stores from opening on Sunday, despite that it was the first time stores could safely open in days.
1967
1967 established another building record with nearly $7.2 million issued in new building permits, a record that will be almost doubled the next year.
General Sibley Park opened and a new First Presbyterian Church was completed on 3rd Street, replacing its historic 1885-built church. MDU discontinued steam heat service on June 1st and installed gas lines to the buildings once utilizing the service.
Wachter Junior High opens
Wachter Junior High opened that year, named to honor the Wachter Family, who denoted 10 acres of land to the city for its development and to build what would be Dorothy Moses Elementary (opened in 1972). It was the second school named Wachter. The first, an elementary school built in 1918, was named for Gottlieb Charles Wachter, who had recently retired from school board.
Wachter has received several additions over the years, including two within the first two years. Wachter was the first school in North Dakota to fully transition from the junior high format to the middle school format in 1991.
1968
Record construction year: almost $14.5 million. This is boosted by Kirkwood Plaza’s permit issuance of about $1 million, which when completed in 1971 would cost an estimated $4 million to build and be the largest single private development until Pinehurst Square more than thirty years later. The record amount of building permits issued is nearly surpassed in 1971 and exceeded by $4 million in 1972.
Excluding Kirkwood Plaza, commercial activity did dip from the previous year’s record, as did public projects. Residential did establish a new record in 1968 – beating the previous residential record set in 1954 – adding 476 new residential units – more than double 1967 – with more than $2 million worth of multi-unit housing. Parkview Arms alone was valued at $750,000 and became the largest apartment complex at the time containing 62 units and an indoor swimming pool. The number of mobile home units also grew by almost 14% to 825 in Bismarck city limits.
Top projects:
- Trinity Lutheran addition = $563,400
- Hughes Junior High addition = $355,758
- Wachter Junior High addition = $288,600
- Morningside Heights Elementary (Rita Murphy) = $227,000
- Baptist Home addition = $260,000
Planning was also well underway for other major projects that would get issued permits at a later date: Parkade, Northwester Bell addition, Capital Electric headquarters, Town House Motel, and the judicial wing addition to the Capitol.
The L.J. Anderson Building underwent renovation into its current purpose, shortly after Conrad Publishing Company vacated the building. Office and commercial space occupy the lower levels and apartments above. The building opened in 1911 as a warehouse for International Harvester.
The Department of Transportation Building was completed on the State Capitol Grounds. The massive office building still houses the highway department and transportation department to this day.
Two regional shopping malls were announced in 1968. The first was Kirkwood Plaza in September. The planned shopping mall will be developed by the Wachter family for an estimated $4 million and feature three anchors (as originally announced): Woolworth, Montgomery Ward, and Fargo-based Herbst – the last which would ultimately be replaced by Herberger’s. Kirkwood Supervalu would join in the mall’s outlot. The mall officially opens in 1971 and more on its history is explored there.
The second was Century Mall in October. The proposed 600,000-square foot shopping center was to be constructed on the west side of U.S. Highway 83 near I-94, on or near the present-day site of Gateway Mall. The mall was to be part of chain of similar malls across eight cities, including fellow North Dakota cities Fargo, Minot, and Grand Forks.
Within a month of the announcement, plans for Bismarck’s mall were upgraded to 650,000 square feet to meet high demand. By comparison, Kirkwood’s original footprint was 422,053 square feet. Century Mall was to include 3 anchors supporting 50 stores. White Drug, Orange Julius, Maurices, K.G. Men’s, and J.M. McDonald Co. were confirmed occupants.
Despite that tenant agreements are struck and sites secured, none of the Century Malls ever materialize. No further plans are mentioned beyond 1970. By 1973, the Kavaney family – owners of the land – proceeded with new development efforts, including re-platting and annexation. The much smaller Gateway Mall would ultimately be developed instead with many of the same tenants… opening in September 1979.
1969
Bismarck ended the decade with yet another elementary school opening with Rita Murphy Elementary (originally called Morningside Heights Elementary) in 1969. It is the second elementary school to open in the 1960s.
Neil Churchill passes
Neil Churchill (born 1891) died in September 1969. He was best known for partnering in Samuel Corwin’s existing dealership in 1925 to form Corwin-Churchill Motors, which was one of the first dealerships to offer the Chrysler nameplate and continues as today’s Eide Chrysler. The duo also opened an appliance store in 1935, which operated until 2015. The Whittey family purchased the Bismarck auto dealership and appliance store in 1952.
Churchill was also involved in creating one of the nation’s first integrated baseball teams in the 1930s -where Satchel Paige once pitched. He served as mayor from 1939-1946 and purchased the Prince Hotel in 1927.
Bonanza
Bonanza “Sirloin Pit” opened a Bismarck restaurant at 2000 N 12th. At the time, there were Bonazas in 33 states. It was a limited service restaurant that included a buffet and dessert bar. The restaurant closes in the late 1990s or early 2000s, turning into North American Steak Buffet until 2011. The building was demolished shortly after. Today, the site is home to Schlotzsky’s Deli. A second location later opens in Mandan, at 1704 E Main Street, in 1979 to replace Choice Cut Family Steak House. The Mandan restaurant shuttered in 2017 and the site now houses Culver’s.
King’s Food Host (The Woodhouse)
William Wood opened a local King’s Food Host in 1969. Its affiliation with King’s ended in 1979, at which point it became “The Wood Host” prior to evolving into Woodhouse. The Woodhouse assumed most of the well-known aspects of King’s.
At it’s height, there were at least 136 King’s locations across 17 states and 1 Canadian province, however rapid expansion lead to its rapid decline, causing the company to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in October 1974. Its assets were sold in 1978. Today, The Woodhouse is the only remaining King’s location that still operates in the same format, including its iconic phone-based ordering.
William Wood sold The Woodhouse in 2018 after nearly five decades of ownership.
Civic Center
The Bismarck Civic Center (renamed Bismarck Event Center in 2014) was completed in 1969 for $2.5 million. About one-fourth of the cost was financed through donations. The 24th Annual Holiday on Ice was the first event held, September 5th-9th. It was formally dedicated on September 14th. By the time of opening, nearly every weekend for the next year was reserved. Major expansions were completed in 1990, 1999, and 2015.
Discussions of an arena and event center for Bismarck first emerged in the 1950s. The original proposal called for expanding the World War Memorial Building, but funding could not be secured. The first serious attempt at an events center came in 1958, but funding went to constructing the Veteran’s Public Library instead.
In fall 1963, the City Commission appointed a citizens civic center committee to deliberate plans for a center, but it won’t be for another four years before the civic arena is approved.
Roughly 20 prospective sites were considered, the most likely of which included: North of Interstate 94 on city-owned land, East of 26th Street on state-owned land, East of Bismarck Junior College, and 5th Street at Front Avenue. A heated debate ensued for years over the center’s location. Harold Schafer strongly lobbied for the arena to be built on land he donated east of Bismarck Junior College, citing its scenic advantage.
The committee narrowed the potential sites to 12 before recommending the 5th Street location in January 1964. The site was chosen primarily for its access and proximity to the central business district, particularly the existing City Auditorium. A city consultant also favored the site.
Three public votes between 1964-1967 determined the Civic Center’s fate. Voters authorized a bond measure of $1.8 million for an arena in April 1964, in a 4,327-3,713 vote, but defeated a $900,000 cost and debt limit increase on December 6, 1966. While majority favored the increase, it did not achieve the required 60% margin.
The City Commission approved the Civic Center on March 21, 1967. To cut costs, the approved $1.7 million plan eliminated a permanent stage with unfinished seating on its east side for later expansion.
Public approval was still needed. On June 26th, voters narrowly authorized $1.5 million towards constructing the Civic Center at the 5th Street site: 4,255 votes in favor against 7,821 total. 3,560 favored the Bismarck Junior College site. Voters from the nearby Highland Acres development opposed the college location more than any other neighborhood.
The city acquired five blocks of land from the Wachter Family for the project, in what proved to be a fruitful endeavor for the Wachter’s upcoming Kirkwood Plaza that would open adjacent to the center in 1971. Two blocks were purchased for $112,150 while the Wachters gifted the remaining three blocks to be primarily used for parking. The land gift included restrictive covenants that the city bought out in 2005 for $600,000 to gain full control of the land.
Construction commenced on June 28, 1967. A few weeks later, excavation uncovered artifacts dating back to 1807 – long before Bismarck’s founding, including historic European china and bottles. Other waste was more recent, estimated to be the early 1910s from what was assumed to be a waste dump.
By mid-1968, the exterior walls were completed, along with paving for the parking lot. Contracts were also awarded to pave nearby streets: Sweet and Bowen Avenues, and 5th and 7th Streets. Bismarck Avenue (now Expressway) was also paved between 9th and Washington.
Improvements to the center have included a 112,000-square-foot addition in 1990 that added six meeting rooms and a 48,600-square-foot exhibit hall, a $9.8 million (one source says $8.6 million) addition to the arena’s south in 1999, and a $27-million expansion of the exhibit section in 2015.
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