Century of progress Forman, ND, 1884-1984

• Format: Text
• Language: unknown
• Published: North Dakota State Library
• Subjects: Carr; Dowling; Dunbar; Midland; Mullen; Saloon; Thune; Churchill
• Online Access: http://cdm16921.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/ndsl-books/id/25327

Forman flourishes in 1889 By 1889 the following businesses were flourishing in Forman: one bank, one railroad, three hotels, a S.V. Camp, one paint shop, five law offices, one drug store, the county seat, a G.A.R. Post, one barber shop, two newspapers, two general stores, two livery barns, a population of 300, one hardware store, two butcher shops, one furniture store, an IOGT Lodge, a $2,500 school, two blacksmith shops, three machine depots, one confectionary store, one dentist office, an AF and AM Lodge, one jewelry store, money order post office, a fine courthouse, one physician and surgeon, one clothing store, one elevator, one millinery and dressmaking store, one flathouse (grain storage), three justices of the peace, one lumber, coal and brick yard, one feed store, one mill, one $2,000 Congregational Church. There were several hotels built in the first year or so, necessary because of new settlers arriving. Many law and real estate offices were necessary because so many homesteads were being proven up. All of these things brought in people who needed housing and meals. The school was built in 1884. Col. Forman gave the land for the site. He, at the same time, gave land for a small park which was named "Sidney Park" in honor of Sidney Mullen, a thriving citizen. This park was used for many years. In 1984 David Jacobson's home and the school bus garage occupy the space. Trees were planted and it really was a nice park. Many business places were moved in. Dyste's moved from Rutland as did Steimke and Claus Evenson. Hurly's store came from Dunbar as did several other buildings. At least two came from Harlem. Several of the carpenters of the time were Norton, Casper Smith and A.E. Land, who built many of the claim shacks. These were small 12 x 12 homes, better than the sod houses. These were usually covered with tar paper. Many of the first homes in the town were tarpaper shacks. Lumber had to be hauled from Milnor or Lisbon until the railroad came through. The first church to be built was the Congregational. The Colonel donated the land and some of the money. The next church was the Methodist. The Catholic and Lutheran were both built about 1914. Forman, thus, was off to a good start with all the essential businesses of the time. Its growth throughout the years will be told in other chapters of the book. The following tells more of early Forman: "C.H. Forman was mentioned in the first edition of The Teller as 'the founder of a large colony in Sargent County.' On June 29 he returned from Michigan with 3,000 ft. of pine lumber to plat 'his town' on Sec. 1, 130, 56. 'Mr. Forman will immediately build a large store building and other houses, and will be very liberal with parties wishing to build.' The Forman Hotel was up and enclosed by Aug. 17. A report Sept. 14 noted a party in Forman included croquet, whist and a performance by Prof. Wells' grand consolidated orchestra. Forman built a hotel 55 x 50 and a store 24 x 54. His son-in-law, W.F. Groff, was also to have a store. The town included 12 blocks with 24 lots each to sell for $50 to $150 each. By May 28, 1886, the Forman Mill project was advancing under the direction of A.M. Cook, E.W. Bowen, Z.O. Patten, Dyste Bros., and J.C. Brandt. A daily stage was put on from Milnor to Forman Dec. 24,1886. It was reported Dec. 31, 1886, that Forman had two saloons but no water. In January, 1887, Thune and Co. put in a lunch counter in the saloon with oysters, salmon, sardines, tripe, bologna and eggs. A.C. Wiper and Edward Patterson put up a feed store, and Chase and Bartlett sold the stage to Carr and Dowling. Midland House was improving with 25-30 at each meal. Surveyors measured and platted an addition to the original townsite on the east and south of Manitoba railroad tracks with arrangements to erect a large hotel costing more than $5,000 in the spring. A school house site was selected and donated to the town and park with five acres laid out and donated to the town. Railroad companies were beginning to sink a well. The townsite was being re-platted with lots to be laid out the opposite way from which they were first platted. Chris Ankle, Ransom County, was sinking the new town well on Main Street on the corner opposite the big hotel in February. A week later the well was down 35 ft. with a proposal to dig 125 ft., and cost to be $175. Fagan and Argersinger opened a saloon in the Wells building in March; but the well, dug 160 ft. deep, yielded no water. In April, building was booming with four new buildings going up including Covey's boarding house whicii was finished and open to the public, Mullen's boarding house which was nearly ready, Enstad's big livery barn and Brandt's machinery warehouse. A new 40 x 40 hotel was planned with 14 sleeping rooms, a dining room, parlor, sample room, billiard hall and office and addition for a kitchen. C.A. Rist, H. Churchill and A. Griffin, the Harlem well borers, arrived Tuesday. They broke a cable in late April and awaited a new one. And on May 7, 'water was struck in the town well yesterday afternoon at a depth of 160 ft. but as we go to press the operators are still going down, hoping for more.' It was reported May 14 that the well drillers found their tools had been dropped down the hole and 50 ft. of stone and clay dropped on top of them. The rocks were blasted away and by June 24 the town well was complete and in running order, taking 138 ft. of pipe to reach bottom." - The Teller, Centennial Edition. School dedicated in 1909 The dedication of the handsome new $20,000 schoolhouse of Forman was performed with merit and pleasure of all concerned. A very large attendance of people listened to the oral exercises and inspected the new temple of education. The program had been very carefully arranged by Principal R.L. Rairdon, to whom great credit is due for the success of the dedication. Forman's new edifice of educational purposes was constructed by L.W. Holder, contractor and builder. The building is of brick construction, very stately in appearance, and contains six big rooms, besides a number of smaller recitation rooms, cloak apartments, halls, engine room and two large basement rooms. The structure is a credit to the county seat. (Taken from Sargent County News, 1909) Scanned with a Zeutschel Zeta book scanner at 300 dpi. Edited with Multi-Page TIFF Editor.