The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1907-03-29
ITS SEMl-CENTENNIAL
Next Year Ahercrombie viii Be Half
a Century old--Dr. FjeIde Wants
a Celebration.

Herald:
In 1908 will the state of North Da-
kota celebrate the fifty years annivers-
airy for the foundation of Fort Aber-
Icrombie This is the most important
place in the southern part of the Red
river valley. 1t was the establishment
of this fort that led to the settling of
this fertile land. In 1908 we will have
a review OF the history OF the valley
and the settling of this state.
The state has a park on the place
Of. the old fort. 1t was dedicated in
memory of the old soldiers and our
lsettlers on June II, 1903, in presence
of the old settlers of the Red river
valley. 1t was one of the grandest
events that Richland county had ever
seen The Abercrombie and Eagle
people served that day about 5000
pilates free of charge. We hardly
Think that even the present metropolis
of the valley. Fargo, could do better.
In 1904 bauta was erected in Fargo
/ in honor of Bjornstern Bjornson, the
grand old man of Norway, as poet and
farmer. i had part in this work and
| was blamed by Abercrombie people,
because / did not secure this monu-
ment for our own park.
"Det Norske Selskab Amerika"
| had its annual meeting in st. Paul last
fall. Mr.. Halvor Hagen sent to this
an offer of securing $500 towards the
erection of monument in the State
park at Abercrombie The foundation
of this monument shall consist of a
pile of stones of a shape similar to a
Vikings grave. On the stones are to
be cut the names of the old settlers
land soldiers who made their homes
/ here and who wish to have their
names on this. The top shall be a
bauta or monument for Henrik Verge
land and the money to be collected
all over the United States. Mr.. Hag-
ems offer was accepted, and Olaf
| Rjorke is appointed to take charge Of
this affair as chairman.
But there is for this occasion a lot
| of work to do with the park to make
4 IL nice place to meet on BY people
| all over the United States, especially
| in the northwest The park has to be
laid out and trees planted, and this
ought to be done this spring, and the
history of soldiers and settlers has to
be collected. 1t is very important to
get the flrsthand report from the old
settlers and ancestors of the families
of this state. This Is an easy task
now--soon it will be too late. 1t is
unnecessary to remind about how inn
Dortant it is to know the history about
our families in former times and to
Ifeel ourselves in relation with them
and we have a special reason to COM
Il n. ~.
i tiers. 1t is something of the greatest
which has happened to the world, the
changing of the prairies To cultivated
fields, tho making of the greatest
breadbasket of the world since time
commenced.
| We ought to form an Abercrombie
\ pafH auxiliary. a society to take care
of the history Of settlers and plant
| trees in our park, / propose, there
fore! that we have here a meeting,
party or gathering once in a week,
within our halls or churches, as cir
lcumstances may require, then make up
a partly historical, literary and mus
ical programme in which we can have
one or two Biographies of our old set
tiers whom we here honor, and charge
eveyone who meets 10 cents entrance.
4 1t will not take a long time before our
park will get trees enough
a few days ago I had talk with
old man Sjur Johnson. He is 80 years
old, pretty shalky, but clear in his
head. He is an old settler, left Nor
lway, in I849, and took homestead here.
He Is the father of the first soldier
from North Dakota in the Spanish
American war He has seen good and
bad days. If we take away a Sunday
Iafternoon to honor this old gentleman,
we gain by it,
/ The first white mother on this side
of the Red river valley, as far as |
know, is Mrs. Pete Johnson. She Is
lafficted with cancer and Is very sick.
The mothers in. this country ought to
have high seat of honor in our esti-
nation. What win our loss be If we
Isend this highly respected lady a
wreath of thankfulness? =
Let us show ourselves active in good
works, and we will clotfe, not only
our park with trees, but by and by the
whole of North Dakota.