Today, we recognize one of North Dakota’s listings in the National Register of Historic Places.
In July 1928, the Minot Daily Optic ran a brief article about the opening of “the new Hariman Sanitarium” in Grand Forks. A dedication of the building was held, opening it for public inspection. It was three stories high, constructed of brick and concrete. The article reported that: “Modern hospital equipment, including electrical apparatus, has been installed.”
The Hariman Sanitarium Hospital and Clinic was the very first facility in the U-S built specifically for chiropractic care. It was established by George Hariman, who was born in 1893 in Greece. His wife Emma Lou served as superintendent. Son Donald George also became a chiropractor, making it a family affair!
Chiropractic work had been going on for many years in the United States. According to the American Chiropractic Association, Daniel David Palmer is credited for giving the first chiropractic adjustment in 1895. He established the first chiropractic school in 1897 in Iowa.
In 1913, Kansas became the first state to govern chiropractic. In 1915, North Dakota was the first to enact a law to license chiropractors. Only by 1974 did all 50 states have laws governing the profession.
Dr. Hariman ran his clinic until he passed away in 1977, and he was well-known outside of Grand Forks. In 1946, an ad for the hospital ran in western North Dakota appearing in the Beulah Independent. The ad noted that the clinic was, “not the largest, but one of the best-equipped and maintained to transform stubborn and difficult ill health, to an enjoyable life and better future. If you have a health problem, if you have traveled far and near seeking relief, if your illness has resisted all previous treatment—then you owe it to yourself to consult us.”
The Hariman Sanitarium building was sold in 1981. The University of North Dakota purchased it and used it for various means. It was sold again in 1999 and now acts as an apartment building.
Dakota Datebook by Sarah Walker
Sources:
- The Minot Daily News and Daily Optic Reporter, July 9, 1928, p1
- https://www.acatoday.org/about/history-of-chiropractic/
- The Bismarck Tribune, March 20, 1928, p8
- The Bismarck Tribune, September 9, 1935, p1
- Who’s Who for North Dakota, 1958
- National Register of Historic Places Registration Form / Hariman Sanatorium
