The first automobile in North Dakota sparked a wave of excitement when it appeared in Fargo in 1897, igniting the state's love affair with cars. In 1898, Samuel Holland’s homemade steam-powered jalopy became the first car manufactured in the state. North Dakotans didn’t wait for mass production; they started building their own vehicles. Some, like Holland, sold their creations, while others, like William Walton of Neche, built them for personal use. When Henry Ford’s Model T hit the market in 1908, it sold for four hundred dollars—equivalent to about eleven thousand dollars today.
While some skeptics saw the horseless carriage as an impractical novelty, the automobile craze quickly gained momentum. By 1905, North Dakota passed its first traffic law, setting the speed limit at eight miles an hour in towns and twenty-five miles an hour on the open road. Pedestrians and horse-drawn vehicles had the right of way.
On this date in 1926, the Bismarck Tribune announced North Dakota’s first-ever car show, set to take place the following month in Bismarck. The event was already shaping up to be a major attraction. Originally expected to draw a smaller crowd, interest soared as details were released. Thirty-three cars from eighteen manufacturers, valued at over $100,000, would be on display—all brand-new 1926 models. Ten Bismarck dealers were involved in the planning.
Along with the cars, exhibitors would showcase accessories like radiator caps, bumpers, jacks, and stop signals. Dealers planned special displays featuring trucks and radio equipment in their showrooms.
The event promised more than just vehicles. Entertainment included an orchestra, a fiddling contest, and dancers. The hall was to be decorated with flags and bunting. The newspaper predicted it would be one of the biggest events of the year—and it proved to be no exaggeration. More than thirty-five hundred people paid twenty-five cents each to attend. Local dealers saw a surge in showroom traffic, and everyone involved in planning was thrilled with the results. It was clear: North Dakota’s love affair with the horseless carriage had officially begun.
Dakota Datebook by Dr. Carole Butcher
Sources:
- Facebook. “Pembina State Museum.” https://www.facebook.com/PembinaStateMuseum Accessed 1/19/2025.
- North Dakota Bureau of Transportation Statistics. “Transportation by the Numbers.” https://www.bts.gov/sites/bts.dot.gov/files/states2020/North_Dakota.pdf Accessed 1/19/2025
- NDStudies. “The Age of the Automobile.” https://www.ndstudies.gov/gr8/content/unit-iii-waves-development-1861-1920/lesson-2-making-living/topic-11-age-automobiles/section-2-manufacturers Accessed 1/19/2025.
- Bismarck Tribune. “Great Crowds Are Expected for Auto Show.” 2/20/1926. Page 1.
- Bismarck Tribune. “Thousands Coming to Bismarck Auto Show.” 2/27/1926. Page 1.
- Bismarck Tribune. “Auto Show Attracts Large Crowds.” 3/4/1925. Page 1.
- Bismarck Tribune. “First Auto Show Called Big Success.” 3/8/1926. Page 1.
