May is National Historic Preservation Month! Today, we’ll hear about some of the historic places in North Dakota that are included in the state’s Historic Sites Registry.
Today, we discuss Island Park in Fargo. Touted as the oldest historic park in the city, the area has hosted many historic and community events over the years. Various features and pieces of statuary there have been nominated for inclusion in the Historic Sites Registry.
One example is the statue of Norwegian poet Henrik Wergeland. Created by Norwegian sculptor Gustav Vigeland, the statue is believed to be one of only three of his works outside Norway. It was unveiled in June 1908 with considerable fanfare. In the leadup to the unveiling, the Bismarck Tribune noted that “a landscape architect will work out some artistic transformation in Island Park, Fargo.” The statue was “presented from Norway to Norwegians of America.”
Another piece of statuary is the Grand Army of the Republic soldier statue, which commemorates Union soldiers from the Civil War. These statues are unique in North Dakota because many communities preferred to create more practical memorials in the form of buildings with multiple uses. This statue was one of only a handful erected in the state, and one of only two that survive today.
The Bandstand, also known as the Gazebo, was eligible for nomination because it represents an unusual property type. It was constructed of reinforced concrete and cast iron, with a wooden ceiling designed to amplify sound. The structure reflected a larger movement among American cities to beautify public spaces and provide activities for increasing leisure time. It was constructed by Walter Hancock of the Hancock Brothers architectural firm. While Hancock designed many buildings in the area, this is the only known bandstand in the state designed by him.
A grandstand seating area also was constructed under the Works Progress Administration. Its Art Moderne, or Streamline Moderne, style, with smooth, rounded, and circular features is still clearly visible today and remains an unusual architectural style in North Dakota.
Dakota Datebook by Sarah Walker
Sources:
- Fargo Forum and Daily Republican, June 7, 1910, p5
- The Bismarck Tribune, May 10, 1921, p6
- The Fargo Forum and Daily Republican, July 18, 1914, p5
- The Bismarck Daily Tribune, April 14, 1908, p4
- Ward County Independent, March 20, 1919, p10
- Bismarck Daily Tribune, June 17, 1908 North Dakota Historic Sites Registry Nomination Form / Grand Army of the Republic Soldier Statue in Island Park
- North Dakota Historic Sites Registry Nomination Form / Henrik Wergeland Statue in Island Park North Dakota Historic Sites Registry Nomination Form / Bandstand in Island Park North Dakota Historic Sites Registry Nomination Form / Grandstand in Island Park
