3/21/2008:
On this day in 1922, the city of Des Lacs stepped into the national spotlight and set records across the board as a result of a surprising election that made history.
It was the winners of this election that caught the world by surprise: that's because the winners were all women. Des Lacs had effectively handed over the reins of government in their city to an all-woman cast—the first time that any such thing had happened.
The Ward County Independent reported that "although there was a male ticket in the field, it (was) said that the men worked for the women's ticket, the 45 votes being polled almost unanimously for the members of the fair sex."
The only recorded protest was made by F. H. Ward. He was the husband of one of the women, and he declared to the town that he would "never vote for his wife for village marshal." Nonetheless, his wife was elected into that position, and the Chairman, Assessor, Treasurer, Clerk, Justice of the Peace and Trustees openings were all were filled by women, as well.
The new administration of "City Mothers" promised to enforce laws already intact, such as the curfew law—reminding their citizens that Des Lacs was "a nine o'clock town." The town turned out in droves to view the women as they took their oath of office, which they did on a stormy day. Afterward, the male incumbents took them out for coffee and dessert.
The following April, their story ended up on a full page of the New York Evening World.
It was said that the whole thing had started as a practical joke, and the men overall didn't take it seriously, but the women did. They ran on a platform claiming a "Bigger, Better and Cleaner Des Lacs." When they won, they said they were going to conduct a strict regime in the town.
Many years afterward, Mrs. Peterson, one of the women, said, that "Everything went fine and we had no trouble." She said she couldn't remember "any particularly outstanding accomplishments" or any catastrophes during the year they were in office, but she did say they ended their terms with "a nice clean slate." She was satisfied that the women had proven they could run the town as well as the men.
In 1923, the husbands and other men ran against the women and won.
The petticoat rule was over, but the interesting story—and the woman's touch in the city—lived on.
By Sarah Walker
Sources:
Ward County Independent, March 23, 1922, p.4
The Bismarck Tribune, Monday, March 27, 1922, p.1
Ward County Diamond Jubilee, Inc.; 75th year Jubilee, 1961
Minot Daily News, Sat., June 1, 1968, p.19
Minot Daily News, Saturday, April 1, 1922, p.4