11/4/2012:
On this date in 1904, the Wizard of Oz came to Fargo. L. Frank Baum’s novel had only recently been adapted for the stage, and it thrilled audiences in opera houses all over the country. It differed significantly in that the witches were mostly absent and the Cowardly Lion was a minor part, but the main theme of Dorothy and the Scarecrow remained mostly in line with the book.
The cast was probably happy to be in North Dakota, for only the day before, a cowboy attending the presentation in Billings, Montana, took a shot at the Scarcrow to see if he was real or not. The Scarecrow yelled, the cowboy was fined ten dollars, and the incident added another level of excitement to one of the greatest classics of all time.
Dakota Datebook written by Jim Davis
Sources:
The Fargo Forum & Daily Republican November 7, 1904
The Fargo Forum & Daily Republican November 5, 1904