Thursday, June 01, 2017













Monday, March 13, 2017

1973 Gary Vollrath Golden Gloves Pursuit

Fergus Falls Daily Journal, February 7, 1973. 38th annual Regional Golden Gloves Tournament, Wahpeton, ND. In the heavyweight title fight. Larry Veazie, who had to give up over 40 pounds to Gary Vollrath of Wahpeton, was knocked out of the ring in the first round. In the second round Veazie gave Vollrath his best shot but the stronger fighter shrugged off Veazie's blows and won the title.
LaCrosse Tribune, February 26, 1973. Minnesota Boxers Eye Golden Gloves MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (AP) — A field of 80 boxers from Minnesota and the Dakotas will compete Friday and Monday nights at the Minneapolis Auditorium in the Upper Midwest Golden Gloves Tournament. Mark No less than three former champions make the heavyweight division the most attractive on the card. Bob Culbertson of Rochester is the defending champion, Scott LeDoux of Minneapolis won the 1971 title and Gary Vollrath of Wahpeton was the 1970 king. The individual champions advance to the national tournament in Lowell, Mass., in mid- March.
Minneapolis Star, March 5, 1973. Scott LeDoux of Minneapolis, former heavyweight champion, already has eliminated one ex-champ in Gary Vollrath, and like others in the top five weight classes, must fight twice tonight. LeDoux meets Al Houck of Wadena. In the other heavy semi, Joe Abbott of St. Paul, who staged a sensational rally to oust defending champion Bob Culherlson of Rochester Friday, faces Waldon Gilbert of Hibbing. Winners tonight will represent the Upper Midwest in the national tournament at Lowell, Mass., March 19-23.

Tuesday, February 02, 2016

James D. “Stook” Stockton, 79, of Fargo, ND and formerly of Neche, ND passed away Sunday, January 17, 2016 at Bethany Nursing Home, Fargo, ND. Funeral services will be held Friday, January 22, 2016 at 11:00 a.m. at the Christ Lutheran Church, Neche, ND. Visitation will be held Thursday, January 21st from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. with a 6:00 p.m. prayer service at the church. Burial will be held in the Union Cemetery, Neche, ND. In lieu of flowers, memorial are preferred. Jim was born February 24, 1936 in Crystal, ND the son of George E. “Stuke” and Vera M. “Tootie” (McFadden) Stockton. He grew up in the Bruce community and attended the Bruce country school. The family moved to Neche in 1950. He was baptized and confirmed in the Neche Methodist Church. Jim attended Neche High School where he met the love of his life, Carol Ann Hvidsten and they graduated in 1954. He then attended NDAC “NDSU” and Moorhead State University. On August 18, 1957, they were married in the Christ Lutheran Church in Neche. They were the parents of four children: Scott Dale, Kirk Alan, Jamie Kay, and Brian Cary. They made their home in Neche where he farmed until 1989. Jim then became a rural mail carrier until 2007. In 2013, they moved to Fargo and enjoyed Sunday drives any day of the week, garage sales and of course the Bison games. He was a member of the Christ Lutheran Church, served on the Neche City Council , Neche Volunteer Fire Department, and the Neche Farmers Elevator Board. Other things he loved were collecting toy tractors, Neche memorabilia and antiques. Jim also was a local cub scout leader. He followed his grandchildren in their many sporting endeavors and didn’t miss many of the local games, especially if they were involved. Jim loved his family and enjoyed the many family gatherings. Survivors include his children: Scott (LeAnne), White Bear Lake, MN, Kirk (Angie), Neche, Jamie (Wally) Dodd, Cape Coral, FL, grandchildren: Brandon Stiff, Mandy (Joe) Hoppe, Chrissy Stockton, Kendra (Chris) Trupe, Tyler Stockton, and Danielle Dodd; great-grandsons: Cohen Trupe and John Stuke Hoppe; sister, Shirley (Ernie) Ertz, Papillion, NE; nephews: Michael (Sohee) Papillion, NE, Dan (Heidi), Omaha, NE; and several cousins. Preceding him in death were his parents; wife, Carol in December of 2015 and son, Brian in 2006.


Carol A. Stockton, 79, of Fargo, ND and formerly of Neche, ND passed away Saturday, December 5, 2015, at the Essentia Health, Fargo, ND. Funeral services will be held Wednesday, December 9, 2015 at 11:00 a.m. at the Christ Lutheran Church, Neche, ND. Visitation will be held on Tuesday, December 8th from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. with a 6:00 p.m. prayer service at the Atonement Lutheran Church, Fargo, ND. Burial will be held in the Union Cemetery, Neche, ND. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred. Carol was born January 25, 1936 in Stephen, MN to Bert and Irene (Felt) Hvidsten. She was baptized in Stephen. In 1937, the family moved to Neche, ND. Carol was confirmed at Christ Lutheran Church. She attended Neche schools, spending her freshman year at Crookston Agricultural School and graduated from Neche High School in 1954. While in school she played basketball and was a cheerleader for the Neche Indians. On August 18, 1957, she was married to her high school sweetheart James “Stook” Stockton. In 1958, she graduated with a degree in physical education and business with a minor in English from Moorhead State Teacher’s College. She was a member of the Pi Mu Phi Sorority. She taught in Cavalier then in Neche until her retirement in 1976. While teaching she taught business and physical education, coached basketball and track, and was a cheerleading and GAPA advisor. She was a respected and inspirational teacher, coach and mentor, loved by many former students. She was a member of Christ Lutheran Church where she taught confirmation and belonged to WELA. Carol also enjoyed the Red Hats and was an avid Bison fan. In November of 2013, Carol and Stook moved to Fargo. They attended Atonement Lutheran Church while living there. Survivors include her husband, James “Stook” Stockton; children: Scott (Leanne) Stockton, White Bear Lake,MN, Kirk (Angie) Stockton, Neche, ND, Jamie Kay (Wally) Dodd, Cape Coral, FL; grandchildren: Brandon Stiff, Amanda (Joseph) Hoppe, Christine Lane Stockton; Kendra (Christopher) Trupe and Tyler Stockton; Danielle Dodd; great-grandchildren: Cohen Trupe and John Stuke Hoppe; siblings: Allen (Mavis) Hvidsten, John (Janice) Hvidsten, Judy (Bert) Warner, Kay (Melvin) Stark; sister-in-law, Shirley (Ernie) Ertz, and many nieces and nephews. Preceding her in death were her parents; son, Brian C. Stockton, sister, Theresa Ione Hvidsten; father and mother-in-law, George “Stuke” and Vera “Toots” Stockton.


James H. McFadden, 95, of Cavalier, ND passed away Saturday, January 16, 2016 at his home. Funeral services will be held Wednesday, January 20, 2016 at 11:00 a.m. at the Trinity United Methodist Church, Cavalier, ND. Visitation will be held at the church for one hour before the time of services. Burial will be held in the Bruce Cemetery, Neche, ND. James was born August 4, 1920 in the Bruce community near Neche, ND to Joseph and Nellie (Hinds) McFadden. He grew up on the family farm and attended the Bruce School. On November 7, 1942, he married Helen Greenwood at Hallock, MN. Jim farmed in the Bruce area his entire life, until moving to Cavalier in 2005. Things he enjoyed doing were playing cards, woodworking, camping, and fishing. For 11 years Jim and Helen enjoyed wintering in Harlingen, TX. Survivors include his wife, Helen; children: Peggy Page, East Grand Forks, MN, Kitty Mullen (Dave Waller), Ft. Myers, FL, Pat (Marge) McFadden, Fergus Falls, MN, Dennis (Maxine) McFadden, Castle Rock, CO, Tom McFadden, Bob (Val) McFadden, all of Cavalier, David McFadden (Shelley Burnette) Highlands Ranch, CO, Karen McFadden, East Grand Forks, MN; 17 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; three step-grandchildren; seven step-great-grandchildren; nephew, James Stockton, Fargo, ND; niece, Shirley Ertz, Papillion, NE. Preceding him in death were his parents; children: Donald James and Sue Ellen McFadden; grandson, Aaron McFadden; sisters: Viola McFadden, Vera Stockton, and Ruth Olin; daughter-in-law, Laurie McFadden.

Tuesday, January 12, 2016

Brian Stockton Interview with Grandpa Bert Hvidsten



Born Feb 2, 1905, at home, Stephen, MN, Marshall Co.

Bert Adolph Hvidsten

Youngest of 6 boys, 4 girls younger than me.

Father: Olaf
Mother: Anne

Could you Roller Skate:  Roller skate on sidewalk after we moved to town, Stephen, MN

What kind of games did you play: Merry-Go-Round, Drop the Hanky, Pig in the Parlor.

What were your favorite toys: Yes, I had a bicycle I rode from morning till night.

Did you get to stay up and watch TV or listen to radio: We had no TV.  Yes, listened to radio

What kind of house did you grow up in: I grew up in a two story house on the farm that my father homesteaded on.

Did you have a secret hiding place: Out by the Farm Machinery.

Did you have a fire place: No we did not have a fire place in the home.  We had a wood burning stove and I would carry in and stock up piles of wood to carry over to the next day.

Did you have your own bedroom/bathroom:  No, did not have my own bedroom.  We had a two story house with two bedrooms upstairs.  One bedroom was reserved for the country teacher that boarded and roomed there at our house.  The other bedroom was for the 6 brothers (3 beds) in one room.

How did you keep your soda cold:  I did not know what soda was.

What kind of lights did you have: We had kerosene burning lamps in the house and carried lanterns to the barn for light.

Did you have jobs to do around the house:  Yes, carry in wood and water which we got from the pump in the yard.  And also helped milk the cows before we went to school, a walking distance of 1 mile.

Did you have an attic or basement: We had an attic in the house and we used to store extra clothing and supplies.

Who Lived with You: Mother and Dad, 5 brothers, 4 sisters.

Did Firemen or Police ever come to your house: Once I set fire to the mattress upstairs in the house while my parents were in town for groceries.  I was trying to light cigarettes wrapped with newspaper over corn fiber.  I used a hairbrush to combat the fire in the mattress, which was filled with shavings, which they used in those days.

What was the first Christmas you remember like: The first Christmas I remember was someone dressed like Santa with long whiskers and a sack of presents.  I was scared stiff at the time, I was about 4 years old.

Where did you hang stockings and how did you decorate the tree: I hung my stocking on the back of a chair placed in the living room.  The trees were decorated with popcorn strings and candy canes etc.  During the night we would tip toe down the stairs and peak around the doorway to see if Santa was bringing presents.  The biggest thrill was when we received a small phonograph.  I think it was played from morning till night.  Mother used to get bored with the noise sometimes.

Did Santa give you what you asked for:  I never asked for anything special

Did you have snow/go sleigh riding or skating: We used get a lot of snow.  We went sleigh riding when we had gatherings.  I used to go skating on the river every night.  We would go down the river several miles.

Did you go to your Grandma’s for Thanksgiving:  No, Grandma lived too far away.

How did you trick or treat on Halloween:  We did not trick or treat those days.  Our big thrill was to go blueberry picking in the Minnesota area around Roseau, MN.

What did you do on the 4th of July: We used to attend a picnic at a place called Happy Corner.  Lately they changed the place.  I don’t remember, but it was east of Argyle, MN.

 Did you send cards or candy to girls on Valentine’s Day:  I remember one girl that I sent a Valentine card to.  Her name was Francis Kuznia, she later contracted Scarlet Fever and died.  She was a daughter of Frank Kuznia.  They lived 1 ½ miles east of our farm.

What were your family holiday traditions:  We would visit with neighbors back and forth.  There were families that we exchanged visits with.

Where did you go to school: I went to school in the country, in Wanger Township, in Stephen, MN, until I was in grade 8.  Then we moved into town and I continued until my Junior year.

Did you like school: Yes
How did you get to school: We walked to school most of the time, 1 mile.  We walked across the neighbors farm for short cut.

What classes did you like, hate: I liked Arithmatic and grammer.  I hated history etc.

Were your report cards good, what was your best:  My report cards were fair to good.  I do not remember, but I don’t think I got a red mark.

Did  you go out for sports:  Yes, I went out for all sports.  I played football and basketball.  Our team took District Championship in Football.

Were you given lots of homework: No not much.

Where did you go on vacations Grandpa: We did not take vacations.  The only pace we could go was Grandma’s farm, Karlstad, MN.  The name was Sylskar.

Did you go Camping or Fishing: No

Were you ever on a train trip:  My first train trip we bought a ticket to Northcote, MN, to pick potatoes on the Jim Hill Farm.  Potatoes were poor and all could not make our board.

What was the longest trip you ever took:  The longest trip we took was to Grand Forks, ND, to visit my mother’s sister who lived there.  Later she moved to Chicago, IL, Mrs. Rachell Rayotte(sp), son Frank & Harry.

Did you go to the fair or carnival:  That was the biggest thrill, to go to the fair.

Did you ever go to Disneyland or Six Flags: No

What was the latest you ever stayed up:  About Midnight

How old were you before you could date?  Who was your first date:  First Date Freshman Year, Vera Clausen

When did you get your first knife, slingshot, gun:  Knife when I was about 6 years old.  Slingshot 8th grade.  Gun, I was about 15 yrs.

Who taught you to drive? What was your first car:  I learned by watching my older brother.  First car Model A Ford Touring car.

Ever build a treehouse & swing: No

What was your nickname: Didn’t have any

Did you used to catch lighting bugs? What kind of things did you collect: No

How did you meet Grandma? Did you have any rivals:  I met Irene at a dance at the Park Pavilion in Drayton, ND.

Where did you go on your first date? Did you like her right away?  Did she write you love letters? Did you ever get mad at Grandma while you were dating:  Went to a theatre in Hallock, MN, on first date.  I fell in love with her at once. 

Where and when did you ask her to marry you:  While parked in the picnic grounds in the Drayton Park.

When did you get married?  What was your wedding like?  Who was in your wedding: We got married in the late fall at the Ministers house in Crookston, MN.

Where did you go on your honeymoon:  We drove over to Thief River Falls, MN, and stayed at the hotel and returned home the next day.

Where was your first home:  Our first home was in a house I rented from Mrs. Charles Clark, north Stephen, MN.

Where were your babies born?  Who were they named after: 
Allan born at home, Stephen, MN. 
Carol at home with nurse from Kennedy, MN. 
John born Hallock Hospital. 
Judith, Neche, ND. 
Kay in Cavalier Nursing Home.

Did you work after school: Just Housework.

What was your first job?  How much did you get paid:  Worked for Roy Benson on farm, $50 per month.

How many different places did you work?  Did you ever work on a farm: 
                Scandia State Bank, Stephen, MN
                Stephen Implement, Book keeper & Parts Man
                Grafton Implement Co, Grafton, ND, Salesman

 Yes I worked on a farm for Roy Benson, at Stephen, MN.  I would get up early and feed horses and harness them, and be in the house for breakfast at 6:00 am.  And walk behind the horses mostly 20 miles a day.

Did you receive any special awards?  Were you ever elected to office:  I was alderman of Stephen, MN and Mayor of Neche, ND.

Did you ever have your own stereo or tapes:  No

Did you have to take music lessons: No

Did certain songs bring back memories: Yes

Do you remember your first dance?  Who with?  What dances:  First dance with Iva Hood a classmate, Two-Step.



Thursday, September 17, 2015


Tuesday, April 07, 2015

1909 Birds Eye View of Neche.  From a Double Folder postcard, printed by Judson LaMoure

Sunday, November 30, 2014

Winter settling in the Northlands with Ice Gliders and Fish Houses taking over the area lakes.




Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Perfect Thanksgiving Turkey, Stuffing & Gravy


Perfect Thanksgiving Turkey, Stuffing & Gravy

The Art of the Perfect Bird

Over the years I have mastered the art of roasting birds and one issue seems to perplex most cooks. Keeping poultry moist when roasting. This problem is compounded by the fact that white meat cooks faster and dries out quicker than dark meat. Try these additional tips to solve all your poultry problems.
A great tip for cooking larger birds (over 14 pounds) is to poach the backbone (dark meat side) of the birds in a shallow pan filled with 1 inch of boiling stock for 10 minutes before stuffing and roasting. This will give the meat that takes the longest to cook a head start. Also, rubbing your bird with just a smidge of butter will encourage even browning. Basting is a no-no. Basting dries out your bird by putting oven temperature melted fats (200 hotter than your average turkeys internal temperature during cooking) on the parts of the bird you are trying your hardest not to overcook.
Start by sourcing a great bird, I like the Bourbon Reds because they have the best flavor and largest breast meat of the heritage birds. Brine it, stuff it and roast according to the recipe below and you will have a Thanksgiving for the ages.
Instructions
Two Days Before…Brine Your Bird
Place your turkey in a large pot. Add enough cold water to cover the bird.
Remove bird and reserve to a platter for a moment. Dissolve the sugar and salt into the water by gently stirring. Return bird to the large pot. Refrigerate for 12-16 hours.
One Day Before
Remove bird from the brine and place on a roasting rack fitted into a roasting pan to catch any drips. Allow bird to dry for 24 hours in your refrigerator uncovered. This will tighten the skin for extra crispy-ness and color.
The Day Of
Remove bird from refrigerator and let rest for 1 hour at room temperature.
While that is going on, place an X mark with a paring knife across the tops of the chestnuts and roast at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes until cooked through.
Peel and reserve meats, slicing them into quarters as best you can. Discard the rotten ones.
Place the diced onion for the gravy into the bottom of the roasting pan along with the turkey neck, so that the drippings will land on the onions. Set aside.
Combine the bread cubes, chestnuts and all the other stuffing ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
Stuff turkey front and back. Place any extra of stuffing in a suitable oven-to-table casserole dish and set aside.
Rub turkey with the soft butter and sprinkle lightly with the paprika. Tie or skewer legs together.
Place the racked turkey in a 325-degree oven, breast side down and roast for 16 minutes per pound.
Check that the thigh meat has reached a temperature of 160 degrees. To do this, insert a food thermometer into the meatiest part of the thigh and take the temperature. DO NOT TOUCH THE BONE WHEN DOING THIS. Repeat this process with the deepest part of the stuffed breast. It should be over 145 degrees for food safety.
Finishing
When turkey is done place it onto a carving board and tent with aluminum foil. Put the board in a warm spot in your kitchen and let the turkey rest. Place the baking dish with the spare stuffing into the oven and turn the temperature up to 375. Cover the stuffing loosely with aluminum foil. Bake for 35-40 minutes while your turkey rests, you make the gravy and carve your bird.
Strain the contents of the roasting pan into a large work bowl, discarding the solids in the strainer. Skim off all the fat, leaving behind the turkey juices and drippings, etc.
Place the roasting pan on a stove top burner, place over medium heat and add your stock and bring to a strong simmer. Scraping back and forth, remove the roasty-toasty bits that stuck to the pan. Add the contents of the work bowl to drippings. You want this liquid to reduce to roughly 2 and ½ cups.
Now place the flour and butter in a 1-quart sauce pan and combine, cooking for several minutes over medium heat to make a cooked roux.
Add the fortified stock, in thirds, that has been simmering in your roasting pan. Continue simmering until thickened to gravy consistency, and season with the salt and pepper.
Carve your bird and place on a platter. Pour any juices you accumulate during carving into the gravy pan.
Serve both of the stuffings at the table, passing gravy to those that want some.

Ingredient ListPrint Recipe

For the turkey:

  • 14 pounds fresh heritage turkey
  • 1/2 cup salt
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 stick softened butter
  • 2 tablespoons paprika

For the gravy:

  • large Spanish (yellow) onion, diced
  • cups rich turkey or chicken stock
  • 3 tablespoons Flour
  • 3 tablespoons sweet butter

For the stuffing:

  • cups cubed, dry seasoned bread cubes (bagged stuffing cubes from the supermarket are perfectly OK)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh minced sage leaves
  • 1 pound fresh chesnuts, in the shell
  • turkey liver and gizzard from the bird, minced fine
  • oz. fresh chicken livers, minced
  • cup minced celery
  • cup minced Spanish (yellow) onion
  • 1 tablespoon melted butter
  • 2 tablespoon minced parsley
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

Wednesday, November 05, 2014






From the Winnipeg Free Press 7/13/2012

A guided tour of Riel's North Dakota hideout

His rich friend's trading post became place of refuge from Wolseley's troops


WALHALLA, N.D. -- With his provisional government in disarray and Gen. Garnet Wolseley's army in hot pursuit, Louis Riel fled Fort Garry, which became Winnipeg, to a fur-trading post in North Dakota run by his friend, Antoine Blanc Gingras.
Gingras (1821-77) was a dominant figure in the Red River and Pembina valleys. A fat, jovial man -- a Red River missionary remarked that Gingras once drove him crazy on a trail ride singing ad nauseam about the Métis victory in the Battle of Seven Oaks -- Gingras was an astute businessman and the richest man in the area. He owned trading posts in Pembina, N.D., and along the Souris River in North Dakota, as well as in Fort Garry.
Gingras was also a fierce Métis supporter and a supporter of his friend, Riel. His trading post became Riel's hideout. There is even a trap door in the ceiling of Gingras's home where Riel is believed to have hid, accessed by a rope ladder he pulled up after him in case authorities arrived.
Two things to note: One, there is more history we share with North Dakota than many Manitobans realize. After all, North Dakota's first two settlements, Pembina and Walhalla, were essentially first settled by Canadians, mostly French and Métis fur traders.
The second thing to note about the Gingras trading post is it's a tourist site and has tour guides. Yet the Canadian government has cut funding for tour guides, starting next year, for the family home in Winnipeg of the man dubbed the Father of Manitoba. There's no problem providing tour guides for Riel's hideout in the United States. It's like 1870 all over again.
North Dakota provides very able tour guides. They alternate on a rotating basis, but Melanie Thornberg and her granddaughter, Addy, 11, who is staying with her grandma for the summer, are taking the bulk of the shifts this summer.
Addy, smart as a whip, gives tours all by herself when her grandma is occupied.
"Probably a third of our visitors are Canadian -- about half from Winnipeg, and half from southern Manitoba," said the senior Thornberg. She'd like to see more. Some visitors are Riel buffs or scholars wanting to retrace his route and put themselves in Riel's shoes, she said.
The Gingras fort and family home are beautifully located on a rise overlooking a vista that includes the Pembina River Gorge, presumably so no one could launch a sneak attack. The log buildings, established in 1843, are the oldest buildings by Euro-Americans still standing on their original foundations in North or South Dakota. The heritage site is about 30 kilometres south of Winkler.
The Canadian government put a $5,000 bounty on Riel's head after the Red River Rebellion. While in exile, he returned many times to the Gingras home. He also worked at his friend's trading posts in Walhalla (called St. Joseph by the Métis before Norwegian settlers changed it) and Pembina. He later worked for Gingras's son after Gingras died.
 Tour guides  Melanie Thornberg and granddaughter Addy at  the Gingras Trading Post State Historic Site near Walhalla, N.D.      
Tour guides Melanie Thornberg and granddaughter Addy at the Gingras Trading Post State Historic Site near Walhalla, N.D.
"Some of the journal entries indicate Riel's family came here to meet him and visit with him in safety," Thornberg said.
Riel wasn't the only famous resident. Artist Paul Kane was once a guest, as was expedition leader John Palliser.
Gingras's influence was widespread. In 1873, he helped charter the City of Winnipeg and served on the Winnipeg Board of Trade
The original home and trading post at the the Gingras Trading Post State Historic Site were restored in the 1970s by the State Historical Society of North Dakota.
There are also two scenic views of the beautiful Pembina Gorge in nearby Walhalla, as well as the interesting St. Boniface Cemetery, and several heritage sites strung along the south side of the international border between Pembina, including the Métis cemetery there, and Walhalla.

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Lady in White

For all you Ghost Hunters out there, Saw this posted on Facebook.

Lady In White - Leroy, ND Link


The Bridge on White Lady Lane
By Mindy Reznik


In Pembina County, North Dakota, the White Lady of local lore was a young farmer’s daughter destined for sorrow. The story goes that after she bore a child out of wedlock, her fervidly religious parents forced her to marry against her will. The unhappy bride returned home after the wedding ceremony only to find that her baby died in its crib.

Apparently, her distress over the baby’s death and the thought of having to spend the rest of her life with a man that she didn’t love were too much for her. Still clad in her wedding gown, the young woman left home and walked to a lonely lane on the outskirts of town, where she hanged herself from a bridge. Today, many people claim that if you travel to the bridge at night, you can see the ghost of the grief-stricken girl hanging there in her white dress.


The bridge spans a small creek between the towns of Leroy and Walhalla, near the Minnesota and Manitoba borders. It is reached by a narrow, over-grown road, off county Route 9 that leads through the Tetrault Woods. Known locally as White Lady Lane, the gravel road narrows until it’s barely wide enough for a car. The woods surrounding the rickety bridge are dark and eerie. All in all, it’s the kind of place that would scare you even if there weren’t a ghost lying in wait.

I am a student at North Dakota State University in Fargo, and a trip up to the bridge has often been the evening activity of choice for my friends and me. While some of them swear they’ve seen the White Lady hanging from the bridge, I’ve yet to see her for myself. Still, I get a strange sensation every time I visit the bridge-and ominous, unsettling feeling that I’ve never experienced anywhere else. It’s as if a melancholy presence were hovering nearby. It seems to be everywhere, yet it’s nowhere to be seen. The sensation goes away as soon as I leave the spot. 

I’ve heard that other visitors believe 
they’ve had closer encounters. They claim that the spirit of the White Lady has actually climbed into their cars or followed them as they left. They’ve also said that the feeling of being tailed ended as soon as they left White Lady Lane.

The old bridge in the woods always scares the daylights out of me, but my friends keep making the long drive north to see it. Someone, or something, keeps drawing us back. Perhaps one day we’ll find out whether it’s the White Lady herself who’s beckoning.
       Photo Courtesy of Equinox


Thursday, September 25, 2014

Collection of North Dakota State University Pins

1966 NDSU vs San Diego St, Winner became National Champions

1947 Bison Homecoming Football vs Sioux

Bison are the visiting team on this pin, played at Gustavus Adolphus, Minnesota

1957 Bison Booster

 Vintage Gold Star Band Wagon Bison Booster

 Undated Homecoming pin

 1984 Homecoming vs South Dakota State

1983 Basketball Team Photo Pin