Rod, I can remember your dad, Howard Hiatt, being a power house batter at our annual Ackworth Alumni picnics that were held, annually, the first Sunday after the 4th of July at the Ackworth school.  Traditionally the adults would play baseball after the meal.  When your dad would get up to bat, it was very common for him to bat the ball deep into the woods of Margie Hiatt’s pasture to the west of the school grounds.

I can also remember your dad being a very skilled deer hunter too, with the annual deer hunting parties they used to have at the Harry Hiatt farm that was owned by Stanley & Alex Gilje and Carl Myre from Rolette. Your dad always got his deer the first day and then would fill a host of other tags for the rest of the hunting party.  Traditionally they’d have 40 to 50 folks in that hunting party.  I know your dad filled my dads tag with a deer many times.  From what I understand, in our folks younger days, they used to get a deer or two or three or four with their trips, in the winter months,  to get loads of hay from the stacks in the fields.

Gary

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Gary and Friends 

I remember the 60 Chevy that Dave Wurgler owned. It was a white
two door hardtop and I think Bob Peterson did buy it after Dave
traded it in. I currently am building a 409 engine with three
deuces to put in a 1951 Merc two door. The car is going to
Minot shortly for a four inch top chop at Nodak Classics. Stan
Saylor, a good friend of mine, is a master at chops. He is in
the Dakota Cruisers car club, of which I believe Arlan Wenstad
is also a member.I’m sorry if this email sounds “Greek” to some
of you, but my fellow gearheads know what I’m refering to!! I
think that the 58 Pointiac that Dave and later Billy Satrang
owned also had a green insert on the side, which had a row of
stars running the length of it. Does my memory serve me
correctly? Happy motoring!!

Thanks Gary!!

Dick

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Erling,  What a wonderfully written letter to the National Geographic Magazine. Did you get a reply from them or better yet, I’m hoping they published it?  You have described North Dakota and the people living in the state well and without exaggeration.  Where in the Turtle Mountains did you live?  I lived in the Ackworth community.  Our farm was locate 5 miles west of the Peace Garden.  We could see the Arnold Zeiler farm located on the SW corner of the Peace Garden 4 miles to the East and about 1 mile north from our place.  Gary

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