Sandra/Mike and Lyle/Sharon, We are so saddened to hear of your mothers passing. We know that you guys made special efforts to spend a lot of time with her and your Dad too before his passing. I remember your dad driving our bus a time or two filling in for Mike. Both your parents will be dearly missed. Our condolences are with you.From our place up in the hills, your farm was a land mark that we could clearly see from our house 4 miles NE of us. You guys lived a mile west of highway 43 on the SW corner of the Peace Garden. Gary
Peace Garden
Arnold and Lorna Zeiler
Happy Birthday Donna LaCroix Allard (64)
Donna,
Today (5/28) for you, yesterday form me is your birthday. We wish you a very happy birthday.
Enjoy,
Gary
Lisa Williams Mastvelton (82) – Bottineau
Request from Aimee Lagerquist (97): Boulder, MT
Hi Gary,
Can you please add my aunt Lisa Mastvelton to your email list. Her email is She graduated from Dunseith in 1982. She is one of the twins- my mom’s younger sister.
Thanks!
Folks, Aimee’s parents are Ray (70) and Lori Williams Lagerquist (75).Lisa, it is my pleasure to add you to our distribution list. Gary
Reply from Bob Lykins (Teacher): Hutto, TX
Gary,
Here is hoping that Bernadette did not suffer too much for very long. Loved the story about the Medicine Man. It sorta reminded me about the story Mrs. Cote, my landlady the first year I was there, told about the “Hot Hand” who I believe lived in Rolla. He could cure certain ailments simply by running his hands over the affected area of the body.. She swore you could feel the heat radiating off his hands as he passed them over you. He was so well regarded that some local high school basketball coaches took their ball players to the “Hot Hand” for such things as sprains and sore throats. I don’t think Gene Hepper nor Bob Jury ever had that kind of faith.
Bob Lykins
Harvey Hobbs Memories
From Lloyd Awalt (44): Bottineau, ND
HI GARY HARVEY HOBBS AND I GREW UP TOGETHER IN DUNSEITH. WE EVEN STARTED SMOKING TOGETHER. HIDING IN SHAWB’S LUMBER YARD. HARVEY’S AUNT (MARIE HOBBS BAILEY) IS ALSO MY AUNT . I REMEMBER WHEN THEY MOVED TO THE LAKE AND HAD THE STORE HAD A LITTLE FARM FOR AWHILE THEN MOVED TO PICK CITY AND STARTED A FISHING STORE. WE HAD A LOT OF FUN TOGETHER IN ARE YOUNG DAYS. LLOYD
Harvey Hobbs, Metigoshe, Metigoshe Ministries/churches
Memories from Gary Metcalfe (57): Forsyth, MO
Recorded history does not seem important to some of us, until you have a need to know. It can fill a void in your life. A generation of a very few younger than myself, is writing about Harvey Hobbs in an entirely different setting than I knew him, Metigoshe Store with a different owner than I knew.
I knew Harvey in Dunseith as the guy who reminded me of Roy Rogers. He liked to hunt, fish and was a great mentor to Bruce Poepple etc.
So at this time if you heard about Otto Slemmen, you could look up history that would tell you about Otto’s life, owner of Metigoshe Store 40’s and 50’s, instrumental in the development of Metigoshe Ministries, but you may never know about the man, the great stablizer that held the church and camp together, unless you talked to someone like Ledolph or Lloyd Larshus. This is about giving credit where credit is due .Tom Brokaw may have seemed pretty average, but he really did it when he talked about he greatest generation, Otto was one of them.
Happy Thomas who rented boats and fishing supplies, right below Otto’s store, added a lot of flavor. Remember Metigoshe was quite a journey for us in those days, 43 was a gravel road. My dad made a comment that time that he had found a place that they must have had to pump daylight into it. That was Lyle Peck’s old place. That area was quite primitive at that time, no county line road etc. Today that place is not remote at all.
I am not sure where that old Dunseith Fire Bell is at now as it may have been moved from the Metigoshe Camp that was across the bay that is currently a resort. My dad had quite a story about that old bell.
By the way Doreen, your dad Ledolph had a good measure of principle.
lAll I know about George Metcalfe is that he ran an oil business in Bottineau at a time when I was probably out of the area. He was no relative to our family. Interesting to know some more of the story. Gary Metcalfe
Gary,You bring back some old memories for me. I see Lloyd and Orlene Larshus with most of our trips back to the area. They are living in the Oak Manor apartments in Bottineau. Lloyd and Art Rude are first cousins. I remember Otto Slemmen too. You are right on with all that you say about all the folks you mentioned.How well I remember highway 43 before it was paved. Man for the dust and the mud. It wasn’t paved until about 1970.
Snowmobile memories
Reply from Don Lamoureux (75): Bethel, MN
The picture of Dick”s vintage snowmobile looks a lot like one my Dad (Jay) bought in the late 60’s, early 70’s, I thought his was an old Polaris. He had already had newer Scorpions. It also wasn’t running very well, wasn’t starting well, wouldn’t stay running, wouldn’t stay in gear (might have told this story earlier, mind going). I remember Mom having a few unfavorable comments about the purchase, so of course Dad had to prove it was a good deal. Much swearing later, got it running, but once moving he couldn’t stop it. Then it stalled and couldn’t be re-started. Mom now amused. Dad got it going and decided to run it up to the garage. Made it all the way up there, got it aimed at the brand new fiberglass garage doors, and drove it up. Now it wouldn’t stop and the skis went through the door. then stalled, so the door couldn’t be opened. More profanity laced attempts to start it, finally did. It actually had reverse. Now it backs all the way back across the lot, and stalls again. Garage door open, more profanity laced encouragement to start -he runs it into the garage, of course now it won’t stop, and runs up to the parts cleaning tub at the back of the garage (filled with gas or diesel, don’t remember), now that it’s stuck up there, it won’t shut off. I remember liberal use of a hammer as the preferred ignition cut off. I don’t think that machine made it back to the house.
Don Lamoureux (75)
Herman Martinson – Bakery Picture
Reply from Mark Schimetz (70): Rolette, ND
Tim, the picture of your dad Herman, is just how I remembered him. I remember going to Herman’s Bakery, for a jelly filled Bismarck, we would pile in, take up most of the standing room and it was fine with him. The good old days. Of course When Marvin Kalk was working there the bull sht. got even deeper.
Herman Martinson – Bakery Picture
Reply from Allen Richard (65): Midland, MI
TO Tim Martinson— Your dad was probably the most loved man in the history of Dunseith–Just saying—-
Allen
Reply to Joke posted yesterday
From Allen Richard (65): Midland, MI
To Clarice Hackman — I’m a good shot–but I need more than 4 bullets — maybe 4 or 5 thousand—–
Allen Richard
Reply to 50s car Quiz
From Dick Johnson (68): Dunseith, ND
Gary and Friends,
Dick
In reply to Allen Richard— I did well on the 50s car quiz THIS
time. It was sent to me before and I looked at the ’58 Buick Roadmaster
and hit Oldsmobile instead—I knew better, but checked the wrong box
anyway. This time I was more careful and got them all correct. I
know—- the second time around doesn’t count! You did well to get
96%. I bet the younger generation won’t break the 20% bracket. If
shown the new cars, I wouldn’t do 20% myself as to me they all look the
same. There was a car in the quiz that I think is misnamed. It says
that it is a ’57 Ford Fairlane convertible and I think it’s a Canadian
Ford or whatever they called the Ford. The grille is different than US
production cars. Their Mercury cars were called Meteors so the Ford type
car had another name. The Canadian Ford trucks were called Mercurys—-
so as to not confuse us?! I remember how the Canadians had older cars,
when they came through Dunseith in the ’50s and ’60s, but they were in
immaculate condition. There were Packards and Studebakers that just
shined even though they were 20 years old or more. The only way to spot
a Canadian car now is by the license plate. I think they have more new
cars than we do now. I got an email once that said if women had their
way, there wouldn’t be all the models and kinds. There would only be
red cars and blue cars. I guess it would simplify things. Thanks Gary!
Dick
Bottineau County Fair grounds Steam Engine with Edmar Tangen
Picture from Jerry Olson: Bremerton, WA – Formerly from Souris, ND
Gary,
I found a couple of pictures in my dad’s stuff I want to pass along.
One is on St. Augustine beach in 1952 and it speaks for its self.
The other is from 1954. Anyone that went to this event knows exactly what it is and where it sat. I believe the operator was Edmar Tangen.
Have a great weekend
Jerry O
Jerry, How well everyone from the whole area remembers that Steam Engine and Edmar Tangen firing it up every fair season. That steam engine was a permanent fixture in the SW corner of the Bottineau fair grounds for years.John Tangen, this is your dad. Your mother was Esther Thompson Tangen, a first cousin to my dad and a sister to Ella (Eldon) Pladson.Great Memories.Thank you Jerry,Gary
Bottineau Fair grounds Steam Engine
Edmar Tangen
St. Augustine beach in 1952
