From Fargo To Bismarck

By Merle Exit

The movie “Fargo” had raving reviews but little actually depicted the town of Fargo, North Dakota. Judging from my chats with native “Dakotans” I’m clear that the winter scenes are accurate and you may not necessarily want to enjoy the attractions during that time of year.

My trek was with a group of writers led by North Dakota’s tourism expertise and former farm hand (I’m told that her parents taught her the fine arts of cattle raising and spring cleaning) Rachel Retterath.

Checking into the Hotel Donaldson I expected a “Little House On the Prairie” accommodation and was more than surprised. Each of the suites is decorated ala local artists and offers such amenities as a flat screen television and bathroom with heated tiles. The hotel has a restaurant and bar (I didn’t know that Minnesota produces a vodka called “Shakers”) on the first level, a wine cellar and exercise room in the basement and a rooftop bar and hot tub.

I’m onto the Fargo attractions in downtown Fargo where “Fargo” was playing at the Fargo Theatre. The 1926 restored Fargo Theatre is the area's only remaining vintage movie palace with a vaudeville stage. Btw, you don’t hear everyone saying, “yah”. They gave us a tour of the theatre where I able to play an organ, like the kind they have (or had) at Radio City Music Hall.

Plains Art Museum, is set in a renovated turn-of-the-century warehouse and features both national and regional works of art as well as a studio where artists can devise prints.

World War II buffs will definitely appreciate a tour of the Fargo Air Museum. The aircraft is operative, but not in the museum. Check out the North Dakota area memorabilia and purchase a dog tag for 7 bucks including the chain.

Off to Heritage Hjemkomst Interpretative Center located in the abutting town of Moorehead, Minnesota. It is here that you learn about the Viking ship Hjemkomst, view a documentary that chronicles the reconstruction of the 76-foot hand-built ship and its 6000-mile cruise across the Atlantic in 1982.

“Come and sit by my side if you love me, Do not hasten to bid me adieu, But remember the Red River Valley, And the girl that has loved only you.” It may not be a Viking ship, but the pontoon boat will suffice. Just down the hill from the HHIC. Cool and refreshing as we breeze along the Red River on the S.S. Ruby (701-581-RUBY). It’s a 45-minute tour with tales of history, geography and wildlife. It was a beautiful day in the neighborhood. The pontoon operates only if the river and weather permit it to do so.

Bonanzaville, USA, located in West Fargo (701-282-2822) sports a Red River Valley historic village featuring old (1800’s and early 1900’s) main street businesses, cabins, and bonanza farm homes, as well as museums of cars, airplanes and dolls. There’s a tour in the main building that will take you on a historic journey to include the oldest house in Fargo.

Historic facts. William G. Fargo, director of the North Pacific Railroad, a native New Yorker, teamed up with his partner Henry Wells when they worked in the banking and express shipping industry. You guessed it. Wells Fargo Stage Line and later The American Express. The Native Americans called their nation an “alliance of friends”, Da-co-tail”. It included the Dakotas and the land in the West where generations of member tribes roamed (with the buffalo) and hunted. Speaking of buffalo, where’s dinner?

If it’s Friday, it must be Jamestown. The National Buffalo Museum and Frontier Village, is home to the “world’s largest buffalo”. Plains Indian artifacts and a bison herd where you just might get a glimpse of White Cloud, a rare true albino buffalo. Anyone into Louis L’Amour will love this place.

It was the bicentennial of the Lewis and Clark Expedition and North Dakota was celebrating. In spite of my fear of water, I got to paddle down the Missouri River aboard the “BirdWoman”, a 26-foot replica voyageur canoe from the fur trade era. The trip retraced portions of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. We also retraced Jesus walking on the water. Not really. They were sand bars.

I’m off to Bismarck, North Dakota’s Capitol and nearby Mandan. The Capitol building is the tallest “skyscraper” in North Dakota. If you’re into the history of North Dakota here lies the North Dakota Heritage Center . This is one source to learn who Sakakawea and Jean Babtiste are. Outstanding collections and exhibits of American Indian, military, agricultural life and just about anything you’d want to know about ND.

American Indian history buffs will want to check out Knife River Indian Villages Historic Site where you can experience being in a furnished earth lodge and indentations of former earth lodge sites. Artifacts are dug up by little animals and it’s not yours for the taking. This Hidatsa and Mandan village is where Lewis and Clark met Sakakwea.

I took a side trip to Spa D’Athena, billed as a MediSpa and Salon, appears to be the closest you’ll get to a resort spa in all of North Dakota. They offer the more common hair, nail, makeup, and facial treatments. However, Jill Becker and her Plastic Reconstructive Surgeon husband Rick own the facility and added massages, body treatments and body therapy.

The facility has lockers, steam room, an intimate room with a table for you to enjoy a catered lunch or dinner, a hydrotherapy bath and a Vichy Shower, best described as a long pipe with several showerheads. One of their signature treatments is a Hydromassage using several body cleansing and rejuvenating treatments during the massage under the Vichy shower.

As Medical Director, Rick’s role will involve minor reconstruction, such as removing moles, scars, and laser surgery to help eliminate spider veins. You can even have a Botox party.

There are two out of the way restaurants worth perusing. Not fancy but offers some special “foreign North Dakotan” cuisine. Along the Sheyenne National Scenic Byway town of Kathryn, 70 miles west of Fargo, on the Sheyenne River lies Rusty Spur Café, 313 1st Avenue (701-796-7501) where one can partake in homemade lefse, potato crepes with butter and sugar. The town of Stanton, near Knife River Indian Village, is home to Sweet Violets, 211 Harmon Avenue (701-745-3600) sporting homemade fleischkeuchla, seasoned chopped meat in fried dough served with pickles.

One unusual attraction, Pipestem Creek, is located at 7060 Highway 9, (701-652-2623) in Carrington. The company, owned and operated by Ann Hoffert, produces SunFlorals and SunFeeders, naturally designed birdfeeders. Many feeders begin with cut white birch trees. Sunflower heads, safflower, ebony wheat, canary grass, buffalo berries, amaranth and rose hips are parts of the colorful favorite ingredients, that are “for the birds”.

Many of the stores in North Dakota sell Lewis and Clark candy bars. The story is that Lindy Sue, the proprietor of Mandan Drug, won a suit against the Clark Bar company. Both the old time drug store/ice cream parlor and candy bar are historical…chocolates are pretty good, too.

Then there was this town called Medora located in the Badlands, which weren’t that bad. What a hoot! Although Teddy Roosevelt was a New Yorker, he spent some of his days (and nights at the Rough Rider Hotel) in this historic and old-fashioned town. Teddy Roosevelt comes out on the terrace to deliver a speech and you can see a play called, “Bully”.

I suppose that’s why the Theodore Roosevelt National Park is located in this territory.

The scenery of the park is something else. Almost like viewing quite colorful mini canyons. Lots of wildlife, especially prairie dogs. I got a golf cart tour of the Bully Pulpit Golf Course. Can you picture yourself teeing off on one of these “mountains” and trying to land a hole at another? They nickname the golf course “land of lost balls”.

Take some ribeye steak, place them onto a pitchfork, cook ‘em in boiling oil, and what do you get? Perfectly cooked and tender steaks from Pitchfork Steak Fondue. Every evening at 6 p.m., for about $20 you get a full-cut 11 oz steak with all the all-you-can-devour fixin’s. The outdoor terrace abuts the Medora Musical, a two-hour professionally produced extravaganza performed at the Burning Hills Amphitheatre and a not to be missed event. Now, take me home, but let’s forgo the stagecoach.