When we last left you in December of 2014 (blog.statemuseum.nd.gov/blog/why-we-save-them) we were approaching the 2015 Legislative Session, hoping for a generous appropriation to further the restoration of the historic Stutsman County Courthouse –the oldest courthouse in North Dakota. Rescued in 1985 by the State Historic Society, this project is over 30 years in the making. Fast forward one year, and we are very pleased to offer an update and an insider’s look into the restoration process.

In August of 2015, work began on the installation of new restrooms, an electrical system update and the restoration of two offices on the main floor: the Clerk of Court and Auditor’s Offices.

Ryan Goodman, project manager for RDA (Fargo), is stripping a historic door of several layers of paint.

The existing (non-historic) restrooms were demolished—revealing several layers of 100-year-old wallpaper in the process. The tin was restored, fluorescent lights removed, and the room split down the middle in preparation for new facilities.

Custom wood partitions are built on-site for the new restrooms.

The Historic Clerk of Court’s Office before and after restoration. Custom doors were built to match the existing historic doors, the tin was repaired and painted, and all the woodwork was stripped down and completely refinished.

The historic Superintendent of Schools/Auditor’s Office before and after restoration.

Just one of many reasons we adore this building—as the restoration continues, we are finding that it is completely covered in roses!

Historic Sites Manager Guinn Hinman paints the ceiling medallions a historically accurate gold.

As of publishing time, the restrooms are nearing completion and work is beginning on the main floor hallway and historic Sheriff’s Office. We are adjusting to the novelty of having electricity and running water! Stay tuned for further updates in the coming months and more information on our Open House scheduled for May 14, 2016. For more photos and information, please follow our Facebook page!

Below is an interview I did with Ronald Reagan Minuteman Missile State Historic Site (RRMMSHS) tour guide Jeni Croy. In case you missed her last post (http://blog.statemuseum.nd.gov/blog/pizza-maker-tour-guide), Jeni gives tours of a preserved Cold War-era intercontinental missile launch site in Cooperstown…

What is your job?
My job as a site interpreter is to guide guests from all over the country and the world around our site. I educate and inform them about the Cold War and the strategic importance of our site. I take guests around the topside support building and also down fifty feet below ground into the Launch Control Center where missile crews stayed on alert and were ready and willing to launch missiles. I also take them into the Launch Control Equipment Building (LCEB) and show them the “life support” of the Launch Control Center.

What are our visitors like? Who are they?
Our visitors are awesome. People come from all over to take our guided tours. We have a lot of visitors from the local area; people from Cooperstown often bring their families and friends to visit us. Former missileer and topside personnel also visit us on a regular basis to reminisce and show their families what they did when they worked here. We also get people from all 50 states and from all over the world. This summer season alone I have given tours to people visiting from France, India, New Zealand, England, and Germany. There is no specific age range that comes through our site either. We have a kids program to inform and entertain kids and we also give tours that engage all age groups at the same time.

How do you learn to give a good tour?
Practice, practice, practice, and shadowing other people. When I first started working out here I had taken a speech course, so public speaking wasn’t really an issue. It was getting all the history into my head and somehow making it come out as a fun, upbeat tour that was the hard part. I also learned how to ‘read’ my tours. If I saw they were bored at the start I made sure to put at least one smile on their face and make them laugh; or if they were already excited I just keep the fun going. I have traveled all over the world and taken many different tours. I didn’t want to be a boring “tour guide.”

What are some of the challenges of giving tours?
Making sure that younger generations understand why this site was important is challenging. I try to make sure that they see what their parents went through and understand how far we have come in terms of technology today. For example, we have a piece of equipment down below called Teletype. A teletype is a piece of equipment that linked to a communication network connecting to Strategic Air Command and other Launch Control Centers. I first ask the kids if they text, the answer is almost always yes, and then I introduce them to “the great-great-great-grandfather of texting.”

The Teletype at Oscar Zero

Is talking about nuclear weapons sometimes difficult?
Yes. Sometimes when I talk about the ranks of the people who worked down below (Captain, 1^st and 2^nd Lieutenant) they are kind of shocked. The ranks were not very high and the people who worked down there were usually young and not paid extremely well. When I explain that our missiles were about 27 times more powerful than the atom bomb, people are shocked. Another fact that is hard to talk about is how expendable the people who worked here were. The people who worked topside were not allowed to go below. Since the site was a direct target for a missile they would not survive a hit. The people below ground were young, had relatively low ranks and were not highly paid so if the thick concrete walls and blast doors did not work, they were also expendable. A lot of people have to take a moment to wrap their minds around those tough truths.

What do you hope visitors are learning when they visit RRMMSHS?
I hope that our visitors can see how important these sites were and appreciate the men and women who helped operate them. I hope they can connect the history of this site with what is going on today, as the U.S. is involved in many nuclear issues right now.

Why do you love your job?
I can’t name one specific reason. I love history, so working at a historic site is a dream come true. I love the people I work with; we all work together and get along so well. I love the visitors that come out and support this place. I am a people person so meeting new people from all over the world is a ton of fun. I also love making sure people smile and enjoy my tours while learning about the site. It’s just a great job no matter how you look at it.

What have you learned by working at RRMMSHS?
I have learned so much about nuclear weapons, the Air Force, the history of the area and the people who worked here. I learned how to connect with people and educate them. I’ve learned so much that I can’t list everything!

What are your future career goals and how do they fit in with working at RRMMSHS?
I am currently working on my B.S. in Recreation and Tourism Studies and I hope to help run, preserve and interpret many other historic sites throughout the U.S. or the world. Working at RRMMSHS is a great example of how bringing history back to life can influence people and local tourism. It is also a great example of teamwork and effort because the State Historical Society and our local supporters worked so hard and put so much time and effort into this site. Without both parties’ help, this site would not be what it is today.

Why is RRMMSHS special?
Why isn’t it special?! It gives people a close-up look at a once top secret facility that once controlled weapons of mass destruction. You can’t get much more amazing and special than that.

It is a rare occasion during March that I am moved from the couch and into the great outdoors. On this particular day though, I was moved to visit Double Ditch State Historic Site, a historic site and recreational area about eight miles north of Bismarck. Once home to a thriving Mandan earthlodge village occupied from the late 1400s to the late 1700s, the site boasts 24 acres overlooking the Missouri River. Between the rolling mounds and deep depressions (the remnants of a village with a population exceeding 1,000) there is a trail that leads to the river. The grass is green, the sky is blue, and the air is crisp—it is a perfect day for a visit to Double Ditch.

An aerial view of Double Ditch State Historic Site. Note the two fortification ditches for which the site is named.

In my job, I manage many historic sites—more than 20 actually, but Double Ditch is special. On a day like this, I feel a true connection to these early Americans. Walking through the village, I am reminded again that 10 generations of Mandan Indians thrived here, and this was a major center for trade. I am also reminded that I have no idea where my great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandfather lived. Likely, I will never know. To preserve a place like this is a great honor and is not a responsibility I take lightly. The site is of great significance to people of Mandan ancestry--a group that lives today throughout much of North Dakota and the Northern Great Plains.

In marked silence I make my way to the edge of the river bank, my thoughts swirling with the sights and sounds that once would have greeted me. I pause when I approach what is now a familiar site: barbed wire and orange traffic cones dividing a crumbling, deteriorating path. The wire and traffic cones exist to warn approaching visitors to the perils ahead. And perilous it most certainly is... one step ahead and there is a 30 foot drop into a slump created by the erosion of the river bank. Thirty feet you say…? Let’s remember that a 30-foot drop is the equivalent of stepping off a three- story building. Imagine, if you will, walking up three flights of stairs and hurling yourself off the edge. If I were to continue down the existing walking path, I would most certainly fall over the edge, and the likelihood that I would crawl back out is slim. If I haven’t made my point clear—it is a long and dangerous drop. Alarmingly, this drop and the ensuing gap between the village proper and detaching bank continue to widen as the area has become structurally unsound and continues to shift at an accelerated rate.

The erosion of the bank and destruction of the walking path at Double Ditch, April 2015.

The extensive erosion of the bank began in 2011 due to the massive flooding of the Missouri River. At that time, President Barrack Obama declared much of North Dakota a disaster area, and more than 12,000 people were evacuated from their homes. Many communities were at risk of destruction due to the massive flooding, and Double Ditch was no exception. It would take several seasons before the true extent of the damage to the site would be known, as erosion tends to be a silent and shadowy nemesis.

As you are reading this, the bank continues to slump. Most troubling, however, is the increasing number of human burials that are exposed due to the erosion. As of publishing time, there have been 14 Native American burials exposed since April of 2013.

Artist Robert Evans’ depiction of Double Ditch Indian Village, circa 1550. This cylorama mural can be seen in the State Museum of the North Dakota Heritage Center in Bismarck in the Innovation Gallery: Early Peoples.

Archaeology is often associated with an “Indiana Jones” type character. We have all seen the image of a handsome leading man unearthing a human skeleton, small brush in hand, sweltering in the hot desert sun. This, however, is an invention of Hollywood and couldn’t be further from the truth. The archaeologists of today are highly trained men and women who study the activity of humans in the past. They do this by scientifically collecting cultural material—and on most occasions, actively AVOIDING human burials out of cultural sensitivity and respect for tribes.

We have an amazing and talented team of archaeologists working for the State Historical Society. Their specialties include pottery, lithics, cartography and ethnohistory.; These are not cave-exploring, torch-baring, rope-swinging individuals. These are real people that now routinely unearth and relocate human remains due to the erosion at Double Ditch. Each burial removal is conducted by our staff with great care, respect and dignity. It’s challenging work that can take an emotional toll on those working with so many human remains. As the rate of erosion is accelerating, so are the numbers of human burials exposed.

Aerial photo of the slumping (rotational erosion) of the bank at Double Ditch State Historic Site. The lighter colored area below the site is newly exposed—a direct result of the erosion of the bank.

There is, however, a solution to this problem. A concept has been proposed by an engineering firm to stabilize the bank at Double Ditch. As the slumping is so extensive (2,000+ linear feet of bank need to be stabilized) it will not be quick or cheap. We cannot, for lack of a better phrase, “slap a band-aid on it.” The bank will be stabilized by inserting a longitudinal peaked stone toe into the bank. The work will also include the creation of several terraces, a new walking path and as a result, a better fish habitat in the river. The price tag for all this is an estimated 3.5 million dollars.

In the 2015 legislative session, the State Historical Society requested one-time funding to stabilize the bank at Double Ditch. For those of you unaware, state agencies (such as the Historical Society) must have their budgets approved by the governor, and then by both the Senate and House of Representatives every two years during the legislative session. One-time requests such the funding for Double Ditch are heavily scrutinized by both sides before a decision is made. Leaders of the State Historical Society, interested parties, and community representatives often testify before both the House and the Senate to support funding requests. It is an arduous process.

Our budget, or Senate Bill 2018, with the 3.5 million dollar request, was a contentious point between the Senate Appropriations Committee and the House Appropriations (Education and Environment Committee). Considerable press coverage by the Bismarck Tribune and Fargo Forum added pressure to a political hot button issue. In the end though, strong support from the Governor's office, the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation, the Indian Affairs commissioner and the North Dakota Senate prevailed. The bill was passed on April 28, 2015, with funding included to stabilize the bank at Double Ditch.

We are relieved that work can begin on this very necessary and long-awaited project. We are looking forward to preserving this magnificent Mandan village that was occupied for nearly 300 years, a true gem on state land.

Stay tuned for more information and a follow-up post on the progress we've made out at Double Ditch!

Author’s note: Please take caution when visiting Double Ditch State Historic Site. If you wish to see the erosion of the bank, please do so at a safe distance. Also, it should be noted that to remove any items from a state owned archaeological site is a felony and prosecutable by law.

As a Historic Sites Manager for the State Historical Society, it is easy for me to recognize why historic buildings are worth saving. I appreciate all of the historic sites we have in North Dakota, but I have a certain soft spot for the Stutsman County Courthouse State Historic Site in Jamestown. The courthouse, while certainly beautiful and filled with the ornate details that make people fall in love with old buildings, has captured my heart for a completely different reason.

This is the story of a building…

In 1883, the Stutsman County Courthouse was completed in what was set to be the capital of North Dakota. Built atop the tallest hill in Jamestown, she is three stories high with one large courtroom flanked by two circular stained glass windows. It is a building meant to inspire and impress.

When I was hired to manage this site (among others), I dove headlong into its history. The courthouse was operational for almost a century, housing not only the courtroom, but the county auditor, school superintendent, and treasurer’s offices. But no historical building exists without strife. Since the birth of architecture, as long as a building stands, there also stands someone who wants to tear it down. In 1983, a new courthouse was completed for Stutsman County and the 1883 building was abandoned. At this time, Stutsman County commissioners voted to demolish the historic courthouse in favor of a parking lot to accommodate the new building.

In the years that followed, the city of Jamestown was divided, and the battle for the courthouse played out in the media. During this contentious time, a group of local citizens, known as the 1883 Courthouse Committee, vowed to save the historic building. Due to their heroic efforts, the building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places by the State Historical Society of North Dakota. Since the courthouse was state property, the North Dakota Century Code required approval of the State Historical Board prior to destroying historically significant state property. The board did not approve the demolition of the courthouse.

But the wrecking ball still loomed. Shortly afterwards, the county challenged the board’s ruling and the case ultimately reached the State Supreme Court. After a lengthy court battle, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Board and the courthouse was saved. We acquired the building in 1985 and immediately got to work.

What work, you may be asking? Well, imagine what would happen if you left your home standing for a four-year period—the length of time it took the courts to decide the building’s fate. During that time, it stood unheated as pigeons gained access through broken windows, rain gutters remained clogged, and water carried down the walls of the building, causing further degradation of the soft brick and mortar.

The Stutsman County Courthouse was left vacant for several years, while a court battle decided her fate. During this time the building deteriorated greatly.

In the years that followed, we began to implement a rehabilitation plan for the building, and the Courthouse Committee began an ambitious fundraising campaign.

In the 1990s almost one million dollars were raised to repair the exterior of the courthouse. In recent years, we have invested $400,000 into the interior rehabilitation. The project is nearing completion. Still left to complete are plumbing and electrical upgrades—crucial elements to a working, usable building.

The courthouse stands today as it was built in 1883. (Image courtesy of the State Historical Society of North Dakota Archives, 1005-0002)

So why did we save it?

It has value.

The Stutsman County Courthouse has great historical significance. It is not only the oldest courthouse in North Dakota—it is the oldest public building in North and South Dakota. Meetings were held there in preparation for the creation of the state of North Dakota. The courthouse truly is the birthplace of statehood. 

It has purpose.

Once restored, the courthouse will be a beautiful addition to the city of Jamestown and state of North Dakota. It will operate as a historic site, educational facility and community center. As a historic site, it will tell the story of Dakota Territory, local government and how courthouses play an integral role in communities and families. As a community center, it will house weddings, concerts, meetings, and area events.

The courtroom of the Historic Stutsman County Courthouse will be a great location for community events.

It is our heritage.

Walking into this building, it feels like 1883. The walls are tin, the old wood floors are scuffed and the stair treads worn. One can feel the presence of early North Dakotans—and the significant decisions that were made within those walls. More importantly, you can feel a connection to a building that has fought to stay relevant in a world that wants to tear it down.

Left: Much of the hand carved wood remains at the historic courthouse.
Right: The original jury chairs in the courtroom—note the springs on the front two legs.

In September 2014, we held an open house to invite the community of Jamestown back to the courthouse.   The 1883 Courthouse Committee and State Historical Society ambitiously planned for 200 people. At the end of the day, over 1,000 people came through the doors in just four hours. We were completely overwhelmed and surprised by the community’s support for the old building. People told us stories of adopting their children in the courtroom, obtaining their marriage and driver’s licenses there, and shared with us a plethora of other great memories. Most people had never set foot inside the building, while for several others, it had been at least three decades.

There is much work yet to be done. It will take time and many hands. For 30 years, the Stutsman County Courthouse has waited. She will soon have her day.