It is not uncommon to put things in pockets and then forget about them. Who hasn’t found money in the pocket of a coat after not wearing it for ages? Occasionally, we also find things in the pockets of clothing items donated to the State Historical Society of North Dakota. As expected, handkerchiefs and gloves are the most common, but every so often something a little more interesting shows up.

This cute green wool coat was made by Steve Abraham, uncle of Carol Sieler. Sieler purchased the materials for the coat but didn’t have the time to make it herself. When her uncle, a professional tailor, was visiting he offered to make the coat for her. Armed with just a few measurements and a general description of a clutch coat with no buttons, he designed and sewed the coat. After wearing it, however, Sieler realized she needed buttons and asked a local seamstress to add buttonholes and buttons. Her uncle was very disappointed when he found out because these were not tailored buttonholes as he would have made.

Sieler’s story gave us great history behind the coat, but it was a fun surprise when we found money in one pocket. While only a dime, the discovery reminded me of the advice women were given prior to cellphones to always carry a dime (and later a quarter) to use in a pay phone in case they needed to call for help.

This green coat was tailor-made by the donor’s uncle in 1984. Found in the pocket: a single dime, which at one time was enough for a phone call. SHSND 2018.39.1

During World War I standard rations for American troops included cigarettes. Smoking helped to pass the time and was thought to help calm the nerves of soldiers in combat. This might explain why we found the remnants of a cigarette pack and two wooden matchsticks in the back pocket of a pair of U.S. Army uniform pants. This pair of pants was worn by Ralph J. Rubish of Fairmont. He enlisted May 5, 1917, at Wahpeton and was sent overseas Dec. 14, 1917, serving on the front line with Company I, 164th Regiment, 41st Infantry Division. Rubish survived the war and returned to farm in Richland County. He died in 1961 when he was 62.

The finds in this World War I uniform attest to a time when smoking was a widely practiced pastime. SHSND 15303.2

Blizzards in North Dakota are not uncommon and make travel difficult. In 1904, Henry H. Nelson and his mother got off the train in Streeter, expecting to be met by his uncle Charles Halvorson. But a blizzard kept Halvorson from meeting the train, forcing the family to find a hotel room for the night. The next day, wearing this raccoon fur coat, Halvorson arrived in Streeter with a sleigh and team of horses. Nelson said that he and his mother were wrapped up in bison robes while Halvorson, snug in his coat, led the team on foot through a blizzard across the prairie to his sod home. When our agency received the coat, we found two blocks and many smaller chunks of pressed tobacco in the pockets. Halvorson could have been a smoker and wanted to be prepared in case he got caught out in a blizzard. But the tobacco found in each pocket suggests it was placed there as an attempt to keep moths out of the fur. Using tobacco as a pest repellent was not uncommon in the past, though it actually attracts bugs, not repels them.

Our curators found chunks of pressed tobacco (right) in the pockets of this lovely fur coat. SHSND 2023.8.1

In 1970, Jane Nissen made an adorable coat for her daughter Susan Nissen. Susan, who grew up in Fargo, tells us that her mother was not only talented but also frugal. The outer cloth was recycled from a woman’s coat, and the lining was from a man’s overcoat. The coat design was based on one her mother saw in a Sears catalog. In the left breast pocket, we found a sticker in the shape of lips with the text, “Beauty shop ladies like red shiny lips.” There was no indication where Susan picked up this sticker but maybe it was a reward for being good while her mother spent time at a beauty shop.

We found a saucy sticker in a pocket of this 1970 coat. SHSND 2016.33.20

According to the backstory of the apron pictured below, the cloth was made in Germany in 1834 and brought to America in 1868. But the apron was sewn and embroidered with a chain stitch sewing machine. Chain stitch embroidery machines weren’t available until 1868. So while the cloth might have been made in Germany, the apron was most likely created later in the United States.

What is even more interesting is what we found in the pocket: a note and a dried geranium leaf. The note tells us that the leaf was taken from a plant salvaged by W.P. Duruz, a professor at Oregon State College (now Oregon State University). Duruz was the chief food and agricultural officer with the Third Army after World War II when he “liberated” the geranium from Adolf Hitler’s garden at Berchtesgaden. He donated the plant to Oregon State College. The undated note, written sometime prior to June 1960 when we received the apron, also states the geranium was blooming profusely in its new home. Unfortunately, we don’t know how or why Mrs. Hugh White of Pierre, South Dakota, ended up with the leaf or what connection the apron has to North Dakota.

The geranium leaf and note found in this apron’s pockets hold a fascinating connection to World War II. SHSND 14585.1-.2

As you can see from these examples, the contents of pockets can tell us a bit about the person who wore the garment or a little about the times in which the garment was worn. But even when only a sidenote to history, items in pockets are always a fun find for curators.

Pyrex kitchenware is near and dear to my heart. I personally started collecting pieces over a decade ago when my mother gifted me my grandmother’s turquoise Butterprint Cinderella bowl. Growing up, that bowl was frequently on the supper table filled with mashed potatoes or cucumber salad. Now it’s a treasure in my home used to serve my own family.

Who knew this Butterprint Cinderella bowl would spark my lifelong passion for Pyrex?

During my first tour of the museum collections after starting work at the State Historical Society in fall 2023, I was surprised to find a few sets of Pyrex in primary colors on the shelves. While I use my Pyrex daily, I had not taken the time to consider the impact of 1940s and 1950s Pyrex. I decided to dig beyond the surface beauty of these vibrantly colored bowls and discover how Pyrex revolutionized kitchens across the United States.

In my research I was excited to find that the Corning Museum of Glass in New York had extensively blogged about this very topic and even had an exhibition at that museum titled “America’s Favorite Dish: Celebrating a Century of Pyrex.” The Pyrex brand celebrated 100 years in 2015.

The Birth of Pyrex

Before diving into the kaleidoscopic range of this colorful kitchenware, we should understand Pyrex's origins. According to the Corning Museum of Glass, the Pyrex brand was introduced by Corning Glass Works (now Corning Inc.) in 1915. Initially, Pyrex was marketed as laboratory glassware, prized for its ability to withstand extreme temperature changes without breaking. The transition from laboratory to kitchenware was spearheaded by Bessie Littleton, wife of Corning scientist Jesse Littleton. After successfully baking a cake in a sawed-off battery jar, she inspired Corning to produce bakeware for the home cook.

In the late 1920s, Corning hired Lucy Maltby, a full-time scientist and home economist, to evaluate their products. Her work in the test kitchen resulted in a redesign of Pyrex bakeware: Handles were added, pan volume increased, and the bakeware’s diameter was adjusted so two cake pans could fit side by side in a standard oven. Maltby was an advocate for the consumer, her influence was everlasting.

Pyrex bread or loaf pan, 1950-1960. SHSND 2018.98.11

Pyrex quickly became a staple in the home, with ads assuring “no home can have too much Pyrex.” Its extensive line of platters, baking dishes, serving bowls, ramekins, tea pots, and measuring cups began popping up in department stores. You can see more wonderful examples of vintage Pyrex advertising on The Corning Museum of Glass website.

According to the company, Pyrex nursing bottles appeared on the scene in 1923. These baby bottles, fitted with a rubber nipple, were designed to be safely sterilized in boiling water to provide protection against germs.

8 Oz. Narrow Neck Pyrex Nursing Bottle, 1947-1956. SHSND 1986.173.209

Introducing Color: The Famous Four-Piece Mixing Bowl Set

Pyrex's initial offerings were clear glass, which while functional lacked the decorative appeal that would later define the brand. In the period following World War II, Pyrex began to develop products in opalware, a white opaque glass. It was hygienic, easy to clean, versatile, and a workhorse in the kitchen.

Then came color.

In 1945, Corning transformed kitchen aesthetics by applying colors to their opalware Pyrex bowls. The iconic four-piece Pyrex mixing bowl sets in primary colors stormed into kitchens. Each bowl was designed to nest perfectly within the other for easy storage. The smallest bowl was blue, followed by red, green, and yellow.

These colors reflected the postwar era's vibrant, forward-looking spirit. The set became a feature in many American households, cherished not only for its functionality but also for its beauty.

Pyrex mixing bowl set, Primary Colors, 1940-1950. The mixing bowl set in the State Museum’s collection is missing the small blue bowl. Given the wear on the bowls, it is clear this set was well used. SHSND 2018.98.1-3

Beyond the Mixing Bowls

While the mixing bowls were the stars, the Pyrex line quickly expanded to include refrigerator dishes, casseroles, and pie plates, also in primary colors. The refrigerator dishes, with their snug-fitting lids, were particularly popular, as they addressed a common need for food storage in an era before plastic containers became commonplace.

Pyrex Refrigerator Dishes, Primary Colors, 1950-1959. These dishes are smartly made, stacking neatly atop one another to conserve precious refrigerator space. SHSND 2013.92.49-51

Pyrex dishes were created with the mantra “bake, serve, store.” These products were more than just pretty; they were also durable and resistant to thermal shock. This meant they could go from the fridge to the oven to the table, a versatility that was revolutionary at the time. Hostess sets allowed for baking scalloped dishes in the large bowl, while individual meat pies or desserts could be prepared and served in the ramekins.

Hostess Covered Casserole and Table Set in red, 1949-1953. SHSND 2018.98.4

A Lasting Legacy

Pyrex has continually adapted to meet the tastes and needs of its consumers. After the Primary Color sets came the rise of patterns on turquoise and pink backgrounds in the 1950s, then earthy tones with bold designs in the 1960s and 1970s. The 1980s gave way to simple floral motifs and a more contemporary feel. Then came the clear glass revival of the 1990s, and what is old is new again. Today, Pyrex has a whole world of shapes, sizes, and colors to discover.

As we look back on the legacy of Pyrex, it’s clear these pieces are more than just kitchenware. They are symbols of a time when innovation met artistry, creating products that were both functional and delightful. There’s no denying the charm and historical significance of these colorful kitchen treasures.

This map of North Dakota published by the George F. Cram Company in 1922 shows the former towns of Yucca and Whynot. OCLC 378465128

Recently, the North Dakota State Archives received permission from Doug Wick to digitize his 1988 book “North Dakota Place Names” and make it accessible on Digital Horizons. This invaluable resource includes nearly every place name in North Dakota and features the present-day county, location, and history of each place. 

To celebrate online access for Wick’s book, here are five tales of North Dakota place names. 

1. Yucca (Oliver County)

According to Wick, the town of Yucca was established in 1901 near the Heart Ranch trading post. Yucca was named for the area’s abundant yucca lilies. The local history book “Oliver County: 1885-1985” notes that Yucca was home to the first dairy operation and cheese factory in the area. Yucca also hosted a rodeo for several years, and the rodeo grounds even had a bowery for dancing! Though the yucca lilies remain, unfortunately Yucca’s post office closed in 1945.

Yucca Rodeo advertisement from the Bismarck Tribune, June 23, 1926, p. 2

Martin Old Dog Cross rides Going Some at the Yucca Rodeo, July 1927. After his rodeo days, Cross would go on to serve multiple terms during the period from 1944 to 1956 as chairman of the Three Affiliated Tribes. SHSND SA 11517-00418

2. Kidville (Ransom County)

In 1898, Andrew J. Olson, Alfred Thompson, and a group of young men left Fort Ransom and established a rival town called Kidville. “Merchants in the older town coined the name to note that most of the residents in the new town were teenagers or very young adults,” Wick points out in his book. As noted in, “Fort Ransom Area History, 1878-1978,” the first telephone service in the area started in Kidville (kids … always so up on the new technology). The last business in Kidville closed its doors in 1919 (perhaps all the kids returned home).

3. Bachelor’s Grove (Grand Forks County)

This North Dakota town was literally called Bachelor’s Grove because the seven men who settled there in the late 1870s were bachelors. The meaning of the town’s name didn’t stick around for long—the bachelors married and started families. The townsite was abandoned in the late 1880s due to the railroad’s expansion in other parts of the county; however, the area remained an active social and recreational site for decades. A large pavilion for dancing, orchestras, and bands was on the site, followed by a skating rink, and eventually a youth Bible camp. Fun fact: Gov. Eli Shortridge (the first to live in what is now the Former Governors’ Mansion) farmed in the area and was often referred to as the “old grey farmer from Bachelor’s Grove,” according to the Bowbells Bulletin-Tribune. For the record, Shortridge was not a bachelor.

Grand Forks Herald article about the annual Bachelor’s Grove picnic, June 21, 1916, p. 10

4. Whynot (Grand Forks County)

Whynot was situated in the very southeast corner of Grand Forks County. The town was established in 1881 as the location of a general store owned by Erik K. Larsgaard. He was often asked why he set up shop there, to which his response was “why not?” Thus, Whynot got its name.

5. Sturgis (Morton County)

South Dakota’s 84th Sturgis Motorcycle Rally recently came to a close. Although the Sturgis in South Dakota is more well known than Sturgis, North Dakota, the latter predates it. According to Wick, this Mandan predecessor was established in 1877 near Fort Abraham Lincoln and named for Lt. J.G. Sturgis, who died at the Battle of the Little Bighorn. Meanwhile, the South Dakota Sturgis, named for Sturgis’ father, Maj. Samuel D. Sturgis, was established in 1878.

Territory of Dakota map, General Land Office, 1879. Zoom in on "Morton" and you will see Sturgis. OCLC 28283598

Bismarck Weekly Tribune article on the founding of Morton County’s Sturgis City, April 27, 1877, p. 4

Lt. John Sturgis of the 7th Cavalry, namesake of Sturgis, Dakota Territory. SHSND SA 00091-00548

As a seasonal interpreter at the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center in Washburn, I get to share the history of the Lewis and Clark Expedition’s stay among the Mandan and Hidatsa peoples during winter 1804-5. Most visitors, however, do not know that an expedition eight years prior also came up the Missouri River and wintered among the Mandans. That expedition was led by John Evans, who was exploring for Spain.

In 1795, Spanish officials heard about a British fort among the Mandans, technically in Spanish territory at the time, with an “English flag” flying, according to fur traders who were there, though they probably meant a British flag given the colonial context. Spain hoped to get rid of the British by sending Spanish subjects up the Missouri River to deport the intruders. Spain also dreamed of building a line of forts from the upper Missouri all the way to the West Coast as a barrier against British or American invasions from the north or east. The governor of Spanish Louisiana offered a reward of 3,000 pesos to whoever could first reach the West Coast via the Missouri River.

Answering the call were James Mackay and John Evans. Mackay and Evans, who were Scottish and Welsh, respectively, but had become naturalized Spanish subjects, departed from St. Louis with 30 other men around September 1795. After wintering among the Omaha people in today’s Nebraska and setting up a trading post named Fort Charles, Mackay sent Evans ahead to the Mandan villages. Evans was charged with deporting the British fur traders, and if he had enough supplies and men, proceeding all the way to the Pacific Ocean and back. Evans also hoped to find out whether the Mandans, as some said, were descendants of pre-Columbian Welsh settlers. (He determined they were not.)

Routes to the Mandan villages in North Dakota taken by the Mackay-Evans expedition and the British. Wikimedia Commons, with trails added by author

Evans set out on June 8, 1796. He reached the Mandan villages on September 23 of that year and found some temporarily unoccupied British trading posts. The Mandans and Hidatsas in the area warmly greeted Evans and accepted the Spanish flags and medals he gave them. He soon took down the British flag from one of the trading posts and hoisted a Spanish flag instead.

John Evans likely hoisted this design of the Spanish flag over the trading posts at the Mandan villages. A portrait of King Charles IV of Spain was likely on the front of the peace medals with the phrase “al merito” (“to merit”) on the back. Wikimedia Commons

When fur traders came back from the north in early October, relations between them and Evans were cordial at first. Tensions flared in March when British trader René Jusseaume, who would later become an interpreter for Lewis and Clark, tried to kill Evans twice before returning north. (Jusseaume thought he could maintain British trade with the Mandans by getting rid of the man trying to halt it.) The British fur trade among the Mandans stopped while Evans remained with the Mandans. With the British fur traders out (for now) but lacking enough men and supplies to proceed west, Evans returned to St. Louis in July 1797. Thus ended the only Spanish-sponsored expedition to the Mandan villages.

The 1990s are back in this edition of recent acquisitions. Settle in on your faux-leather beanbag chair, put your hair up in a scrunchie, and get ready to learn about some fly ’90s objects recently donated to the State Historical Society of North Dakota’s museum collection. Cue the Pearl Jam!

1. Virgil Hill Fan Club buttons, 1985-1995

SHSND 2024.00022.00001-.00002

Virgil Hill, famous boxing champion, was recently named the 48th recipient of the Theodore Roosevelt Rough Rider Award. During his career, thousands of North Dakotans attended his home state fights in Bismarck, Minot, Grand Forks, and Fargo. Hill’s recent accolade inspired donor Rita Nodland to reach out to us with her memories of watching Hill in the ring.

Recalling the Virgil Hill Fan Club buttons she acquired between 1985 and 1995, Nodland notes, “We were avid fans of Virgil Hill during his boxing career. We were also members of the VH Fan Club. We started following Virgil with a fight in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota. It was an outdoor ring along the beach. After that, we went to every fight we could, mostly in Bismarck, and sometimes with adult family members and friends. … I never had an interest in boxing prior to [Hill’s] fights, but there was a rush every time we went. His promoters did a very good job exciting the crowd.”

2. Lisa Frank unicorn pencil box, 1992-1993

SHSND 2024.00012.00003

If you want a visual representation of elementary school in the 1990s, look no further than the colorful fantasy stylings of Lisa Frank. During the decade of grunge, her distinctive animals with big, wet eyes rendered in highly saturated colors seemed to be slapped on every available school supply surface and were beloved by middle school girls.

This unicorn-bedazzled Lisa Frank pencil supply box was used by donor Erica Houn, who also happens to be the agency’s business manager, when she was in first grade at Pioneer Elementary School in Bismarck. She pointed out to us that her name is written on it in two spots—once by her and once by her first-grade teacher, Mrs. Schubert. It’s well-loved, judging by the crayon marks and daubs of dried glue inside.

The delightfully crayon-scribbled inside of the pencil box.

3. Trolls pencil box, 1992-1993

SHSND 2024.00012.00004

Erica Houn also donated another pencil box, which highlights beloved franchise Trolls. This one she used at home rather than school.

Troll dolls and all of their associated merchandise were first popular in the 1960s and have made several resurgences in the following decades, including the 1990s. Houn personalized this pencil box by assigning the name “JTT” (moniker of ’90s tween dreamboat Johnathan Taylor Thomas of “Home Improvement” and “The Lion King” fame) to the troll on the far left. This note is faintly visible near the bottom of the label.

4. Walkman and headphones, 1988

SHSND 2023.00082.00001-.00002

The Sony Walkman is synonymous with the 1990s. We recently received this cool kid device from Susan Nissen, who bought hers in summer 1988 either at Best Buy in Moorhead, Minnesota, or Radio Shack in Fargo when she was a second-year medical student at the University of North Dakota. She used it through the bulk of the ’90s.

According to the donor, “I felt very ‘swank’ to have such a ‘vogue’ device. It would easily all fit into my backpack once I arrived to class. I mean, this was the first I could walk around outside and listen to music from cassette tapes! This was so beyond an old transistor radio or large boombox.”

Have something rad, excellent, bodacious, etc., (yes, I know, my knowledge of ’90s slang is really getting stretched thin here) that you’d like to donate to the State Historical Society museum collection? Give us a shout via our online donation questionnaire!

Happy Independence Day! Did you know North Dakota’s history is specially linked to this holiday? On July 4, 1889, the men who assembled the original draft of our state’s constitution that established all our state’s laws met in Bismarck for the Constitutional Convention. There were 75 delegates who worked on the document, and it was handwritten in sections by several different clerks. Other members elected from outside the committee to work included a chaplain, a chief clerk, a sergeant at arms, and a watchman. The work was completed Aug. 17, 1889. Some—though not all—delegates signed it. The constitution was approved by voters Oct. 1, which is noted on North Dakota’s state seal. On Nov. 2, President Benjamin Harrison signed this state into being. The Fourth of July in 1889 must have been one of special excitement—it led to North Dakota being part of the United States!

So, to celebrate, and without further ado—here are four more interesting things about North Dakota’s Constitutional Convention.

1. North Dakota wasn’t alone. Washington, Montana, and, of course, South Dakota all met simultaneously to set up a constitution prior to receiving statehood. All were reported on with interest, and the different conventions even wired greetings to each other.
   
   Becoming a state was heavily politicized, especially in how it was perceived that each new state may add to the political arena. Legislation monitored this process. President Grover Cleveland had signed the Omnibus Bill allowing these four areas to become states and outlined the means for meeting in convention, but earlier drafts did not even fully establish if Dakota Territory would enter as one large state or be separated. It also originally included New Mexico on the docket.
   
   The Disney movie “The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band” also displays this history as the backdrop to its plot, following an early pioneer family of divided political leanings which moves to “Dakota” around the time of these events. Along with some incredibly catchy tunes about both Grover Cleveland and Benjamin Harrison, it’s a trip to watch—and it was used as research for part of the state’s centennial celebration!
    
2. There was a parade. Not too surprisingly, there were people gathering to work and people excited to see what was going on, and there was pomp and circumstance. Delegates joined a procession to the Capitol building down Main Street, nearly a mile in length, according to reports. This parade consisted of infantry and cavalry from Fort Yates and Fort Lincoln, two bands, a company of militia, the Grand Army of the Republic post, fire companies, and a group of “ladies on horseback” who represented the four new states being formed. Sitting Bull was also there and participated in the parade.
   
    
   SHSND E0621-00001
    
3. They took a few breaks. The delegates met over a calendar period of 45 days but didn’t work on the constitution more than about 32, and several times, a few days were taken off. A couple times, requests for a brief adjournment were requested, but not accepted. Once, a break was requested so farmers could be permitted to see to their farms. This request was first denied but was then contested.
    
4. The delegates setting up the constitution kind of forgot the politics. In the original draft of the North Dakota State Constitution, delegates did not fully create the process of voting for the United States president. So the state called its first special session in 1892 to correct this, just prior to the first presidential election that North Dakota voters would be able to participate in. At that time, it was set up so that voters chose their three electors directly. Ironically, North Dakota evenly split its vote. Each of the three electors voted for a different candidate: one for the Populist, one for the Democratic, and one for the Republican. As far as I am aware, this was the only time that has ever happened in a presidential vote!

Interested in more history about this? Check out the constitution, view this photo of the members of the original Constitutional Convention, and see the reunion photo of the remaining members in 1914.