Details

Collection Summary
Collection: C - C Collection
Folder: 0000.000
Item: 1636-00001
Title: Birds eye view of Ashley (N.D.)
Date: 1890
Creator: Mahin, W. T.
Inscription/Marks: [In pencil on border of cabinet card] Grain elevator and flour mill, Ashley N. Dak Photo by W.T. Mahin [on back of cabinet card] Gift of Indiana State Library, per N. Coats, Feb. 17, 1964. [history-Ashley's Golden Jubilee http://www.usgenweb.info/ndmcintosh/jubilee2.htm] BIRTH OF ASHLEY How the young settlement must have fretted and stormed and prayed for the arrival of the "cars." The Aberdeen, Bismarck and Northwestern who projected construction had caused the egress from Hoskins to the new Ashley turned out to be an abortive thing. The elders tell us that it was the brain-child of a millionaire woman who started to build the grade with the expectation that she could sell out in a "sucker" market in New York but that she started a little late and went busted before ever a rail was laid. We do not know, but one can see the name of Marion Ordway as the manager of the Northwestern Construction Company. This company bought the homesteads of John B. Akey and Mary Paton. This land comprised the West Half (W ½) of Section Thirty, Township One Hundred Thirty, Range Sixty Nine. They had a certain portion of it surveyed and laid out in blocks and lots, and named it Ashley in Honor of Ashley E. Morrow, a member of that company and the sale of lots was begun. As an inducement to the disappointed people of Hoskins the company agreed to donate lots to all those who would move their buildings from Hoskins to Ashley and although all the buildings, except a small school house left at Hoskins, were moved to the new town of Ashley in the spring and summer of 1888, it made a very small beginning for the new town. The business places were located on Main street and were on the North side, the Land Office, on the site now occupied by Edwin Blumhardt as a filling station, the store of Gulack and Gravedale in the building now occupied by the Ashley Implement Company; the drug store of "Tony" Bjornson being the same building now occupied by Miss Theophelia Reule as a Beauty Parlor. On the South side of Main street was a hotel called the "Washburn House" owned and operated by Fred Smith and located on the present site of the Ashley Creamery; the publishing house and home of J. W. Kenagy; the LaMotte Miles meat market located in the building West of the Stube Hotel; a business little further East a hardware store and postoffice combined in a building owned by George Lawrence and John Williams located on the site now occupied by John Eisenbeis as a Cafe. South of the hotel and on the present site owned and occupied by Edwin George was the Livery Barn of Clare Johnson, and East of there his home on the present site of the home of Dr. Cohen; then a few scattered residences of G. W. Hammond, located on the present site of the Home Hotel, the residence of George W. Lilly located on the site of the present home of County Judge A. W. Meidinger and the home of G. O. Gulack. In all a total of twelve buildings, some of them serving in a double capacity, that of dwelling and business place. Thus was Ashley brought into being with a total population of about forty five inhabitants. LAND OFFICE This building was moved to Ashley from Hoskins in 1888, and was located on the site now occupied by Edwin Blumhardt as a filling station. Was used as a Court House before one was built by the county. Was also used as an office by J.H. Wishek, his living quarters were in the lean-to on the left. The building was destroyed by fire about 1895. Left to right: Christian Weber; Harry McMillian; John C. Schaeffer. LaMotte Miles; C.D. Johnson; Fred Heiss; R.A. Larimer; J.H. Wishek; I.C.A. Thorn; J.M. Hanson. GROWTH OF ASHLEY From this small beginning Ashley continued to grow, new homes were built, new stores, churches and schools were added. A Court House financed by public subscription was later erected, this building was later sold and moved away to make place for the more modern present building. Everyone lived in hopes of a railroad but the road did not come for year after year. At last the whole project was disposed of to Lowry and others, who had built the Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railway Company to join with the C. P. R. in Ontario and the western prairie provinces of Canada. This looked like finis for the whole project and of a road for Ashley. When at last in 1896, the "Soo" began in its usual leisurely way to lay rails along a branch from Hankinson west, they say it took a lot of persuasion on the part of the citizens of Ashley, at the forefront of whom was Mr. Wishek, to induce the directors to use the already prepared grade to Ashley as well as from the new townsite of Wishek to Bismarck. The road came as far as Kulm in LaMoure County and there took a painful pause. "This was to be the end of the line," one rumor said. "No," declared another, "They are accumulating ties down the line, running lines and making ready." "No, money is too hard to get now." Equally positive was another. "This is the year and the road is surely coming." It did come, eventually. To Wishek in 1898, and at last just fifteen years after the quick flight from Hoskins and in 1901 the good old ''Soo', in its usual placid way dropped down the hill into Ashley. Here James N. McGogy was installed as the first agent, a post which he held until 1915, when he was appointed postmaster. The town being now established and past its infancy continued a healthy and prosperous growth, elevators were built until now there are six elevators, one mill. Other business places were added and now Ashley boasts of 6 filling stations; 5 cream stations; plumbing shop; 4 garages; 3 barber shops; 3 hardware stores; 2 cafes; a drug store; telephone exchange; 2 dentists; 5 recreational parlors; 5 law offices; 2 physicians; 3 hotels; 2 real estate and insurance offices; a bakery; a creamery; 3 bulk gas stations; a general contractor; 2 blacksmiths; 2 lumber yards; a newspaper; 5 general stores; a ladies furnishing; 3 beauty parlors; a gamble store; 3 implement dealers; a bank; I.G.A. store; Jewelry store; theater; wood work shop; commercial trucker; 2 meat markets; a produce market; harness and shoemaker; chiropractor; office electric light company; 7 churches; library; and City Hall in combination with fire hall. In addition to this numerous fine homes have been built and it is quite a different town from what it was fifty years ago, the population being a little over 1200. OUR BUSINESS ESTABLISHMENTS [http://www.usgenweb.info/ndmcintosh/jub-busn.htm] Brosz Elevator Company Fred Brosz and others in 1921 formed a corporation known as Brosz Elevator Company and in that year purchased the Stienecker-Kretschmar Elevator which they have operated since that time. The elevator was built in 1906 by Hedtke & Brosz. Mr. Gust Brosz is the present manager. [Hedtke, Robert Richard --1876-1954]
Summary: Birds-eye view of Ashley McIntosh County (N.D.) showing several wood frame residences, grain elevators and flour mill.
Red ID: PH_I_116296 Image ID: 135471 Image Notes: C1636-00001

Collection: C Digitized Images from Collection
Title: C Collection
Date: ca. 1836-1960

Summary: At some point in time the State Historical Society separated photographs into collections by size. The A collection consists of items 4 X 5” or less, the B collection consists of items 5 X 7” or less, the C collection consists of items 8 X 10” or less, the D collection consists of items 11 X 14” or less, and the E collection consists of items larger than 11 X 14”.

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