Almont North Dakota
1906 Centennial 2006
The Beginning Of Almont
The following are excerpts from the 'Almont Golden Jubilee' history book published in 1956 by the Almont 50th Anniversary Historical committee.
ALMONT SURVEYED
July 4, 1906
A wave of excitement started in the Homes
around Almont today and went for many miles in all directions, especially
south. H. H. Harmon, the county surveyor, E. W. Hyde and O. A. Young, brother-in-law
of D. C. Wilkins, who owned the land, spent the day surveying the site for
a new town to be located on the Almont siding.
The town was laid out according to the railroad,
near the tip of the big V with lines running diagonal to section lines.
It took all day to lay out the nine blocks of the original town site. One
block they designated as court house square. Hyde and Young carried the
chain for the surveyor. All enthusiastically welcomed the visit of Richert
Olson, who came to see what was going on in the old pasture. With well known
Scandinavian hospitality he soon returned bringing a bountiful dinner to
the hot and tired men, who had a picnic on the grass.
There had been a siding named ALMONT since
the Northern Pacific railway came through in 1883. The name was suggested
by the buttes in the vicinity, the word being coined from Spanish word “alta”,
high and French word “mount”, hill. Beside the siding was a
telephone booth.
The Almont siding was first seen by E. W. Hyde of Rauville, S. S., and
his partner, J. W. Burt, of South Shore, S. D., last May when they traveled
the Northern Pacific as far west as GLen Ullin looking for a site to
start a new C. H. Chase Lumber Company lumber yard and elevator in the
new west. They chose Sims because so many new settlers were unloading
at Sims at that time. After ordering sixteen cars of lumber, they returned
to S. D. the latter part of May, Mr. Hyde brought his family to Sims.
Property values in Sims were too high to suit the men, so they decided
to start a new town at the Almont siding.
Today the new town was surveyed and many families
are excited at the prospect of a town 5 1/2 miles closer than Sims.
ALMONT BEGINS
Several cars of lumber have been moved from
the right-of-way at Sims where they were unloaded and brought to Almont.
The new elevator has been started and plans are for a hotel to begin building
at once.
July 31, 1906
George Chalmers, proprietor of the Heart River
hotel, is erecting a large hotel and livery barn at the new town of Almont.
It is nearly completed and will soon be ready for occupancy. When completed
it will look very swell.
There were eight carloads of lumber unloaded
at Almont the other day, a good sign that there is something doing. The
prosperous town of Almont is building a grain elevator, capacity is 40,000
bushels.
A restaurant is open for business at Almont.
Lots at Almont are selling for $100 each.
DeVaul Brothers are putting up a store in
Almont.
August 3, 11906
Almont is planning a celebration for August
12th. Plans include a church service, a baseball game, and lots of good
band music by the bohemian band. The business men of Almont are inviting
everyone to come and enjoy the day at the new town.
J. R.. Sherwood of New Salem is already running
a restaurant in Almont.
ALMONT CELEBRATES
August 12, 1906
Early in the morning folks began to arrive from all directions for Almont’s first celebration and to enjoy her hospitality. The change in five weeks from a pasture to a town seemed unbelievable to many. It was estimated that about 300 persons were present for the morning church services held in the lumber shed of the C. H. Chase Lumber company. Rev. Hughes, the Presbyterian pioneer missionary from New Salem, was the able speaker. The audience filled the benches, some sat on the ground and others stood, for this first church service in the new town.
After a picnic dinner the crowd
enjoyed a band concert by the Bohemian band. Those men certainly gave
a fine concert of excellent music. The band consisted of 24 pieces.
Players were settlers from the Bohemian Flats southeast of Almont and
they knew how to play., In addition to their concert they played for
the ball game which followed.
High point of the excitement for the day was
the baseball game between Sims and Almont. The Sims baseball team was already
recognized as an outstanding team and were beautiful in their red uniforms.
The Almont team played in overalls. They were men living near Almont or
connected with the building of the town but had seldom if ever played together
before.
Elmer Brown was pitcher for the game and Mr.
Stevenson was catcher. Albert Anderson was left fielder, with Fred Zimmers,
a rural school teacher, as center fielder. Cornelius Knutson, Amandus Larson,
Ted Peterson, Clint McGary, and Byroin DeLand completed the team with J.
W. Burt and E. W. Hyde as managers.
Sims was up to bat for the first inning. To
their surprise they did not get in a run. Neither did Almont. This was true
for the first three innings. Sims got one score in the 4th and Almont tied
it in the 5th. Sims brought in their second score in the 6th and Almont
tied it in the 9th. This was enough to drive the crowd wild. In the last
half of the 10th inning, Almont made a score and beat the game. McGary who
brought in the score was placed on Hyde’s shoulders and carried down
town.
Almont’s first celebration was a day those present will long remember.
Her business men are happy over the fine response of the folks from
so many places and over the prospects for the growth of their town. Five
business places are in operation or under construction. They are the
C. H. chase Lumber company’s elevator and lumber yard, the Chalmers
hotel, DeVaul’s store and Sherwood's restaurant.
A new town has begun and is on its way!