We awarded three Prairie Churches grants:
Emmaus Congregational United Church of Christ – Carson, Grant County
Emmaus Congregational UCC received $1,000 to assist with exterior painting. Built in 1912, the church was moved into Carson in 1916. Featuring pointed arch windows and a steeple more reminiscent of a castle than a church, Emmaus is a unique community landmark.
St. Andrew’s Preservation Committee – Zeeland Vicinity, McIntosh County
St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church was built in 1906 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. St. Andrew’s received a $1,725 grant to assist with roof repairs.
A beautiful Colonial Revival church, St. Andrew’s is locally known as “
The Beacon on the Prairie.” The church has an active community, including the St. Andrew’s Preservation Committee, which organized for the explicit purpose of providing direction for ongoing preservation, and it has been featured on several tours celebrating the area’s German-Russian culture. You can follow St. Andrew's Preservation Committee on
Facebook!
Vang Lutheran Church – Manfred, Wells County
Vang Lutheran Church was built in 1906 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Members received a $3,600 to assist with major roof repairs.
In addition to hosting regular services, Vang Lutheran Church is a contributing property to the Manfred Heritage Museum, hosting exhibit space and community gatherings. For more information about the community of Manfred, visit
www.manfrednd.org.
We also awarded five Prairie Places grants:
Hillsboro Community Partnership – Hillsboro, Traill County
Hillsboro Community Partnership is currently in the middle of a multi-phase rehabilitation of the southern half of Union Block, a turn-of-the-century brick commercial building in downtown Hillsboro. Union Block is a significant community landmark, with beautiful storefronts on Main Street and Caledonia Avenue.
After completing major roof repairs, rebuilding the back wall, and turning a caved-in basement into a functional crawl space, HCP has moved on to restoring the fifteen second story windows, of which only two or three are intact. A $4,700 grant from PND is assisting with window restoration.
Johnson-Ostrem Preservation Fund – Manfred, Wells County
Members of Johnson-Ostrem Preservation Fund are restoring the Johnson-Jacobson-Ostrem House in Manfred, ND. Built in 1905, it was home to several prominent local leaders. Upon completion of restoration, the house will be accessioned into the Manfred Heritage Museum and will be used to interpret aspects of local history. Learn more about Manfred by visiting
www.manfrednd.org.
A $1,450 grant from PND is assisting with interior repairs and restoration of plaster and lath.
Mayville Campus Preservation Society – Mayville, Traill County
MCPS is currently undertaking a multi-phase rehabilitation of Northwest Hall on the campus of Mayville State University. A former dormitory – among other uses – Northwest Hall will be home to MSU’s Alumni Center.
A $1,050 grant from PND is assisting with the restoration of the copper roof on the west portico.
OPERA, Inc. – Ellendale, Dickey County
OPERA – Organization of People in Ellendale for Restoration of the Arts – is a local non-profit that owns the Ellendale Opera House. Built in 1908, the Ellendale Opera House is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and hosts several arts and cultural events each year. Visit
www.ellendalend.com and select “Historical Attractions” to learn more.
OPERA was awarded a $2,750 grant from PND to assist with exterior stucco repair.
Wimbledon Community Museum – Wimbledon, Barnes County
The Wimbledon Community Museum is restoring the historic Midland Continental Depot in Wimbledon, ND.
The depot was built in 1903 as a stop for the Midland Continental Railroad, which was intended to be a north-south transcontinental railroad linking grain markets in Winnepeg, Manitoba with sea ports in Galveston, Texas. However, the sixty-seven mile shortline railroad connecting Edgeley, Jamestown, and Wimbledon was as far as it was ever built.
The depot in Wimbledon is the last reminder of this grand, but ultimately unsuccessful plan. It also has connections to Norma Egstrom, a woman more famously known as Peggy Lee, who lived in the depot with her father from 1934 to 1937 while he served as the depot agent.
Wimbledon Community Museum was awarded a $1,725 grant from PND to assist with reconstruction of the boardwalk and exterior painting to return the depot to its original paint colors (cream and green).
If you are interested in applying to the Grassroots Grant Program, check out our website for more information: www.prairieplaces.org. Applications have a postmark date of May 15th each year.
The Grassroots Grant Program is funded by
individual donations and corporate gifts; to make a donation to the Grassroots Grant Fund at Preservation North Dakota, contact us at (701) 356-3001 or
info@prairieplaces.org, or donate online at
www.prairieplaces.org.
Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 4:01PM 
Union Block, 2010 Photo Courtesy John TosoA commercial building at the heart of downtown Hillsboro, ND has a new lease on life after completion of a multi-year rehabilitation. The two story brick building, constructed in 1891 as part of Union Block, had fallen into disrepair in recent years. In 2006, the Hillsboro community spoke out strongly for preservation of this downtown landmark. To this end, a group of volunteers formed Hillsboro Community Partnership (HCP), a nonprofit affiliate of Preservation North Dakota. With tremendous community support, HCP directed a series of repair and stabilization phases.
