North Dakota
North Dakota man once created the world's largest trunk and turned it into a garage
FARGO — When it came to promotion and publicity, P.T. Barnum himself had nothing on Fargo businessman John Monson.
He was a seller of luggage, trunks, and valises, but showmanship and illusion were also his game, most notably creating the world’s largest trunk and eventually turning it into a garage.
But that is just one chapter in a very interesting life.
John Monson was born near Neenah, Wisconsin, Feb. 4, 1853. As a young man, he worked in logging camps in the white pine forests along the Wolf and Wisconsin rivers, according to his obituary.
Later he rafted the logs down the Wisconsin and Mississippi rivers to the city ports and sawmill cities downstream. After stops in San Francisco and Portland, Oregon he found his way to what was then Dakota Territory to make a name for himself.
In March 1882, he came to Fargo to open a men’s furnishings store on Broadway. In 1886, he married Mattie Judd, who was a school teacher in Wisconsin before the couple married.
By 1900, John established the Monson Trunk Factory setting up shop at 614 Front Street (the current location of The Front Street Taproom). It later moved to 606 Main Avenue where it became Monson’s Luggage.
By 1910, the Fargo Census shows Monson living at 1024 University Drive South with Mattie and sons Leigh, 23; Lloyd, 21; and Fern, 15.
That was also the year Monson and his business achieved international fame by constructing what he purported to be the “largest trunk in the world.” It was 18 feet in length, 10 ½ feet high, and 10 feet long.
Monson had the image placed on promotional postcards that seemingly invited people to come see his shop.
The trunk was on display for a time at the Fairgrounds in Fargo.
It’s unclear when Monson’s trunk lost its promotional appeal. But when it did Monson had a plan. He moved the trunk to the backyard of his home and converted it into a garage.
Three years later, Monson must have figured he was due for another promotional stunt.
In an advertisement (which reads more like a newspaper story) from June 6, 1913, people were encouraged to come to downtown Fargo for “one of the most unique features of the entire week.”
At 2 p.m. Saturday, June 7th, Monson planned to throw one of his trunks off the top of the 5-story Waldorf Hotel, not far from his shop.
The high dive stunt was meant to show the durability of Monson’s trunks. The ad goes on to say, “Moving pictures of this act will be taken and all who wish to get into the ‘movies’ should be on hand at that time.”
So far, we haven’t been able to find the film or any reports about the success of Monson’s stunt. However, the company continued to operate in downtown Fargo.
In 1919, John Monson turned over his business to his son who changed the name to the Monson Luggage Company and in the late 1930s to Monson’s Luggage. Eventually the store relocated to the West Acres Mall. It appears that both sons Lloyd and Fern worked for the company, while oldest son Leigh was listed in the census as working in police management and later as an attorney.
In the meantime, John and Mattie Monson weren’t content to just sit around. For the next few years they traveled around the country in their car. They eventually returned to Fargo in 1924, having logged over 42,000 miles.
According to his obituary, “They remained in Fargo only a very short time, as Monson had opened an elaborate tourist camp in the grapefruit area of Lake Alfred, Florida.”
He worked almost to the day of his death at his home at Lake Alfred in May 1945.
Mrs. Monson died January 6, 1943 at Lake Alfred.
What happened to the trunk/garage?
Perhaps one of the most surprising elements of this story is just how long that trunk-turned-garage lasted.
According to Dana Cook, the current owner of the former Monson home, the garage stood until 2005, shortly before she and her husband bought the property from her coworker.
“My coworker still parked her car in it until she was told it would have to be removed. She drove a (Honda) Odyssey and it just barely fit,” said Cook.
Cook said the financing wouldn’t go through for the property unless the old structure was taken down. So the former owner and her husband spent a weekend with a chainsaw tearing it down and putting the remains into a dumpster.
It was hardly a glorious end to an internationally acclaimed trunk. But it survived for 95 years through snowstorms, hailstorms and all that Fargo’s weather had to dish out. Old John Monson would have been proud.
STEP BACK IN TIME WITH TRACY BRIGGS
Hi, I’m Tracy Briggs. Thanks for reading my column! I love going “Back Then” every week with stories about interesting people, places and things from our past. Check out a few below. If you have an idea for a story, email me at tracy.briggs@forumcomm.com.
Tracy Briggs has more than 35 years of experience, in broadcast, print, and digital journalism.
North Dakota
Portion of Highway 2 closed in Williams County due to fires as of Saturday evening
WILLIAMS COUNTY, N.D. (KFYR) – The Williams County Sheriff’s Office says there are two large, active fires in the Ray area as of 7:30 p.m. Saturday.
They say one fire began northwest of Ray and the other began south of Highway 2 near the area of 102nd Road NW and 62nd Street NW. The fires are traveling southeast and are burning south of Highway 2 as of Saturday evening.
As of 9 p.m. Saturday, Highway 2 is closed from County Road 9 (133rd Avenue NW) eastbound to 105th Avenue NW. Westbound Highway 2 traffic is recommended to travel north on Highway 40, past Tioga, then west on Highway 50.
They say traffic is still able to travel from Highway 2 south on Highway 85 to get to Williston.
There is not currently an evacuation order in place, but if you require assistance, or there is an emergency, Williams County Sheriff’s Office says to dial 911.
Many local and regional firefighters are actively responding.
Your News Leader will continue to provide updates as we learn more.
Copyright 2024 KFYR. All rights reserved.
North Dakota
Live box score: No. 7 UND at No. 2 North Dakota State
FARGO — The 117th meeting between North Dakota and North Dakota State will take place Saturday at 2:30 p.m. in the Fargodome.
Recaps of scoring plays as they happen will be posted below.
NDSU 7, UND 0, 10:39 left: The Bison move quickly on their first drive. After a questionable 15-yard pass interference on Antonio Bluiett, NDSU’s CharMar Brown scores from 2 yards out.
NDSU 14, UND 0, 2:18 left: After picking up a third-and-7, Cam Miller goes deep for Bryce Lance. Lance beats Clayton Bishop deep for a 36-yard touchdown connection.
North Dakota
Vote 'yes' on North Dakota Measure 1, but 'no' on Measure 3
Two statewide measures on North Dakota’s upcoming ballot offer residents a chance to make a difference in the future of the state — one is based on new economics, the other on new social norms and courtesies.
Measure 1 seeks to make changes to how the state Constitution defines institutions in Grafton, Devils Lake and Jamestown. Measure 3 seeks to decrease the funding that can be expended from the Legacy Fund during a single biennium.
Here’s a look at each:
Although a simple majority vote in the Legislature is required to place a proposed constitutional amendment before the voters, Senate Concurrent Resolution 4001 passed without a single “no” vote during the last legislative session.
The real surprise isn’t that the proposal was unanimously passed, but rather that it’s taken this long. Specifically, the measure seeks to change the official name of the state institutions to be more in line with societal evolution that has taken place over the decades. It would change the State School for the Deaf and Dumb in Devils Lake to the State School for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing; the State Hospital for the Insane in Jamestown to the State Hospital for Individuals With Mental Illness; and the Institution for the Feeble Minded in Grafton to a “facility for individuals with developmental disabilities.” The latter already has been called the Life Skills and Transition Center, but Measure 1 will make it official.
We urge a “yes” vote on Measure 1, and may this be the last time those phrases are used in print.
A statewide vote in 2010 established the Legacy Fund, a piggy bank for the people that collects 30% of tax revenue from oil and natural gas extraction in the state. In its first 13 years, the fund grew past $9 billion.
Now, a constitutional amendment seeks to decrease the amount of principal available for spending each biennium, from 15% to 5% of the total. The amendment would provide for distribution from the Legacy Fund to a Legacy earnings fund, rather than have the accrued earnings be sent to the state’s general fund, as currently happens.
We don’t like the proposal. Why put constraints on future spending, especially if some sort of tragedy or emergency occurs?
And what about the next great idea — one we cannot fathom today but one that might require a large and expedient expenditure to push it to fruition?
Measure 3 seems like an idea not to spend money. We believe North Dakotans should embrace the state’s prosperity. The Legacy Fund was established to provide a better future for the state, and it’s time to start thinking about what that future will look like.
Vote no on Measure 3.
This Forum Communications Co. editorial represents the views of Forum Communications Co., this newspaper’s parent company. It was written by the FCC Editorial Advisory Board.
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