Created By: North Dakota State University
The building was constructed in the early 1890s in Arthur, ND, costly approximately $1000. It held church services, dances, graduations, plays, basketball games, and movies. Minstrel shows were held annually and showcased singing, dancing, vaudeville, and drama. The projection room is still in the building, located upstairs, but is closed for renovations. The building was donated and moved to Bonanzaville in 1974.
The stained glass windows that can be seen in the hall were donated by NDSU after they were removed from the Little Country Theatre. Three of the windows depict playwrights Johann Wolfgang Goethe, Henrik Ibsen, and William Shakespeare. These three were chosen because they represent the three major languages (German, Norwegian, and English) which were spoken by the early settlers of the area. The other three windows depict Senator Justin Morrill who proposed the land- grant college system bill, which NDSU is a part of, the Statue of Liberty, and Abraham Lincoln, who signed the act organizing the Dakota Territory in 1861.
This point of interest is part of the tour: Bonanzaville Full Village Tour
Please send change requests to changerequest@pocketsights.com.