Fargo, Day Two: Park, Museum, Theater, and More

In August 2021, daughter Jill and I traveled to North Dakota – an eight-day getaway to Fargo, Jamestown, Minot, and Bismarck. Click HERE to read a short introduction to our wonderous trip.  
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This story is the third in a series about our journey through North Dakota. 

Fargo, North Dakota (Monday, August 2, 2021) Jill and I thought we had left the hot weather behind when we jetted off from Phoenix a couple of days ago, but nooooooo! The high this day reached into the upper 80s, the humidity was about 30%, and there was little breeze – just a tad uncomfortable for prolonged outdoor activities. Problem solved: We moved our outdoor activities to the morning and indoor activities to the afternoon. Pretty smart, were we – huh?!

Monday Morning
Neither Jill or I were hungry, so we skipped breakfast and headed to Lindenwood Park for a walk along the Red River Trail. Before we hit the trail, though, we visited the American Legion Memorial Fountain, which graced the entrance to the park.  
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This memorial, dedicated in 1972, had four essential elements: fountains, flower gardens, flags, and a monument. 

The main fountain, which sat in the center of a square, two-tiered basin, was a series of tall, multi-level columns. Jill and I watched the water as it rose like a geyser above the columns and then cascaded into the basin below. It was so peaceful!

The gardens were thick with colorful flowers – red, orange, pink, purple, and white. Do not quote me, but I believe the gardens included marigolds and chrysanthemums. Five flag poles, each with a U.S. flag at rest, stood at attention behind the fountain.
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A few years ago, the American Legion moved a stone and granite monument to this site (visible in the foreground in the photo above). It honored members of the 164th Infantry – the North Dakota National Guard – who were mobilized in World War Two.
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This memorial was a lovely tribute to the women and men who served our country! 

We crossed the Red River on a vertical lift bridge to reach the trail that meandered through the woods alongside the river. The trail, which was rated “easy,” was about five miles out and back – further than Jill or I wanted to hike this day. Instead, we followed the trail for 30 minutes or so before we doubled back – long enough to enjoy the cool shade from the trees and scenic views of the Red River. 

From the park we drove to the Plains Art Museum, which occupied a renovated warehouse, located in the city’s downtown district, that was built for International Harvester in the early 1900s. (I LOVED that Fargo renovated and repurposed another old building that was an important part of its history.)

The three-story brick building housed a well-cultivated collection of more than 4,000 local, regional, and national works, including traditional American Indian art. The exhibits on each floor were unique. 

We began our tour on the ground floor, where we wandered through Even Light Itself. This exhibit featured 60 recently acquired artworks and objects that highlighted “the importance of light to our visual culture.” Several pieces were influenced by the Pop Art style made famous by Andy Warhol. In fact, Keith BraveHeart, an Oglata Lakota artist, created He Has Thirty Horses to Give Away and Thirty Horses Still while in dialogue with Warhol. 

One flight up, we admired the artwork displayed in Take Two Déjà Vu. The paintings, urns, sculptures, and other objects were created by more than 70 artists, and each object could be purchased in a silent auction to support the artists and museum. The opening bids were displayed next to each piece of art, and I was surprised, quite frankly, by how reasonable the starting bids were.  

The third floor featured several large scale sculptures by American artist Chakaia Booker, who is “best known for her innovative and signature use of recycled rubber tires.” This 7-by-17-foot wall sculpture, made of wood and a “mass of jutting, swirling rubber,” was titled The Fatality of Hope.

My favorite piece in the museum was an acrylic painting by artist David Bradley, a member of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe. Pow Wow Princess in the Process of Acculturation depicted “a young Native woman wearing southwestern style jewelry and a ceremonial headdress.”

When I first saw this painting, I was struck by its strong resemblance to the Mona Lisa – so much so that I Googled the Mona Lisa for a side-by-side comparison: The princess in Bradley's painting had the same magical gaze, upright posture, and wry smile, and had one hand crossed over the other. And then I read this statement by the artist: “I do use repeatedly certain symbols which you could call popular cultural iconography like the…Mona Lisa…”. I nailed it! What was different, though, was the vibrancy of Bradley’s painting, and this was why Pow Wow Princess was my favorite piece of art in the museum.  

The Plains Art Museum (free admission) was a delightful surprise and well worth the stop!
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Monday Afternoon
As we wrapped up our hour-long visit to the museum, our stomachs told us that it was time for lunch. Wasabi Sushi and Asian Grill, located across from Broadway Square, seemed just the spot. Jill ordered sushi, while I ordered bulgogi with marinated grilled beef and rice. The restaurant was simple, and the food was plentiful and tasty. Not our best meal in Fargo…but not our worst, either!  

It was a short walk from Wasabi to Gallery 4, a cooperative owned and operated by local artists who took turns “minding the shop.” Dennis Krull was on duty when we arrived.

Dennis is a photographer and painter…but not a painter in the traditional sense. “My medium,” he said, “is encaustic painting, an ancient technique that layers melted beeswax and tree sap, colored with pigments, on canvas.” One of his pieces on display, which you can see in the bottom left side of this photo, was of a tree set against a blue sky, with a shimmering reflection in the ground below. What an interesting technique!

My wife and I have collected art – paintings, ceramics, wood and metal sculptures, blown glass, and more – since the 1980s. Many of the objects we purchased were created by local artists from the towns and cities we traveled to. It was little wonder, then, that I bought an attractive hand-built ceramic vase by Ken Omundson as a gift for my wife. 

When we planned our trip, Jill arranged a private tour of the historic Fargo Theater, located on Broadway N in downtown Fargo. We met Nicole, the operations manager, in the theater’s lobby at 2 o’clock.

After brief introductions, Nicole remarked, “I am sure you noticed the iconic marquee in front of the theater.”

It would be hard to miss, I thought.

With pride in her voice, she continued, “You may not know this, but this marquee is one of the most photographed spots in Fargo.”
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No doubt, as I took at least a dozen photos of the it – day and night – during our two-plus days in Fargo!  

Over the next few minutes, Nicole shared a brief history of the Fargo Theater: It was opened as a vaudeville theater and art house in 1926. The first movie played was the 1914 silent film, The Man on the Box, and an adult movie ticket cost 25 cents. The original theater organ was known as the “Mighty Wurlitzer.” The 870-seat Fargo Theater was fully restored to its historic appearance in 1999.  

Our tour started inside the theater, where we saw: Long, velvet drapes that fell from ceiling to floor to hide a large screen. Art deco lighting that graced the sidewalls. Plush seating that extended from front to back and side to side. And all very colorful.  What a cool atmosphere!

This wonderfully restored movie house brought back happy childhood memories of many a Saturday afternoon at the Center Mayfield theater, where friends and I watched a double matinee for 50 cents. Those were the days!    

Before we left, we toured the projection room, which was a mix of vintage and modern equipment. Only the latter, which Jill and Nicole stood next to in the photo below, was used currently. 

In countless towns and cities I have traveled to, I made it a point to visit a house of worship – a church, a synagogue, a mosque. It did not matter which, and the older the better. So, it was my good fortune that St. Mary’s Cathedral, which opened in 1899, stood just a few blocks north of the theater.

The church building was designed in the Victorian Gothic Revival style – a brick structure that featured simplified arches and windows. The larger of the two towers, with a single bell, soared 172 feet.

I climbed the steps to the middle door with fingers crossed. It was open! I beckoned Jill as I entered the cathedral.
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The interior was simple, with tall columns that supported an arched ceiling over the nave, all in alabaster white with gold trim. The walls were adorned with religious murals and statuary. The stained-glass windows, which were installed more than 100 years ago, were illuminated by sunlight. 

I liked that St. Mary’s was small compared to other churches I have visited – a more intimate place to worship and to experience joy, love, and peace!  

​Monday Evening

We had dinner at the NoBull Smokehouse, located on Northern Pacific Avenue. The menu featured smoked sausage, pork, chicken, and ribs, slow cooked brisket, and fried chicken fingers, plus sides and a variety of beers on tap. Sounded great!

We ordered platters with two meats – chicken and ribs for Jill, ribs and brisket for me. I paired my meal with Stone’s Throw, a Scottish ale from Fargo Brewing Company.  The portions were decent size, but the meats were too salty for our taste – still edible, but we drank A LOT of water to cut the salt!  

After dinner, we watched “The Green Knight” at the Fargo Theater. This movie was based on a 14th-century poem about a young nephew of King Arthur who took up a challenge against a mysterious, green-colored knight. It was a fantasy, of course, but still…do not ask me to explain it to you, as it was strange, and I did not get it!
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I took this photo after the movie when it was dark.  Wasn’t the lighted marquee beautiful?! 

This was the end of another interesting day of sightseeing, our last in Fargo.
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There was more to Fargo than what Jill and I saw and did the past two-plus days. But, in hindsight, we explored many of the attractions and landmarks at the top of the “Best of Fargo” lists: Red River Zoo, Roger Maris Museum, Lindenwood Park, and Plains Art Museum. We also dined at a couple of the city's better restaurants and lifted a few local beers and libations. And we created lasting memories.

In my book, Mission Accomplished!

Tomorrow morning, Jill and I will drive to Jamestown, the next stop on our journey though North Dakota. See you there!