Awards composite The Edgeley Mail logo with windtowers

LaMoure County Memorial Park is a place of beauty and history
BY JOY POWERS

Welcome back to our tour of the James River Valley. The 8th story in this series takes us into the LaMoure County Memorial Park as we explore its beauty. A place for picnics, camping, entertainment, summer camps, family fun, and good old-fashioned relaxation.

One of the very first picnics in the James River Valley was held on June 17, 1881 in a grove of trees owned by Captain H. T. Elliott. His small rowboat was drawn up out of the water and turned over to serve as the table. This pioneer picnic became an annual affair, being held every June in the same grove of trees.

lamourecountymuseuminternetcopy.jpg (23108 bytes)The county purchased the land that contained the grove, known as "Old Settlers Park" or the "Old Grove," and on April 8, 1920, the LaMoure County Commissioners approved a resolution to establish a county park just north of Grand Rapids. The Park was formally dedicated on September 20, 1920 commemorating the soldiers and sailors of LaMoure County who’d fought in the World War.

In 1921 the Chatauqua Auditorium was built. The auditorium’s purpose was to serve as a center for countywide events, political gatherings, eighth grade graduations, and church services. It was in 1949 that park was dedicated to all county veterans of Foreign Wars.

After standing unused for several years, in 1972 the idea of using the stage in the auditorium to present a summer theater came to the LaMoure School Music teacher, Ron Zimmerman. Renovations began, loads of dirt hauled out to find the asphalt floor again, and white and gold paint brightened the stage as light bulbs lit up the rafters and stage floor.

On June 15, 1972 the LaMoure County Summer Musical Theatre opened with its presentation of "The Fantasticks" to a crowd of 35 people. The small crowds didn’t deter the enthusiasm and in July 1973 the theatre was incorporated. Pat Werner directed the first youth performance in 1975. A year later the group became known as "Park Players." Today the youth performances are produced by the Missoula Children’s Theatre. The company travels to several communities each year. They arrive on a Monday to conduct the tryouts, spend the week rehearsing, and hold the performances that weekend. Missoula College students usually play the two lead roles in the play, however, using as many children from the surrounding areas as possible for the other roles. The LaMoure County Summer Musical Theatre now approaches it 31st season of providing family entertainment on beautiful summer evenings for the young and old.

lamourecomuseuminsideinternetcopy.jpg (24405 bytes)The LaMoure County Memorial Park Museum, the home to many artifacts and lots of history, is also located in the Park. A building filled with rooms of treasures and memories. The LaMoure County Museum was dedicated in memory of Henry C. Arndt, a life-long resident and farmer, near Grand Rapids. Henry’s interest in antiques and artifacts made him very well known in the area. Over the years his collection of LaMoure County history and artifacts grew and grew. He kept these treasures in a quonset-type building and called it the Henry Arndt Museum. In his later years, as his health began to fail, Henry donated the entire contents of his museum to LaMoure County to be displayed in a suitable building and to be located in the LaMoure County Memorial Park near Grand Rapids.

However, there appears to be discrepancy about the LaMoure County Museum building’s history. One version tells that the museum building was erected in 1883 and was used as the LaMoure County Courthouse until Grand Rapids lost the county seat to LaMoure. In 1902 the building was sold and moved to Edgeley where it became a hospital and later Edgeley’s Masonic Temple. In 1981 the building was sold to LaMoure County and moved to Memorial Park to be used as the Museum.

The other side of this story is that the hospital in Edgeley was constructed on site. It was built here and later turned into the Masonic Temple. It’s said that H. E. Sox did purchase the Grand Rapids Courthouse but it was tore down and moved here in pieces and made into several homes that still stand in Edgeley. Bob Hazelton, Edgeley, said, "I remember my father talking about when he helped build and work on the hospital here in Edgeley." However in the July 29, 1981 issue of the Edgeley Mail, currently the only building being considered to be the LaMoure County Museum is the former Grand Rapids Courthouse now in Edgeley. It was owned by Charlie Anderson at that time.

So where does the truth lie? Where did this building originate from? As the years have gone by, the pioneers that could tell this story have passed on. Could a different photo showing the front of the courthouse as it sat in Grand Rapids tell us, if in fact, if this building is indeed the original courthouse for LaMoure County?

Next to the main museum building is a tribute to the country schools that were common throughout the townships of LaMoure County. The building was restored in 1997 and is decked out with educational tools and materials from the era.

Follow along next time as we continue the journey up County Highway 63 towards Dickey and discover more interesting history located right here in the James River Valley in LaMoure County.