Grand Forks County Fairgrounds WPA Structures
National Register of Historic Places

Grand Forks County Fairgrounds WPA Structures

Grand Forks, Grand Forks County, North Dakota
Listed
April 20, 2009
Type
Building
Ref No.
08001262

About this property

Grand Forks County Fairgrounds WPA Structures is a collection of five structures within the Grand Forks County Fairgrounds in Grand Forks, North Dakota, that were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2009. The structures are the fairgrounds entrance gate, ticket kiosk, administration building, and cairns, all built from stone, as well as the fairgrounds grandstand. They are located on the grounds of the Grand Forks State Fair Grounds and are associated with the River Cities Speedway. "The five remaining structures have been recognized as historically significant, examples of the importance of county and state fairs to local culture and social history." The structures were built between 1936 and 1939 by the Works Progress Administration (WPA). U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt attended the 1937 dedication ceremony for the Grand Forks County Fairgrounds grandstand, which was designed by Grand Forks architect Theodore B. Wells and was considered to be innovative in its design. Steve C. Martens, an architect and North Dakota State University professor, wrote the NRHP nomination. He commented extensively at a public hearing describing the importance of the structures. According to Martens, the project was the largest WPA project in the state. In 2009 the listed structures included three contributing buildings, one contributing structure, and one contributing object. The nominated listing covers an area of 51 acres (21 ha). The listing is described as including Art Deco and WPA Rustic Fieldstone architecture.

Location

2300 Gateway Dr.
Grand Forks, Grand Forks County, North Dakota
47.93592, -97.06186

Categories

ARCHITECTURESOCIAL HISTORYENTERTAINMENT/RECREATIONPOLITICS/GOVERNMENT
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Questions about this property

When was Grand Forks County Fairgrounds WPA Structures listed on the National Register?

Grand Forks County Fairgrounds WPA Structures was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 20, 2009.

What type of historic resource is Grand Forks County Fairgrounds WPA Structures?

Grand Forks County Fairgrounds WPA Structures is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Grand Forks County Fairgrounds WPA Structures

This page lists Grand Forks County Fairgrounds WPA Structures. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Grand Forks County Fairgrounds WPA Structures report
Or see a real report first

More in Grand Forks County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Grand Forks County.

Explore Grand ForksCounty ›

More historic places in North Dakota

Browse all historic places in North Dakota.

View North Dakotahistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

North Dakota history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

North Dakotahistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Grand Forks County Fairgrounds WPA Structures will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report