Grand Forks in Grand Forks County, North Dakota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
Clifford Annex
407-411 DeMers Avenue
— 1906-1998 —
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 28, 2022
1. Clifford Annex Marker
The Clifford Annex was constructed by Dinnie Brothers Construction Company during the last surge of 19th century commercial building, which replaced most of the original wood frame buildings in downtown Grand Forks. The architecture has been described as commercial vernacular with classical detailing and was constructed of a salmon shade of pink brick with a butter joint. The brick was the type manufactured locally by Red River Valley brick Company. Street level storefronts and apartments on the upper levels housed a variety of occupants through the years. Placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. Sustained main floor damage in the 1997 flood; demolished in 1998 to clear the site for the Grand Forks Corporate Center.
Erected 2003 by Grand Forks Historic Preservation Commission.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Industry & Commerce. A significant historical year for this entry is 1906.
Location. 47° 55.44′ N, 97° 1.91′ W. Marker is in Grand Forks, North Dakota, in Grand Forks County. Marker is on DeMers Avenue (Business U.S. 2) just east of South 5th Street, on the right when traveling east. Marker is mounted at eye-level on the northwest corner of the Grand Forks Corporate Center building,
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Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Finks and Gokey Block (within shouting distance of this marker); First National Bank Building (within shouting distance of this marker); Electric Construction Company (within shouting distance of this marker); Welcome to Memorial Park (about 600 feet away, measured in a direct line); Evacuating Two Cities (about 700 feet away); The Flood Fight Begins (about 700 feet away); The River Wins (about 700 feet away); Security Trust Company (about 700 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Grand Forks.
Regarding Clifford Annex. Formerly listed on the National Register of Historic Places, #82001319, but was destroyed in the 1997 Red River flood, and was delisted in 2004.
Also see . . .
1. Clifford Annex.
Clifford Annex was a building in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Along with Wright Block, the Telephone Co. Building, the Dinnie Block, and Golden Square, the Clifford Annex was one of many "commercial vernacular brick buildings with classical revival details" that were built during a major building boom, with high quality brickwork.(Submitted on January 15, 2023, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 28, 2022
2. Clifford Annex Marker
2. Clifford Annex Building, Historic American Buildings Survey.
The building drew its name from the adjacent Clifford Building, a larger and more elaborate edifice to the east, constructed in 1904. The Clifford Annex was central to downtown Grand Forks from the 1940s through 1960s, when this area enjoyed an extended period of prosperity as the commercial center of Grand Forks.(Submitted on January 15, 2023, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)The Flood of 1997 brought about the final demise of the Clifford Annex. Floodwaters filled the basement and covered a significant depth on the main floor. The power was disconnected, and the basement became dank and moldy. Structurally, the building could have been repaired and reused, but the City of Grand Forks' plan to construct a new five-story "corporate center" on the site of the Clifford Annex necessitated its demolition.
3. The Flood of 1997.
The winter of 1996-1997 produced eight blizzards, which dumped several feet of snow in the region. The resulting flood in the spring of 1997 devastated the Red River Valley. Residents were braced for spring flooding, and volunteers had stockpiled thousands of sandbags in anticipation of holding back the Red River and Red Lake River. The flood of 1997 proved(Submitted on January 15, 2023, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)more powerful than anything previously experienced. As the river level steadily rose to its ultimate crest, just over fifty-four feet, residents were evacuated neighborhood by neighborhood. When the waters finally receded, they left behind several inches of mud and hundreds of wrecked homes and businesses.Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 28, 20223. Grand Forks Corporate Center (northeast elevation)(built in 1999 on former Clifford Annex site)
Credits. This page was last revised on January 15, 2023. It was originally submitted on January 14, 2023, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 81 times since then and 9 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on January 15, 2023, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
