Mapleton Township in West Fargo in Cass County, North Dakota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
Harness Shop
Photographed by Mark Parker, June 27, 2025
1. Harness Shop Marker
Inscription.
Harness Shop. . Addison, North Dakota was a Great Northern Railroad station first named Williams when established in 1880 for nearby bonanza farmer H. M. Williams. Pioneer Addison Leech, Sr. later bought Williams' farmland and the township was renamed Addison in 1882 and organized on February 5, 1884. At its height, the structures in Addison, North Dakota included a general store, a blacksmith shop, a depot, three grain elevators, and about eight dwellings. Blacksmith shops performed all their duties on site, and this included harness repairs and oiling and horseshoe repairs., The Harness Shop structure was originally an office at the Addison, North Dakota elevator located between the North Dakota communities of Durbin and Davenport. It was first moved to Kindred, North Dakota as a warming house at a skating rink, but it was never completed, and the building was bought by Bonanzaville in the late 1960s. The Harness Shop was restored by the Smith family, in honor of their grandfather Charles O. Smith, founder of the Dakota Harness Company in 1884. Grandson Thomas Smith was involved in the restoration and cleaning process and the company, then known as the Dakota Hardware Company, donated many of the items inside., (Caption) , Workshop Interior
Addison, North Dakota was a Great Northern Railroad station first named Williams when established in 1880 for nearby bonanza farmer H. M. Williams. Pioneer Addison Leech, Sr. later bought Williams' farmland and the township was renamed Addison in 1882 and organized on February 5, 1884. At its height, the structures in Addison, North Dakota included a general store, a
blacksmith shop, a depot, three grain elevators, and about eight dwellings.
Blacksmith shops performed all their duties on site, and this included harness
repairs and oiling and horseshoe repairs.
The Harness Shop structure was originally an office at the Addison, North Dakota elevator located between the North Dakota communities of Durbin and Davenport. It was first moved to Kindred, North Dakota as a warming house at a skating rink, but it was never completed, and the building was bought by Bonanzaville in the late 1960s. The Harness Shop was restored by
the Smith family, in honor of their grandfather Charles O. Smith, founder of
the Dakota Harness Company in 1884. Grandson Thomas Smith was involved in the restoration and cleaning process and the company,
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then known as the Dakota Hardware Company, donated many of the items inside.
(Caption)
Workshop Interior
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Agriculture • Industry & Commerce. A significant historical date for this entry is February 5, 1884.
Location. 46° 52.573′ N, 96° 55.679′ W. Marker is in West Fargo, North Dakota, in Cass County. It is in Mapleton Township. It can be reached from Main Avenue West (U.S. 10) east of 21st Street Northwest, on the right when traveling east. Harness Shop is part of Bonanzaville USA Historic Museum and Pioneer Village. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1351 Main Avenue W, West Fargo ND 58078, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the Red River Valley and in Greater Fargo Area. It is also in the American Lewis & Clark Corridor, on the prairies, and on the Northern Plains. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once Ruperts Land and also the Louisiana Purchase.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers
Photographed by Mark Parker, June 27, 2025
2. Harness Shop Interior
are within walking distance of this marker: Hunter Times (within shouting distance of this marker); U-R Next Barbershop (within shouting distance of this marker); UR Next Barber Shop (within shouting distance of this marker); Furnberg Store (within shouting distance of this marker); Kathryn Depot (within shouting distance of this marker); Maier House (within shouting distance of this marker); Fargo's First House (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named Fargo's First House (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in West Fargo.
Credits. This page was last revised on July 18, 2025. It was originally submitted on July 17, 2025, by Mark Parker of Hickory, North Carolina. This page has been viewed 68 times since then and 12 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on July 17, 2025, by Mark Parker of Hickory, North Carolina. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.
