Manfred in Wells County, North Dakota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)

Le Grand's Addition

An Authentic Settlers' Community Celebrating Rural America

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, June 28, 2024

1. Le Grand's Addition Marker

Inscription.

Le Grand's Addition. An Authentic Settlers' Community Celebrating Rural America. , Axel Le Grand, a farmer whose land bordered the original townsite of Manfred, platted a portion of his land as Le Grand's Addition. As a result, several houses, a machine shed, a church, and a service station were built there. Besides being a farmer, Axel was also a grain buyer, a postmaster for a time, and earlier had driven a mail coach. , 1. The Station had been built on the west side of town as Manfred's first business , the Rogers Lumber Company 1894-1932. In 1933, the building was moved to its present location by Rudolph Peterson to use as a service station. Later station owners were Harley Boese 1942-1945, Helmer Solheim 1945-1969, and Ted Jorstad 1969-1974. Delbert Rask used it as a repair shop 1974-1984. Previously located at this site was O.K. Melby's lumberyard. , 2. John and Katie Smith , 3. Axel and Jennie Le Grand, the original homesteaders; Morris and Joyce Ravnaas , 4. Lars and Gina Burkum , 5. Andrew and Julia Erickson, Jens and Marie Renden , 6. Machine shed , 7. Former butcher shop remodeled as a home for Haaken and Anna Tessem , 8. Rudolph and Nora Peterson , 9. Guy Fisher, Margaret McBain; and later an auto body shop was built on this lot , 10. Knut and Mathilda Dovre, Mernie and Irene Braget , 11. Roy and Ella Adams , 12. Evangelical Church , 13. Halvor and Martha Olsen , 14. Nils and Marit Hovey, Ole and Anna Rudi , 15. Anna Le Grand, Jacob Kiev, Reier Reistad, Ivar Ravnaas , 16. J. B. and Frances Dingman , 17. Martin and Alma Melby , 18. Previously located 10½ miles north, this house was moved here in the mid-1950s., Several of the buildings no longer in existence were dismantled, a few moved, one burned, and one was destroyed by a tornado. , [captions] , . A portion of Le Grand’s Addition: A lumberyard later made way for the station. The Le Grand, Burkum, and Erickson houses are to the north. , . The station as it appeared in 1968 while owned by Helmer Solheim. One could have their car serviced here, as well as purchase gasoline.

Axel Le Grand, a farmer whose land bordered the original townsite of Manfred, platted a portion of his land as Le Grand's Addition. As a result, several houses, a machine shed, a church, and a service station were built there. Besides being a farmer, Axel was also a grain buyer, a postmaster for a time, and earlier had driven a mail coach.

1. The Station had been built on the west side of town as Manfred's first business — the Rogers Lumber Company 1894-1932. In 1933, the building was moved to its present location by Rudolph Peterson to use as a service station. Later station owners were Harley Boese 1942-1945, Helmer Solheim 1945-1969, and Ted Jorstad 1969-1974. Delbert Rask used it as a repair shop 1974-1984. Previously located at this site was O.K. Melby's lumberyard.
2. John and Katie Smith
3. Axel and Jennie Le Grand, the original homesteaders; Morris and Joyce Ravnaas
4. Lars and Gina Burkum
5. Andrew and Julia Erickson, Jens and Marie Renden
6. Machine shed
7. Former butcher shop remodeled as a home for Haaken and Anna Tessem
8. Rudolph and Nora Peterson
9. Guy Fisher, Margaret McBain; and later an auto body shop

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was built on this lot
10. Knut and Mathilda Dovre, Mernie and Irene Braget
11. Roy and Ella Adams
12. Evangelical Church
13. Halvor and Martha Olsen
14. Nils and Marit Hovey, Ole and Anna Rudi
15. Anna Le Grand, Jacob Kiev, Reier Reistad, Ivar Ravnaas
16. J. B. and Frances Dingman
17. Martin and Alma Melby
18. Previously located 10½ miles north, this house was moved here in the mid-1950s.

Several of the buildings no longer in existence were dismantled, a few moved, one burned, and one was destroyed by a tornado.

[captions]
• A portion of Le Grand’s Addition: A lumberyard later made way for the station. The Le Grand, Burkum, and Erickson houses are to the north.
• The station as it appeared in 1968 while owned by Helmer Solheim. One could have their car serviced here, as well as purchase gasoline.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1894.

Location. 47° 41.623′ N, 99° 44.857′ W. Marker is in Manfred, North Dakota, in Wells County. It is at the intersection of Lake View Drive (County Road 4) and Railway Street, on the

Marker detail: Map of building locations image. Click for full size.

Courtesy Manfred Heritage Museum

2. Marker detail: Map of building locations

left when traveling south on Lake View Drive. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Manfred ND 58465, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in North Dakota’s Drift Prairie.

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 Rupert’s Land

and also the Louisiana Purchase.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Historic Manfred — Then and Now (here, next to this marker); West Side of Main Avenue (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Soo Line Railroad at Manfred (about 400 feet away); Manfred Lake on the James River (about 400 feet away); Lake Avenue Neighborhood (about 400 feet away); North Side of Elevator Street (about 500 feet away); The Elevators of Manfred (about 500 feet away); Central Office and Neighborhood (about 600 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Manfred.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, June 28, 2024

3. Le Grand's Addition Marker

The marker is near the 1894 Rogers Lumber Company / Solheim Service Station building.

Credits. This page was last revised on July 18, 2026. It was originally submitted on July 15, 2026, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 6 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on July 18, 2026, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.