Medora in Billings County, North Dakota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
Loading Dock
Chimney Park, De Mores State Historic Site
Photographed By Bill Coughlin, July 20, 2015
1. Loading Dock Marker
A spur track connected the slaughterhouse with the main line of the Northern Pacific Railroad. Ice from the icehouses to your right were used to cool the refrigerator cars when the meat was loaded into them.
The Marquis owned cold storage facilities along the Northern Pacific rail line in Miles City, Montana Territory; Bismarck and Fargo, Dakota Territory; Brainerd and Duluth, Minnesota. These facilities were used to re-ice the cars in transit, to store the dressed meat, and to serve as local wholesale outlets.
The slaughterhouse closed in November of 1886, never to reopen. Reasons the business failed were the lower quality of range-fed beef, consumer preference for corn-fed beef, fierce competition from Philip Armour and Gustavas Swift, and personal troubles that included a murder charge against the Marquis. The plant was used for storage until it was destroyed by fire March 17, 1907.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Industry & Commerce.
Location. 46° 54.949′ N, 103° 31.647′ W. Marker is in Medora, North Dakota, in Billings County. Marker is on Pacific Avenue, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Medora ND 58645, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Dreams of a Cattle Empire (about 400 feet away, measured
this page online
More about this marker. A photograph at the upper left of the marker has a caption of “Workers load a Northern Pacific Railroad Refrigerator Car Co. car at the slaughterhouse loading dock. You are standing close to where this photo was taken.” The right side of the marker contains a picture of an “Oblique view of the 1885 slaughterhouse.” and a photograph depicting a “View of the slaughterhouse from the southeast.”
Photographed By Bill Coughlin, July 20, 2015
2. Loading Dock Marker
Photographed By Bill Coughlin, July 20, 2015
3. Marker in Medora
Photographed By Bill Coughlin, July 20, 2015
4. Loading Dock Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on August 27, 2015, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. This page has been viewed 507 times since then and 15 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on August 27, 2015, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey.
