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Park Company Realtors of Fargo traces its beginnings
to this day—fifty years ago—when real estate agents Phil Jung
and Vernon Struck organized Island Park Associates. From the first office
location adjacent to Island Park, to its current location on north 10th
Street, the company has moved several times, but it has always been headquartered
in the downtown area.
There have been a number of changes between Island Park Associates and
today’s Park Company. In 1982, it joined Better Homes and Gardens
Real Estate Service, which was later acquired by GMAC Home Services. In
recent years, branch offices opened in West Acres and also in the Minnesota
lakes area. By June of 2005, co-owners Kris Sheridan and Steve Stoner
were ready for the company to once again become an independent, residential,
real estate company.
Fargo was a much smaller city in January 1956. But, it was growing, and
the prospects for the real estate business were good. The Golden Ridge
neighborhood had been recently annexed into the city, and was referred
to as “the west end.” To the south, new homes were going up
in what is now known as the Lewis & Clark neighborhood, north of Interstate
94. And the lakes area…well, “lake cabin” had quite a different
meaning back in the ‘50s.
Interstate highways were being discussed in Washington, but they weren’t
yet funded, let alone built. Downtown Fargo was thriving, and West Acres
Shopping Center was still 15 years in the future. Looking at a city map
today, it’s clear that a great deal of real estate has been added
to the city, and it’s understandable why Island Park Associates’
original partnership has grown in proportion to its hometown.
Of course, real estate prices have changed in 50 years – along with
the value of a dollar. A year’s subscription to the The Fargo Forum
and Daily Republican was then $12. Homes advertised in the January 17th
issue ranged from $3,000 to $16,000. For $12,300, the Jackson Company
could set you up with a newly built 3-bedroom bungalow with a ranch style
roof and concrete driveway.
To furnish your new home, you could purchase a top-of-the-line 9.6 cubic
foot refrigerator for $178, a 3-piece bedroom suite for $98, and a Hydroswirl
washer for $138 – or if you preferred, a wringer washer could be
had for $88.
You could stock your kitchen with un-sliced white bread from Cox’s
Bakery at 2 loaves for 25 cents. Whole bean coffee was 69 cents a pound.
For a nice getaway, a one-way ticket to Minneapolis on the Great Northern
Railway’s Empire Builder was a mere $5.78. And, why not? Best to
leave your Studebaker parked on your concrete driveway, especially since
it’s January and there’s not yet an I-94.
Also in the real estate news on this date in 1956…the Forum reported
over 16,000 people toured a new downtown building during a two-day open
house hosted by American Life & Casualty Company, WDAY, and other
tenants. And where was this eye-popping piece of prime real estate located?
207 North 5th Street – which is now home to Prairie Public Television
and North Dakota Public Radio.
Back to Park Company – happy 50th birthday! Better get out your poodle
skirts to celebrate this one!
Sources:
The Fargo Forum. January 17, 1956.
http://www.parkcompany.com/fm/getToKnow/company.asp
http://www.cityoffargo.com/neighborhoods
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prior permission from North Dakota Public Radio.
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