Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County
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Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture

On May 21, 2005, Ralph’s Corner Bar was ordered closed by the City of Moorhead. Fargo-Moorhead’s oldest bar was being demolished to make way for a downtown redevelopment project.

The bar closed, but the Ralph’s community didn’t disappear. Seventeen years later, the Ralph’s Corner Bar Facebook page has 1,400 members.
​
What was so special about this bar? That’s what this exhibit is about.


​


This exhibit contains naughty language, loud music, references to drugs and alcohol, and stories about adults misbehaving. 
​
It also contains stories of friendship, inspiration, and life in a great American dive bar. 
  
Picture
Rebecca Lee and Liz Lynch under the Ralph’s sign on Rebecca’s 21st birthday. They were among a group of friends at Ralph’s called “the Farm Girls” because they grew up in the Colfax/Abercrombie, ND, area.
​
Photo from John Lamb. 
Section 1: Last Call
Section 2: Ralph's the Bar
Section 3: Before Ralph's
Section 4: The Backroom

This exhibit was created because the following people shared their stories, possessions, ideas, and knowledge in over 40 archived interviews and an uncountable number of informal conversations.

Amber Fletschock, Amber Pfaff, Amy Jo Arnold Strom, Art Alexakis, Ben Rheault, Bob King, Bob Wood, Brenda Dever, Brett Christiansen, Carla Maher, Chad Desing, Charles Fugere, Chub Olson, Chuck Kessler, Cody Jacobson, Cooper Wieck, Dan Mahli, Dave Mertz, Dean Sather, Dean Sime, Deb Jenkins, Donna McMaster, Erica Werner, Frank McDaniels, Garth Blomberg, Gerald Paseka, Greg Carlson, Gwen McCausland, J Earl Miller, Jacob Sharff, Jim Froehlich, Jim Walker, Joe Carney, John Jorgensen, John Lamb, John Shipley, Jon Offutt, Joni Skansgaard, Justin Seng, Karen Kohoutek, Kathi Hoylo, Kevin Carollo, Kevin Walker, Kim Jore, Lana Soumala, Larry Carlson, Laurie Hanson, Libby Johnson, Lloyd Correll, Lon Jerome, Maren Jorgensen, Mark Hilde, Mark Schutz, Mary Johnson, Michael Dagen, Mike Aasen, Mike Jenkins, Mike Wood, Nate Elverum, Nate Stensgard, Phil Hunt, Raul Gomez, Rebecca Horsley, Rebecca Nelson, Robert Harris, Roland Olin, Sabrina Hornung, Sara Derdorski, Sara Watson Curry, Sarah Hassell, Scott (Bubba) Garman, Scott Wolf, Shaun Schipper, Tara Nygard, Tom Kemmer, Tonni Books, Wayne Gudmundson, Yvonne Condell   

With Special Thanks to
Annie Sparrows, Derek Olson, Jacinta Zens, Jade Nielsen, Micah Dahl, Phil Leitch, Ryan Anderson, Todd Holdman

And the Following Organizations
The Aquarium, Bonanzaville, First Ave Promo, The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead, The High Plains Reader, Jade Presents, Junkyard Brewing Company, Red Raven Espresso Parlor, RiverZen, Rustica, Sol Ave Kitchen

Museum Staff and Project Volunteers of the Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County
Athena Dauffenbach, Emily Kulzer, Gabby Clavo, Jenna Collins, Kevin Wander, Lisa Vedaa, Mark Peihl, Markus Krueger, Maureen Kelly Jonason, Petra Gunderson-Leith, Sam Malone
 
Funding has been provided to HCSCC from the Minnesota Humanities Center through the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) as part of the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act of 2021. NEH is committed to Sustaining the Humanities through the American Rescue Plan (SHARP).
​
Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this exhibition do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

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  • Home
  • About Us
    • Mission
    • Hours and Location
    • Staff & Contacts
    • Board of Directors
    • Accessibility & Accommodations >
      • Site Map
    • Employment
    • HCSCC Supporters
  • Visit Us
    • Accessibility & Accommodations >
      • Social Story
    • Events >
      • HCSCC Annual Meeting
      • History On Tap!
      • Pangea 2025
    • Exhibitions >
      • Land to Table: Food Stories from Clay County
      • Home of Memories: Portraits and Stories of Kurdish and Iraqi Minnesotans
      • Trådar
    • Online Exhibits >
      • Stories of Local Black History
    • The Hjemkomst >
      • Be More Colorful VR Tour
    • The Hopperstad Stave Church >
      • Be More Colorful VR Tour
    • Comstock House
    • Felix Battles Monument
    • Bergquist Cabin
    • Field Trips/Tours
  • Shop
  • Join & Support
    • Join Today
    • Enewsletter
    • Donate to HCSCC
    • Volunteer/Intern Opportunities
  • Research
    • COVID19 in Clay County
    • HCSCC Blog
    • Clay County Archives & Research >
      • Holdings
      • Finding Aids
      • Maps >
        • Fire Insurance Maps
        • Plat Books
      • Digital Books
    • General Photo Catalog
    • Falten-Wange Collection
    • Newsletters
    • HCSCC on MNopedia