The Daily Journal
Thursday, June 29, 1989
Title:
Author: Kris Fehr, Journal Correspondent
It was Aug. 7, 1934. It was the day the president of the United States, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, honored the little town on the shores of a shrinking lake with a visit.
It was Roosevelt Day in Devils Lake, North Dakota. And the city rose to the occasion.
According to Devils Lake Daily Journal reports, “The city was bedecked in a colorful display of festoons, stringers and red, white and blue bunting with banners bearing the president’s likeness strung about stores and streets.”
The President, arriving from the west, toured Devils Lake basin, rode about town, addressed the crowd of about 35,000, then left for the east, approximately four hours after arriving at the Great Northern Depot.
“There were many people in town with the expectation of seeing him. He was very highly regarded,” according to John Huber of Devils Lake. Huber was a part of the National Guard’s 164th Infantry Service Company detailed to assist local police with crowd control and to keep order. “I think it was mostly to have a semblance of order,” he said. The guardsmen carried no arms, but were in uniform.
Roosevelt arrived at 8 a.m., greeted by the Devils Lake Boy Concert Band, and was “whisked off on a tour (of the lake) right away,” Huber said.
The purpose of Roosevelt’s visit was to view drought conditions first-hand. “We wanted him to see what it was like so he’d back us on diversion, irrigation of the land and filling the lake,” Huber said. “By him seeing it, he’d get behind it. Things had gone from bad to worse. We needed to do something.”
Huber said the lake had steadily “shrunk up, evaporated and receded” since 1927. “It was not completely dry,” he said. “At that time, you could throw a rock across Creel Bay. And alkali was around the whole lake.” He estimates the lake had receded about half a mile around the perimeter.
The Daily Journal reported that the presidential party started out on Highway 19, traveling westward to Minnewaukan, where he viewed the huge dried up bay. At Fort Totten, the Sioux tribe — about 1,000 — presented him with a peace pipe and bade him success in his New Deal.
“He (Roosevelt) didn’t realize how bad the situation was,” Huber said. “After what he’d seen — the drought conditions — he was very much appalled. People realized he’d do something about it. And he did. He sent Secretary of War Hurley to meet with the people involved (in the Missouri River diversion plan.”
While Roosevelt toured the basin, Huber said “in the interim, people were milling around, waiting for the return of the caravan. People were lined up. The great majority went immediately to the depot.
“It was just like the lull before the storm; the expectation of a great event to come,” Huber said.
Eleanor Roosevelt was entertained at the Great Northern Hotel, according to Elinor Haroldson of Devils Lake. She said the women wore their dress up clothes, which had to be silk. Everyone ended up being overdressed, though, because Mrs. Roosevelt wore a simple, soft cotton dress which was just right for the day’s weather.
After the tour, the Roosevelts toured the town by car. Guardsmen were stationed everywhere along the route. Huber said his post was “kitty-corner from the new post office, by the Glass and Paint store.” It was near the end of the route, and not many people were around Huber when Roosevelt went by. Huber saluted, and Roosevelt waved at him.
Roosevelt addressed the crowd at the depot, promised aid, then continued on his trip. It was not the end of Roosevelt Day in Devils Lake, however. The Daily Journal reported that Bert Wick set up loudspeakers at the downtown platform so people could hear the program two blocks away. At the band shell, several groups from around the state presented dances and musical acts.
Roosevelt’s visit brought immediate results, however unintentioned: the scheduled evening baseball game was rained out in the fifth inning, and the street dance was also abandoned due to rain.
For an area hard-hit by drought on top of a depression, Roosevelt’s visit was a cause for celebration, and gave new hope to residents who were suffering the effects of the disaster. As Huber said, “it was a very exciting time. It was quite an event to have seen and been part of.”
By Kris Fehr, Journal Correspondent, Thursday, June 29, 1989, event President’s Day, August 7, 1934.