Located in and named for a MARvelous DELL in the valley of
the Sheyenne River, the new town was well situated and appeared to have
bright prospects. The founders looked for great things to come,
and expected that the Great Northern railway would extend the line out
from Hope.
Richard Sherman and George Ellsbury were the promoters of
Mardell. The plat, filed July 30, 1882, showed eight streets
running east and west and four avenues running north and south.
The advantages of this townsite, both real and imaginary,
were widely advertised by means of a boom map issued and scattered
broadcast by Mr. Ellsbury in which Mardell was shown as a great railway
center.
H. H. Wassem put in the first store building. John
Wamberg and Sam Axdahl followed with a dry goods store in which there
was a drugstore, Julius Stevens and Anton Enger with a hardware store
and Mr. Samuel Homme a blacksmith shop. Meat was furnished by
Benjamin Upton and Dubois Newell, machinery by Andrew Johnson. Ole
Serumgard and Frank Axtell entered into land business, a town lot was
purchased by the Nelson school district and a schoolhouse erected.
No saloons were ever allowed. A 24-room hotel was erected by the
Townsite Company with Martin Robinson chosen manager. Here
accommodations were provided for home seekers going north and west, for
Dr. Virgo whose office was under its roof, and for others who were not
otherwise provided for. Mardell post office, on the mail route
from Tower City to Lee, was established April 3, 1882 with Dr. Theodore
F. Kerr as postmaster.
When it became apparent that the railroad would never
materialize, the inhabitants prepared to leave. The buildings were
torn down for the lumber or moved. The owners left, one by one,
many of them to establish businesses in Cooperstown or Hope.
In 1885, the town lots were sold for taxes.
Information about Mardell is limited but the
Courier
carried an account of the big social event of Mardell's existence, the
Washington's Birthday party at the Park Avenue Hotel (also called the
Palace), February 22, 1883.
According to advance advertising, "Each gentleman is
expected to bring one lady, at least, if possible, and to provide
himself with dancing slippers, as none will be admitted to the dancing
hall unless so provided. Good music will be in attendance.
General invitation extended, tickets to dancing hall, including supper,
$2.50."
The Courier
commented:
"The Grand Party at Mardell on the 22nd
inst. promises to be all that the managers could wish.
Extraordinary efforts on the part of the proprietor of the Park Hotel
are being made to secure satisfaction to all who attend. It will
be one of the most enjoyable events ever held in North Dakota.
Arrangements have been made to secure the presence of all the ladies in
the country round, so that gentlemen from a distance who find it
impractical to secure partners to accompany them from home need not stay
away on that account."
"In case of a severe blizzard preventing
the gathering of the party, it will be postponed one week without
further postponement. Those wishing private rooms should secure
them in advance."
The day after the party, the Courier reported:
"Just as we are going to press in comes Al
Shue with a whole stack of eulogies for the management of the Washington
Party at Mardell, which was a grand social success. He says the
bon ton of Hope were all there, and for the courteousness extended to
the Cooperstown lads, who were unable to take partners, they are
deserved of much praise."
Mardell's location is marked by a sign provided by the
Griggs County Historical Society. It is about two miles north of
Highway 200, on the river road east of the bridge.
Source: Cooperstown, North Dakota 1882-1982 Centennial
page 12