125th Birthday of Aberdeen

The new exhibit at the Dacotah Prairie Museum is devoted to telling the story of some of the highlights of the 125 years that Aberdeen has been a city. Celebrating the Quasquicentennial, the exhibit focuses on some people who were instrumental in early Aberdeen days, the history of theaters and entertainment and a replica of the Aberdeen Grain Palace, a building involved at the center of Aberdeen life. Also highlighted will be the contents of the Aberdeen Time Capsule including pictures, newspapers, buttons, belt buckles, hats, letters, yearbooks, programs, quilts and flags and much more.

The founding fathers and mother featured in the exhibit are represented in life-size standing photographs, accompanied with their own story and contributions to making Aberdeen the wonderful place it is to live in today.

Occupying their place in Aberdeen history are: Charles Howard, businessman, investor, financial leader and soldier in the Spanish/American War; Father Robert Haire, free thinker who was instrumental in starting Northern State University, St. Luke’s Hospital and Churches throughout the area; Meda Mason, social leader, business owner, actress much involved in community entertainment in Aberdeen; J.L.W. Zietlow, inventor, owner of the Dakota Central Telephone Company and first to bring telephone service to this part of the country; and Hamlin Garland, homesteader, lecturer and author who won the Pulitzer Prize for “Daughter of the Middle Border”.

The Aster Theater from Aberdeen’s Main Street occupies the west wall of the exhibit complete with vintage movie posters and theater lights. A full sized box office allows the visitor to answer trivia questions about Aberdeen’s early entertainment scene from the stage production, to silent movies, to the “talkies” of the 1920s and 1930s.

The Aberdeen Grain Palace graced the block of 5th and Main and during the days of its existence, it was in almost constant use. Seating about 1500 people, it hosted a president and other political leaders, high school graduation, agricultural shows, dog racing, carnivals and a gambit of other events. A three-dimensional model of the Grain Palace welcomes the visitor into the exhibit showing both the interior and exterior of the building. The interior and parts of the exterior were decorated with grain and grasses in season, and a full size stage, murals ands balcony can be seen in the model.

The Aberdeen Time Capsule and much of its contents are also on display, so if you have not had the opportunity to examine the artifacts from the 50th, 75th, and Centennial, please stop to see the exhibit. A complete listing of all objects included in the capsule is also on display.

To view other past exhibits, please click here.