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- Ontario Store Records
- Finding Aid
Ontario Store Records, 1881-1956
Collection Overview
Title: Ontario Store Records, 1881-1956
ID: OGLMC153
Extent: 0.5 Linear Feet
Subjects: Business and Industry, Grand Forks - Business
Languages: English
Abstract
Scope and Contents of the Materials
Collection Historical Note
“Grand Forks boasts of the finest and largest mercantile establishment west of St. Paul. The far famed Ontario Store was established in 1882 by Mr. R.B. Griffith, who from a small beginning has built up a business of vast proportions, not only enjoying a large home trade, but attracting visitors from many miles to Grand Forks. The Ontario comprises under one roof nine complete stores, each under a different superintendent, including dry goods, carpets and draperies, ladies’ cloaks and suits, men’s clothing and furnishings, boys’ clothing, boots and shoes, groceries, china and glassware, and hardware. Each different department is filled with complete stocks of the very latest goods in the various lines and always at the lowest prices. Mail orders receive prompt attention and every visitor in Grand Forks should make a point to visit and inspect the Ontario, the largest store in the Northwest.”
Source: Grand Forks Illustrated, 1897.
Subject/Index Terms
Administrative Information
Repository: Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections
Access Restrictions: Open for inspection under the rules and regulations of the Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections.
Acquisition Method: Donation; the original acquisition records are unavailable. Additional material was transferred from the vertical file in 1981 (Acc. 81-750)
Preferred Citation: (Description of Item). Ontario Store Records. OGLMC 153, Box #, Folder #. Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections, Chester Fritz Library, University of North Dakota.
Finding Aid Revision History: Finding aid input to Archon in April 2019.
Box and Folder Listing
Browse by Box:
[Box 1],
[Ledger :],
[Oversize Folder 1],
[All]
- Box 1
- Folder 1: Ledger: "Sales and Cash Book", 1881-1887
- Folder 2: Ledger: "Stock Book", 1882-1894
- Folder 3: Ledger: "Monthly Statements", 1907-1915
- Folder 4: "Catalogue of Fashions for Spring 1898, Published by The Butterick Publishing Co." for the "Ontario Department Store"
- Folder 5: Legal Documents:
- Item 1: Mortgage, R.B. Griffith and wife to Vermont Loan and Trust Co., 1907
- Item 2: Assignment of Mortgage, Vermont Loan and Trust Co. to Elizabeth Merrifield, 1910
- Item 3: Mortgage, Griffith and Shedd, July 1913
- Item 4: Mortgage, Griffith and Shedd, October 1913
- Item 5: Release of Mortgage, John Shedd to R.B. Griffith and wife, 1918
- Item 6: Extension Interest Notes, R.B. Griffith and Minnie Griffith to Elizabeth Merrifield, 1922
- Item 7: Certification of mortgage paid and satisfied, R.B. Griffith and Minnie Griffith to John Shedd, 1923
- Folder 6: Baseball scorekeeping hand fan, produced by the Ontario Store
- Folder 7: Photographs 1-10
- Photograph 1: House in Gilby, North Dakota, Winter 1897
- Photograph 2: "Two story house near Gilby, N.D., Winter 1896-97" (from front of photograph), Winter 1897
- Snow is drifted to a level near the roof of the house
- Photograph 3: "Farm scene near Gilby" (from front of photograph), Winter 1897
- Photograph 4: "Winter 1896-97 40 foot drifts cause of high water" (from front of photograph)
- Assorted buildings and people pose on the snow banks in Gilby, North Dakota
- Photograph 5: "Building a house under 10 feet of snow, Larimore, North Dakota" (from back of photograph)
- Photograph 6: "DeMers Ave. East Grand Forks 1897" (from front of photograph)
- Flooded street scene
- Photograph 7: "South 4th St East Grand Forks 1897" (from front of photograph)
- Flooded street scene
- Photograph 8: "From Minnesota Ave Bridge Looking North 1897" (from front of photograph)
- Flooded street scene
- Photograph 9: "800 Block South 4th St Looking South" (from front of photograph)
- Flooded street scene
- Photograph 10: "N 3rd St East Grand Forks 1897"
- Flooded street scene
- Folder 8: Photographs 11-20
- Photograph 11: "House 703 S. 4th St 1897" (from front of photograph)
- Photograph 12: "The Garber Home Riverside Park - Taken from Lewis Blvd. 1897" (from front of photograph)
- Photograph 13: "Northern Pacific Railroad Bridge - Note Engine Weighing Down Approach - 1897" (from front of photograph)
- Photograph 14: "DeMers Ave. East Grand Forks Minnesota April 11, 1897" (from back of photograph)
- Photograph 15: "E Grand Forks April 1916" (from front of postcard)
- Photograph 16: "First National Bank Under Construction" (from front of photograph)
- Photograph 17: First National Bank
- Photograph 18: First National Bank
- Photograph 19: Ingalls Hotel (with the Ontario Store in the background)
- Photograph 20: "Ingalls Hotel - Burned 1914" (from front of photograph; the Ontario Store in the background)
- Folder 9: Photographs 21-30
- Photograph 21: "Viets and Twamley's Store - 3rd and DeMers (about 1880)" (from front of photograph)
- Photograph 22: Exterior of the Ontario Store, 1914
- Photograph 23: "Ontario Store - 1914 (now Griffith's" (from front of photograph)
- Photograph 24: Line of horse drawn carriages outside the Ontario Store
- Photograph 25: Exterior of the Ontario Store
- Photograph 26: Interior of the Ontario Store, 1900
- Photograph 27: Interior of the Ontario Store
- Photograph 28: Glassware Department of the Ontario Store, 1902
- Photograph 29: Glassware Department of the Ontario Store, 1902
- Photograph 30: Grocery Department of the Ontario Store, 1902
- Folder 10: Photographs 31-36
- Photograph 31: Footwear Department at the Ontario Store, 1902
- Photograph 32: Dry Goods Department at the Ontario Store, 1902
- Photograph 33: Haberdashery at the Ontario Store, 1902
- Photograph 34: Book Department at the Ontario Store, 1902
- Photograph 35: Unidentified group (possibly employees of the Ontario Store)
- Photograph 36: Unidentified groups (possibly employees of the Ontario Store)
- Ledger :
- Placed on the shelves adjacent to the collection.
- Oversize Folder 1
- Placed in the Oversize File Cabinets
Browse by Box:
[Box 1],
[Ledger :],
[Oversize Folder 1],
[All]