Eastwood Park Reporter
Minot, North Dakota
Est. 1991
March 1992
Vol 2, No 3
Dennis Home Is Part Of 1992 Tour
By Steven & Kay Cameron
As part of our coverage of the 1992 Tour of Homes, the Eastwood Park Reporter presents the second part of a four-part series on the 1992 Tour of Homes participants.
In 1927, N.D. Senator Walter A. Bond built the house that is located at 223 9th Street SE where an old fountain once stood. Everything on the east side of 9th Street was originally designed to be a park and the fountain probably was a centerpiece for that park. He moved into the house from the first house he built in Eastwood Park at 702 2nd Avenue SE, now the home of Robert & Mary Janicki.
Walter Bond was born on February 14, 1871 in Mayville, NY. In 1881, He moved with his family to homestead in Inkster, near Grand Forks, ND. He married Sophia McGregor and moved with her to Imperial Ward County in 1899, establishing lumberyards and banks In Sherwood, Bowbells and Flaxton along the way.
Bond spent much of his adult life involved in politics. He served in the N. D. House of Representatives from 1911 to 1913 when he moved to the Senate. He served in the Senate until his death in 1947. During his years in government, he helped obtain the first appropriation for a Normal School in Minot, now Minot State University. He also played a role in establishing the North Dakota State Fair in Minot. At his death, he had the second longest tenure in the Senate after Gust Wog who served only a half term longer.
Many powerful and influential people turned out for Bond's funeral in 1947 including Lt. Governor C.P. Dahl, N.D. Secretary of State Thomas Hall, President C.C. Swain of Minot Teachers College. Representative Brynhild Haugland, Erik Ramstad, Clarence Parker, Charles and H.H. Westlie.
After his death, the house was sold and later turned into four apartments. After more than four decades and numerous owners, the house returned to the Bond family in 1991, when a granddaughter of Walter Bond, Helen Dennis and her husband, Bill Dennis, bought the house. At the time, the house was owned by H.U.D. and in need of great repair. Some people who had looked at the house felt that the place should be bulldozed since it appeared that there was no hope for it.
The family set to work repairing the house and turning the four apartments into three. Myron Martin, Helen's son-in-law, did much of the work restoring the house. While working on the house, Myron fell in love with the older home. Myron, his wife, Jody and their three children, Alyssa, Kyle and their newest baby, decided that they wanted to move into the house. However, none of the apartments were large enough for their family, so a spiral staircase was added combining two of the apartments.
The house has been changed from a shambles into a beautiful home.
Neighborhood Rummage Sale is Discussed
There has been some talk among Eastwood Park residents that an Eastwood Park Rummage Sale should be held. Group rummage sales draw good crowds.
Each participant would handle their own sales at their own houses. A map showing all sale locations would be handed out at each site.
The group would share in the cost of advertising using classified ads, flyers and any other method agreed to by the group.
Dates and Times would be decided by the group with late spring and early fall being the best times of year for rummage sales. One, two or three-day sales are possible.
Anyone wishing to participate, please call Steven or Kay at XXX-XXXX with your comments and suggestions.
Association Meeting Planned
There will be an Eastwood Park Historical District Neighborhood Association meeting on Monday, April 6, 1992 at 7:30 pm. The meeting will be held at the Derby home at 215 9th Street SE. The meeting is to organize the 1992 Tour of Homes homes and volunteers. Some topics that will be covered are the need for hosts or hostesses and the work that still needs to be done for the homes on the tour.
The Sensible Gardener
By Shan Cunningham
A deep, healthy root system makes possible the rest of the plant There are a few guidelines to follow to develop and maintain the roots.
Never use high nitrogen fertilizer. High nitrogen fertilizer forces rapid growth at the expense of the rest of the grass plant and is the beginning of the vicious cycle. Using a balanced 10-10-10 fertilizer feeds the whole plant and encourages slow, even growth. The best times to apply fertilizer are late fall after growth has stopped or very early spring before growth has begun. The idea is to get the fertilizer deep into the soil so that the roots will be forced to reach. Never fertilize in the summer.
Keep the lawn as tall as possible. Most lawn grasses want to grow slowly or even go dormant during the heat of summer. Work in harmony with that tendency. Since mowing encourages top growth, set the lawn mower as high as possible and avoid mowing during hot weather.
Always water deeply or not at all. Since the goal is to encourage deep-rooting, it only makes sense to
water an inch or more at a time. Store the water deep in the soil and let the plant reach down. Work with
nature. When a half inch of rain falls, add an additional half inch. Avoid watering the lawn during hot weather. Slow growth during the summer is a response to warmer soil temperatures, not lack of moisture. Wat/3r only if the soil is dry to a depth of several inches.
Mulch the lawn clippings into the lawn whenever possible. Think of lawn clippings as slow release fertilizer. The slow breakdown of the clippings releases nutrients and adds organic matter to the root zone. Here is a major problem. This breakdown occurs only if the soil is alive with the necessary organisms. The Feed -- Water -- Mow cycle combined with the use of herbicides will, In time, kill the soil. Restoring the balance will take time. In a healthy, living soil, earthworms play a primary role in the breakdown and movement of organic matter in the root zone. Their tunnels also provide a passageway for water and oxygen into the root zone. No worms equals dead dirt. Stop killing the soil and life will return.
Aerate, Aerate, Aerate. Use a digging fork with ten to twelve-inch tines. Shove, stomp, and wiggle the fork into the soil to the full depth of the tines. Proceed in a line across the lawn, backup one foot and repeat. The goal is to create deep channels into the soil so the water, nutrients and organic matter will penetrate into the root zone. When the worms return, this task will no longer be necessary.
Editor's Note: We would like to thank Shan for his excellent column on lawn and garden care. We sincerely hope that he will write more in the future.
Letter to the Editor
I do appreciate receiving copies of your newsletter which will be a welcome addition to the collections. I do believe it is somewhat unique in its purpose and content.
I have sent a copy of your letter and one issue to our Historic Preservation Division as well as our Education and Interpretation Division which corresponds with the various organizations from across the state. I thought both of these divisions would be interested in your project and organization.
James A. Davis
Reference Specialist
North Dakota State Historic Society
Houses Wanted
If you have a story about the history of your house, please write it up and drop it off at 605 1st Ave SE.
Clean Up Tips
As dally exercise In this time of "Save the Planet," our family takes eco-walks. We set out with a big brown paper bag and as we walk, we pick up trash and recyclable items along the roadside. When we get home, it only takes a few minutes to sort and clean our catch for the recycling center. Every day we get to enjoy the wonders of the
earth and leave it a little cleaner than we found it.
Sue Katz
Pheonixville, PA
Woman's Day February 1, 1992
Editor's Note: We would like to thank Kathleen Cunningham for clipping this for the paper:
With spring right around the comer, this is an excellent way to exercise, spend time with family, and friends, walking, talking, and leaving Eastwood Park cleaner.
For Sale
Ward County Reporter
Classified Ads
October 5, 1906
Eight room house. 26x30. Full 2 story with large attic. Fireplace, furnace, large basement, large natural shade trees on lot. Close in Eastwood Park. Will sell this fine residence for $3650 on easy terms. F.J. Lyman. Phone 255.