BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) - Camp Hancock on Main Avenue is where Bismarck began, but it has not always received the same attention as other local historical sites - and little upkeep has taken place.
“There are lots of things that could happen,” Rep. Diane Larson, R-Bismarck, who spoke about the site during a recent Bismarck Historical Society board meeting, told The Bismarck Tribune (https://bit.ly/2cmLsdD ). “The church and main building could use painting, landscaping improvements, part of the stone wall needs repair, and additional programming.”
With public interest mounting, the board voted to help coordinate site preservation efforts and build awareness.
The organization is working to devise a system for monetary donations, allowing contributors to choose which project to support, said board member Tim Atkinson. For example, a great-great-grandchild of the craftsman who did most of the original woodwork in the Bread of Life Church is interested in donating funds for the preservation of that structure, now called St. George’s Episcopal Church.
On the awareness side, telling people what happened at Camp Hancock and why it’s important also may help persuade donors to contribute.
“It would be nice to give the site more visibility,” said Claudia Berg, director of the State Historical Society of North Dakota.
Berg said the society manages a lot of sites, including Camp Hancock, but its budget is quite small. And when it comes to older buildings, there are constant maintenance issues, such as stabilizing foundations.
“We have so many sites, and Camp Hancock has not been the biggest priority compared to other sites,” she said.
In the past couple of years, the state Historical Society has taken on the Lawrence Welk homestead near Strasburg, developing programming there where none previously existed. Its focus was also turned to the Stutsman County Courthouse, where a ’friends’ group is helping raise $75,000 to renovate the building’s interior.
“With limited staff, we just have to prioritize,” Berg said.
But the Bismarck Historical Society’s efforts could help. Berg said several sites around the state have “friends” groups, such as Friends of Fort Totten.
“We couldn’t do half the work we do on our sites without ’friends’ groups,” she said.
Several members of the Society for the Preservation of the Former Governors’ Mansion were the ones to save that building. Through events such as its annual ice cream social, the society has raised funding for gates, a widow’s walk, fencing, a new foundation under the carriage house, and a new entrance for those with disabilities into the back of mansion. The group also puts on much of the programming, providing tours and interpretation.
“Without our volunteers, we couldn’t function,” said Berg, adding that volunteers put in 13,554 hours at state historical sites statewide last year.
Recently the Bismarck-Mandan Young Professionals group volunteered time painting the church and pulling weeds at Camp Hancock.
“It was wonderful to see younger members of the community take interest in the site,” Berg said.
It would be nice to have signage developing the whole weather bureau story in that building at Camp Hancock - which is the oldest standing structure in town, according to Berg.
In terms of larger projects, the weather building on the Camp Hancock site has a second floor that has gone unused because it’s not handicapped-accessible and would require an elevator, Berg said.
In addition to the site itself, Atkinson said the Bismarck Historical Society wants people to know what used to be around Camp Hancock, so visitors can look across the street and visualize what used to take place there.
“We’re all excited about it,” said Atkinson, adding that other groups around town are getting interested as well. “There’s momentum occurring.”
Recently, the Downtown Business Association of Bismarck helped get funding for street banners to help make the site more visible.
Kate Herzog of the Downtowners said the organization’s focus has mostly been on developing the former Bismarck Depot site, but Camp Hancock could be another public green space, especially with new apartment buildings going up across the street.
With the new Main Avenue striping project, access to Camp Hancock is less disconnected from the rest of downtown, Atkinson said. A crosswalk could be one way to further help, according to Herzog.
“The site has a lot of potential,” said Larson, adding that having improvement plans now could also help procure state funding when the budget situation is better. “It would be a shame if the building deteriorated.”
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Information from: Bismarck Tribune, https://www.bismarcktribune.com
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