Dr. Fred Rose, pioneer dentist for 52 years, came to Cooperstown in 1898 after practicing for two years in Chicago where he was graduated from the Chicago College of Dental Surgery.

The big city did not appeal to him so following the urge to go west and prompted by the precedent of his three brothers who had already come to North Dakota he came to this Griggs County town. Dr. Rose remembers Cooperstown in 1898 as rather a "small, quaint, quiet, picturesque town" but with an air of friendliness, gayety and sincere hospitality An impressive early day sight lingers in his mind of the town marshal lighting the kerosene street lamps each evening, and in the morning cleaning, trimming and refilling them.

When Dr. Rose came to town he made his home at the Palace Hotel. This was the social center for the men of the town, the doctor remembers, where they could play cards, billiards or pool or just talk over the news of the day. Room and board was only six dollars per week.

The first year in Cooperstown Dr. Rose did not have a permanent office but traveled from place to place my means of horse and buggy. He carried his equipment with him as he went from village to village practicing dentistry. His equipment was rather primitive judging by today's standards, the doctor recalls.

After John Syverson completed the State Bank building he occupied an office on the second floor for the balance of his dentistry.

Dr. Rose was a native of Georgetown, Ontario, where he was born in 1874. He became a citizen of the United States in 1902 when he was naturalized at Cooperstown. He married Emma Hewer of Guelph, Ontario, in 1904.

In 1949 Dr. Rose was honored as the oldest practicing dentist in the state. Along with friends and professional men from many parts of the state a host of total friends gathered at the Berg Memorial building to honor this outstanding Cooperstown citizen who had served his community well for 54 years.

Source: Cooperstown Diamond Jubilee 1882-1957 Page 44