In 1978 a Community Betterment Committee was formed consisting of
Wallace Topp, Chairman
Vice Chairman, Mark Anderson
Treasurer, Almyra Topp and
Kaye Topp, secretary
Other members are Cindy Johnson and Lorris Sandvol.
They made plans for a City park with two ball diamonds, a tennis court, with basketball hoops and a park with tables and grills. They raised $5,000 with a supper and dance and later received a grant. At present nearly all is completed. With trees planted to the south, the park is located directly east of the schoolhouse. Ronald Bucholz donated some of the land for the picnic area.
Grace City once had fire protection. Two 400-gallon chemical engines were brought from a Fargo firm in 1918. They worked but never heard of them being called to a fire.
1916- Grace City had an AOUW Fraternal and Insurance Lodge.
1918- A Commercial Club was organized.
Milk cows were tethered out by many of the residents who sold milk to those who had none.
We had a very active Red Cross Organization during the war.
Juanita Lake was stocked with fish as early as 1913.
We had good fishing in Juanita Lake in 1917.
Rabbits and gophers were very numerous in 1916.
Grasshoppers were bad in 1919 as well as in the 30's.
Hunting limits of grouse and prairie chickens in 1919 were 10 each day, and on ducks and geese it was 15 per day.
Grace City had a Farmers Club, a Community Club and P.T.A.
Barbers in Grace City were Richard Robichaud, Maude Barber, P.A. Gordon, Riggs, Lee Frederick and Guy Canfield to name some. Pat Otto had a beauty shop. Lee Fredericks used to set women's hair.
Postage on a letter went up from 2¢ to 3¢ October 25, 1917 and back to 2¢ July 1, 1919.
A cannon stood on Main Street for many years finally taken to Bradley, South Dakota
Midwives around Grace City were Mrs. Oveda Trembley, Mrs. Maria Rood, Mrs. O.A. Dahl, and Mrs. Joe Sandvol.
Gypsies camped on the ball diamond and were asked to leave.
The Ku Klux Klan were in the hills south of Grace City.
Joe Sandvol had a harness and shoe shop in his home basement 1917.
James Henderson ran a cream station as did Andy Flatters, Sharbono, Royal Graham.
Kistler ran a big 4 gas tractor for Bradley in 1917.
Carpenters were Fred Lambrecht, Hildebrandt, Art Trembley, Andrew Arntson, and C.H. Bradbury. Bradbury bought a prefab house from Sears Roebuck.
John N. Carlson and Hack Malherick were painters and paperhangers.
Sonja Wold Topp is our only pharmacist and works for Seaburg Drug, Carrington.
Arthur Scanson, our only minister, is in Dickinson, North Dakota
Meat markets were run by E.E. Petrick, Bert Dahly, 1918 and Hilding Miller, 1931.
The "Economy Market" was run by Harold Burk in 1935.
Cora Stedman Dreher had her book of poems "Lyrics with a Lift" published in 1962 and filed in the Library of Congress.
Cora Spickler won many articles in contests she entered.
Grace City Choir sang on TV.
Mr. and Mrs. George Trembley celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary April 25, 1919.
Grace City was on daylight saving time 1919.
Fur buyers were Andrew Bonderud, 1912, Jess Alan, 1917, Royal Graham, 1928.
There were 23 spinsters in Grace City March 1917 and nearly as many bachelors.
68 children were in Grace City in April 1917.
Calvin Willoughby won the school debate in Hannaford and debated in Jamestown March 1917.
Grace City had a Women's Club chartered in 1913 and Federated in 1913. It disbanded in 1936.
Grace City still has a Homemakers Club but the first one was started in 1921, one of the first three in the state.
Space will not permit the thanking of each one individually for the information received in obtaining the history of Grace City. Many have gone to their reward as I have collected since a kid but you know who you are and I want to say thanks. My only hope is that I came near enough to the truth on everything to please all
Bessie Sandvol
Source: A History of Foster County 1983 Page 323