Machinery Row

In the late 1800's, agricultural development boomed in the Red River Valley, and the introduction of Bonanza Farms and the overall increase in wheat farming created a growing preference for larger threshers and more powerful engines. Machinery Row, located on what is now NP Avenue from the river to about 5th Street North, became the place to buy efficient threshing equipment, tractors, and other farm machinery. Nearly every farm implement manufacturer of the time was represented there, including J.I. Case Threshing Machine Company, Buffalo Pitts Threshing Machine Company, Minneapolis Threshing Machine Company, Fargo Hart Parr Company, Huber Manufacturing Company, Emerson Brattingham Company, and Machinery Hall, the largest of these early businesses, owned by J. R. McLaughlin. About 12 companies lined Machinery Row in all, and their agricultural success was recognized in the Red River Valley and beyond, with many becoming distributors as far west as Montana and as far north as Canada. Many of the businesses closed during the early 1900's, and several of the national companies once represented there later closed or were purchased by other manufacturing companies.

Fargo, North Dakota · United States