Fargo Archives - Our Changing Life

Hjemkomst Center – Dual City Fun

Jeff & Crystal — Fri, 16 Aug 2024 04:22:00 +0000

During our time in Fargo, North Dakota, we learned that their metropolitan area includes Moorhead, Minnesota. The concept of dual cities was not new to us. We live in a city that sprawls across the state line between Kansas and Missouri. While much of our visit was spent on the western side of the state line, we did cross over to visit the Hjemkomst Center. This cultural history museum focuses on the region’s Norwegian influence. Our knowledge on this subject is limited, so we found this a great way to gain some understanding.

Under Wraps

Approaching the Hjemkomst Center we spotted the oversized tent-like structure. The necessity for this cover became apparent when we went inside. We were surprised to see a full-size replica of the Gokstad Viking ship. The original was discovered in Norway back in 1880. A hundred years later, this replica was sailed from Duluth, Minnesota to Oslo, Norway. One year later it would return to the United States.

Hjemkomst Center Exhibits

While the Viking ship is one of the Hjemkomst Center’s main attractions, it also exhibits regional history. We made our way through some displays picking up tidbits of useful knowledge. While not a first for us, we are always amazed when we are reminded how many settlers traveled with a pull cart.

Indigenous Discord

When we came to the exhibit that focuses on Indigenous people, it caused us to pause. My research on the treatment of native tribes in Canada uncovered a different approach than in the United States. Our northern neighbors used a working relationship approach that yielded positive results. In the U.S., the seek-and-destroy method attempted to exterminate the people who were here long before Europeans arrived.

Hopperstad Stave Church

The Hjemkomst Center held another surprise for us. We joined a tour preparing to head out to the back of the museum. As we followed the group, a beautiful wooden structure came into view. This is a replica of a Norwegian stave church. Constructed of pine, cedar, and redwood, it makes quite a first impression.

It's All In The Details

After hearing details about the construction of the church, we headed inside. The unusual door reminded me of something that Tolkien would have imagined. Once inside, we hadn’t expected to find a cavernous space. As the lesson continued, I was drawn to the sheer rugged beauty of the structure. It took a few minutes before I was able to focus on finer details.

Facing the Past

The Hopperstad Stave Church has plenty of small details that beg to be examined. Each discovery added to our curiosity about this building. Intricate carvings line posts, while paintings cover the inside of the sanctuary ceiling. We could have spent more time searching for discoveries, but the tour was wrapping up.

Visiting the Hjemkomst Center

Back outside, we walked around the church, looking at the various angles and shadows. It is certainly a remarkable structure and one worth the visit. Admission to the Hjemkomst Center is $12 for adults and $8 for kids. The museum hosts various traveling exhibits throughout the year, so each visit would be unique. As we made our way back to the car, I kept wondering what it would be like to sail across the Atlantic Ocean in that Viking ship.

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Wurst Bier Hall – Going German In Fargo

Jeff & Crystal — Fri, 26 Jul 2024 04:35:00 +0000

Traveling across North America has provided plenty of variety to our diets. When I’m planning a multiple city road trip, I attempt to add as many cuisines as possible. During a northern excursion, we stopped by Wurst Bier Hall for lunch. It provided an opportunity for going German in Fargo, North Dakota. This is a food group that we haven’t experienced as often, so we were excited to explore their menu.

Easy To Spot

Our initial plan was to visit their downtown location. As we have seen over the past few years, plans must be fluid. When we discovered that Fargo is home to a retro 1950s-style diner, we chose to move Wurst Bier Hall to a lunch visit. Their second location, in West Fargo, fits our plans better. When we finally arrived, we had no problem spotting the restaurant. The bright red awning and “jackalope” logo certainly catch the eye.

The Wurst Bier Hall Experience

Stepping through the door, we found ourselves in a contemporary industrial beer hall. The décor leaves no doubt that this place has a large selection of beers. Our server pointed out that they have 36 local, regional and seasonal beers and wines on tap. The seating is a mix of high-tops and large benches. It definitely had us feeling like we were going German in Fargo.

Finger Food Heaven

The menu features gourmet sausages and other classic European dishes. An assortment of appetizers caught my attention. My first choice was their poutine, but I knew Winnipeg, Manitoba was our next city on this road trip. Crystal suggested we sample the Bavarian Pretzels, which are served with cheese dip or marshmallow fluff. We decided to stick with the traditional cheese version, but I was left wondering what they would be like with a sweet topping. Once we began eating them, I was glad about this choice. The pretzels were so delicious, that I shudder to think of ruining them with a sweet dip. If you’ve tried the fluff, drop us a comment about the experience.

Best of the Wurst Bier Hall

Now it was time to move on to the main event. Wurst Bier Hall offers a collection of classic, gourmet, and exotic sausages. We discussed the idea of sampling boar or rabbit but chose to stick with conventional versions. To gauge their food, we needed something comparable to those we’ve tried in the past. We picked the Bratwurst and Polish Kielbasa sausages. For sides, we picked Spätzle Mac & Cheese and a serving of French Fries. We set about eating and enjoying the flavors of both versions of sausage.

Going German in Fargo

Wurst Bier Hall ended up being a stop we are glad we found. It reminded us how much we enjoy German cuisine. While our time in Fargo was limited to a One Day Stay, we were making the most of each hour. It was obvious that we’d have to plan future visits to North Dakota. Perhaps one of them will bring us back to this area, so we can sample one of their exotic sausages.

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Kroll’s Diner – Retro Dining Vibe

Jeff & Crystal — Fri, 05 Jul 2024 04:30:00 +0000

We may not have lived through the 1950s, but the nostalgia of that era has become woven in our country’s fabric. Television shows, like Happy Days, helped form our view of the “Glory Days” from the end of WWII. Our first evening in Fargo, we discovered this time capsule of Americana. Kroll’s Diner is a reminder of those simpler days. Let’s take a walk back in time to experience their retro dining vibe.

Signs of Days Gone By

It’s easy to pick Kroll’s Diner out of the crowd of restaurants. The gleaming metal exterior immediately screamed mid-20th Century. The signage, adorned with a neon-lit clock, looked like it came straight out of a movie set. We’ve dined in similar places, but this one is a notch above. Being summertime, it was still too early in the evening for the rest of the lights, but we can imagine it beckoning travelers on a dark night. It’s time to step inside and see what we find.

Step Back in Time

When we entered our imaginations came to life. The interior is as bright and shiny, as we had hoped. Neon lights highlighted the seating area, while the checkered floor guided us forward. We grabbed a booth and soaked up the retro dining vibe. Our server arrived and walked us through the menu. We were hoping for an old-style burger joint and that’s exactly what we found. To our surprise, they’ve mixed in a variety of German cuisine dishes, but we were on a mission to explore their American side.

Americana Foodie

When our decisions were finally made, our server returned to take our orders. I stuck with a tried-and-true Cheeseburger and Fries. To no surprise, Crystal ordered the Grilled Chicken with Onion Rings. We decided to include one of their frosty Strawberry Shakes to our order. Now we only had to watch and wait as our order was completed. During this time, I jumped up to snap some photos of the place.

Relive the Past

Our server knew the drill, and brought our shake over before our food arrived. This gave us a few minutes to practice our cutesy poses. We discovered that when you order one shake, it’s large enough to fill two glasses, so we each ended up with one. Our food soon arrived, and we spent the rest of the time discussing how clean and shiny everything was. It was about as close to time traveling as we have come. Be sure to check out the retro dining vibe at Kroll’s Diner, when you visit Fargo, North Dakota.

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