Case Threshing Company

The J. I. Case Company opened it Fargo branch about 1882. The first location was at 421 Front Street (Main Avenue). This building was destroyed in the Fargo Fire of June 7, 1893 and a new building was constructed on the same site. In January 1902, the company announced that it was going to relocate to 117 N.P. Avenue, and construct what was then called by the Fargo Forum and Daily Republican the “Largest Machine Warehouse in the Northwest”. Before construction was complete on the new building, the old building on Front Street burned to the ground on March 2, 1902. Construction on the three story brick facility was completed in 1903. This new building had a short life however, as it was destroyed by a fire in the early morning hours of November 18, 1907. Two firefighters were killed in this blaze when the north brick wall collapsed on top of them. The J. I. Case Company constructed a replacement building on the same site. The company remained in the building until about 1970.

The 1980s and 90s brought about a series of mergers. In 1984, J. I. Case merged with International Harvester, and the name was changed to Case IH. In 1986, Case IH purchased Steiger Tractor and began producing their tractors under the Case IH name. In 1999, Case IH merged with New Holland Ag to form CNH Global. Today the CNH manufacturing plant is located at 3401 1st Avenue N.