Northern Pacific Park

On the east and west of the NP depot was a park. The 1911 postcard to the right looks east at the eastern half of the park. To the left center of the image is a cannon known as the "Dewey Trophy" (see below). To the right is the rear of Shotwell Floral. Shotwell's was given a lease to the land with the understanding that it would maintain the park. Other views of the eastern end of the park can be seen on the home page and the panorama page.

The west park was demolished in 1964 and is now a parking lot . After Shotwell's exploded and burned in 1968, the east park was converted to a parking lot also.

In 1900, Fargo Mayor John A. Johnson somehow acquired a cannon captured by Rear Admiral Dewey in 1898 during the Spanish-American War. The cannon had been used by the Spanish in defense of Manila.

The NP railroad transported the cannon free of charge, at Johnson's request, from Seattle to Fargo. The cannon arrived in Fargo on March 29, 1900. The cannon was 15 feet long and weighed 13,000 pounds. It was given a place on honor in the west NP depot park where it remained until the early part of World War II when it was cut into sections for scrap metal to go into the war effort.