Thief River Falls, one of the busy and progressive towns of Red Lake county, is located at the conflux of the Red Lake and Thief rivers, one of the best water powers, surrounded by fertile farming lands. Thief River Falls has grown from a population of 3,000 in 1903, and is as present growing very fast, as there is an influx of people coming every year. The government has recently passed a bill in congress opening to settlement 256,000 acres of land adjoining the city. The city is building an opera house costing $18,000, and many nice houses are being built in the city. The city has the largest and best equipped creameries in the state with sub-stations over the adjacent country. The Great Northern railroad is giving the city good train service. Through this 256,000 acres of Red Lake reservation lands the Red River winds for thirty-four miles and the banks being very high and dry there are no wet or overflow lands along the river through the eleven townships.
The city has its own electric light plant run by water power, a grist mill, sixty-barrel capacity, water power, four elevators, eight churches, high school building costing $18,000, with fifteen teachers, and two graded schools, all of which have enrollment of about 700 pupils, a volunteer fire department and a full line of general stores and other business. The large lumber mill has been turning out 40,000,000 feet of lumber per year and is now increasing its capacity. They own enough timber to run their mill for fourteen years, and there is yet a large amount of government pine unsold. They float their supply of logs to the mill by the Red Lake river as well as shipping in by rail and always have a bountiful supply on hand. Steamboats navigate the Red Lake river from Thief River Falls to Red Lake and to the lumber camps around Red Lake, the largest inland lake in the state. Anyone contemplating removal to another locality should by all means investigate the advantages to be found here and Red Lake county.
Following are a few of the leading business firms of Thief River Falls. The O. K. Roller Mill, a sixty-barrel mill, is run by Hanson & Bargen. They have been here five years and give good satisfaction. Lars Backe, one of the real estate men and also city clerk for nine years, is an old pioneer of the county. Hotel Ogahmah is one of the up-to-date hotels of the county. Charles A. Robbecke, the proprietor, is the president of the city council. F. J. Stebbins has run the city drug and jewelry store for thirteen years, is also the city optician, and has a very large stock. M. V. Evenson has been in Thief River Falls since 1888, and was one of the leaders in securing the Great Northern railroad to enter the city in 1892, and has been assessor of the county for six years, and is the president of the Middle River Land company. Write him for full information of this country. Thief River Falls Review, the new county paper, got out their first paper this week, and it is a credit to the county, McDonald Bros., proprietors.
Tessum & Anderson run one of the general stores since June 1. Mr. Anderson is a Southern Minnesota business man. L. M. Hoag is one of the money loaners and land men of the city. Write him for any investments you wish to make. C. M. Evenson has run the main furniture and undertaking business for fifteen years, and is putting up an $18,000 two-story brick building 75x80 feet. S. Bagley is owner and publisher of the Press, one of the leading county papers. John Eastman is the owner and publisher of the Thief River Falls News, one of the main papers of Red Lake county. First National bank is one of the solid banks of the county, organized as a national bank in 1901, and has made a great showing. W. W. Prichard, cashier, is a rustler for the city. C. C. Jackson & Co. have been in business for ten years and run one of the leading hardware stores. George Turville has run a very fine livery barn here for seventeen years. Wiley Tindolph has been in the real estate business in this county fourteen years, has made a fortune and now retires from business.
M. C. Harlow is one of the leading real estate men; also one of the city council, and makes loans all through the county. H. J. Weeks has handled land and insurance in this city for three years, and is one of the city council. John Morgan is one of the leading wine merchants of the city, and an old time Democrat. J. P. Curtis has run one of the leading drug and stationery stores of the city for three years, and has a fine trade. S. Swenson runs the "Brick Store," and has a full stock of every line of years and does a very large business in twelve years. Oen & Granum, dealers in hardware and farm implements, have been in business for fourteen years. Daniel Shaw is vice president and manager of the Northern Real Estate and Mortgage company. This company has been in business for eight years and do a very large business in Red Lake county. O. J. Schel & Co. run the Golden Rule department store, and in two years have worked up a very nice trade. Langseth Bros. came here in 1887 and run one of the leading general merchandise stores. Hans Langseth is one of the city council.
Rollag & Stenseth is one of the leading land firms of Red Lake county; also write insurance and make farm loans. Newbery & Ryson run the leading livery, feed and sale stable; also ’bus and hack line of the city. First State Bank of Thief River Falls, established in 1893, does a general banking business and is one of the leading banks. Citizens’ State bank does a general banking business and also deals in real estate, farm loans and insurance. D. B. Bakke, the president, is one of the city council. (The Saint Paul Globe, Monday Morning, November 30, 1903, Volume XXVI, Number 334, Page 3)