In rural North Dakota, the lack of a flush toilet in Lawrence Welk’s childhood home is a thing of the past as modern facilities have now been installed. This advancement is part of the State Historical Society of North Dakota’s nearly complete mission to provide flush toilets at its most frequented and staffed historic sites. This development came about before a statue of the famed bandleader was unveiled, a nod to fans of “The Lawrence Welk Show,” a television phenomenon that spanned decades from the 1950s onward.
Transforming outdated pit toilets to modern flush facilities might appear a modest goal to some, but Chris Dorfschmidt, a manager of historic sites, views it as an essential achievement. He explains that many historic locations are remote, saying, “A lot of our sites are kind of in the middle of nowhere. As I like to put it, history didn’t happen where it’s convenient.” He emphasizes the importance of offering visitors a more comfortable and pleasant experience after long travel.
North Dakota is home to 60 state historic sites. These range from museums and an underground nuclear launch facility to simple plaques adjoined to boulders in fields. “All of our sites, they really do help share a story of us as a state,” Dorfschmidt remarked about the valuable insights these places provide into regional history.
Two additional facilities are scheduled for upgrade completion by June 30. These include Whitestone Hill, notable for the 1863 U.S. troop attack on Native Americans, and Fort Buford, a military post near where the Missouri and Yellowstone rivers meet. Additionally, considerations for installing flush toilets at the Chateau de Mores, an opulent 26-room residence built in 1883, are also on the Historical Society’s agenda.
However, smaller or less-visited sites, especially those without staff, are unlikely to see restroom updates due to the financial outlay of approximately $150,000 per facility. At the Welk Homestead, situated around 50 miles southeast of Bismarck, efforts have ensured that the new restrooms perfectly align with the existing color schemes of the house and farm buildings. Historic Sites Manager Rob Hanna notes, “We made it to fit into the site and harmonize with the site and just be a pleasant part of the experience,” underscoring the attention to detail in preserving the essence of the setting.