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An article by Lauren Donovan

Posted on 8/11/2009

For more information, contact
Lauren Donovan, Reporter
Bismarck Tribune
1-800-279-7391
terri@visitdickinson.com

On the most Americana of holidays, everyone is invited to cruise an old highway with windows open to the song of the meadowlark and the breeze of a summer in full bloom.

North Dakota's newest Scenic Byway officially opened on the Fourth of July.

Technically, it's never been closed. It has been replaced, though, with an interstate that's bigger, faster and, sadly, much more impersonal.

The byway is a 100-mile stretch of The Old Red Trail-Old Highway 10 from Mandan's Main Street to Dickinson's Villard. It joined only nine other roadways with that special designation just last year.

A group of people has remained committed to the idea that the old road - now a connected series of mostly paved county roads - was worth preserving as a highway to a slower and gentler time.

They worked for three years to achieve the Scenic Byway designation and for months on Saturday's events.

The ceremony began at 8:30 a.m. Saturday in Mandan with a classic car parade, and a symbolic ribbon cutting in front of the old depot.

The classic car paraders, some in vehicles that hit the road when Old Ten was at its transportation zenith, continued west.

Old car or not, anyone joined in at their own leisure throughout the day or brought a car down for display.

Towns along the way rolled out the red carpet.

Communities welcomed travelers as they drove the historic Old Red Trail and later paved US Highway 10. The towns had gas stations, tire shops, ice cream parlors and cafes when folks still stopped for a "Fill-er-up!" and lunch instead of hurtling by at 75 mph in search of a drive-through.

Committee member Marlo Anderson of Mandan is a member of the Old Red Old Ten committee and chairman of Mandan's annual July Fourth parades.

The old highway is a thing of beauty to him.

"It's very picturesque. It's unbelievably green, the streams are full and there is wildlife to see," he said.

Best of all, there are spots out there so off the grid that cell phones don't even power up.

Travelers can approach Old Red Old Ten from either direction, of course, since the Scenic Byway portion is anchored east at Mandan and west at Dickinson.

While they're out there, they should turn on the blinker and turn into the heart of towns like New Salem, Almont, Glen Ullin, Hebron, Richardton, Taylor and Gladstone.

"The idea is just to spend a leisurely day out on the byway," Anderson said.

Faye Sanders of New Salem also is on the committee. She can hardly wait for people to come to town. Like all the towns along the way, it has its own hidden treasures for travelers to explore.

"We are really excited," Sanders said.

In a half-minute, she rattles off an afternoon's worth of things to do and see in New Salem, including the Holstein on the hill, of course. Below the hill is an historical museum, with a building devoted to Custer's 1876 enormous encampment that set up on that fateful journey just outside town.

Kristee Freadhoff, owner of the Cow Town Cafe, keeps a mock cow pie behind the counter that's worth ordering for the laugh, but the Holstein hash is the real deal, and a bargain at that.

New Salem also has a number of historic homes, including a half-dozen with unique mansard-roof architecture. Margaret Zarndt lives in a beautifully preserved Arts and Crafts-style bungalow, one of several in town.

Another historical jewel is the 1904 Salem United Church of Christ, with delicate stained glass windows and curved oak pews.

There also are some interesting shops, including the Muddy River Coffee shop, the Casual Style Jewelry shop and De Stijl Salon and Spa in more of the town's historic properties.

Leaving town, at a brick home with a metal gate entrance, Delores Goetz, spends her spare time tending her large backyard into a series of beautifully kept flower and vegetable gardens connected by a carpet of green lawn.

And that's just New Salem.

All along the way there are classic buildings and a classic lifestyle.

Highway 10 disappeared years ago from the state highway map, long decommissioned in favor of Interstate 94.

Anderson gets a charge out of pointing out now that it's been named a Scenic Byway, the old road "is back on the map."