April 2024 by Ben Kubischta
Rummage sale season will soon begin and one of North Dakota’s great rummage sales will be held on June 1st. That sale is the Old Red Trail Rummage Sale which is held on the first Saturday in June.
When and where did rummage sales begin? I have found sales called “Rummage Sales” were held in Ireland in 1820 and in the United Kingdom throughout the 19th Century. Rummage sales during that time were auctions of items that are similar to the items that can be found in your Red Trail rummage sales.
In Dublin, Ireland an ad in the Freeman’s Journal edition of August 13, 1860 listed the following rummage sale items to be sold: “ladies dresses in pieces of silk, satin, and orleans cloth; 35 pair of Whitney blankets; linen and calico sheets; bed and window curtains; new and second hand men’s and women’s apparel; hats, caps, hosiery, and umbrellas; firearms and fishing tackle; musical and optical instruments.”
In about 1900, rummage sales were transforming to the format we use today and were becoming popular in the United States. Many of which were used as fundraisers for philanthropic causes. The Kings Daughters (an international Christian philanthropic organization) chapter of Knoxville, Tennessee held a rummage sale in November 1900. The Knoxville Sentinel’s November 27th issue reported that their “sales were surprisingly large yesterday and today, a fact that is probably due to the attractive salesladies” and the ladies names were listed. Men must have come in to visit with the attractive salesladies who were able to get them to dig deep into their pockets to buy items.
Like last year, each Old Red Old Ten town will have a Community Coordinator who will be your contact person for registering your rummage sale. More information on the 2024 Old Red Trail Rummage Sale will be in your local papers the week of April 29 through May 3.
My Judy and I will be visiting rummage sales and coffee shops along the OROT. We hope to have good conversations with you and find that special item like the bench we found in New Salem. Goodbye for now. Remember, promoting the Old Red Old Ten promotes our towns, and always take time to talk to the cows.
Bennett Kubischta is the President Old Red Old Ten Scenic Byway Committee.