Ensign Miller and Lieutenant Worman organized the local branch in 1899. “The Salvation Army started work here Dec 6, 1899 under Ensign I. G. Miller of Minneapolis and is meeting with much success. Nightly meetings are held in Rolfe Hall, which has been leased to the Army for one year.” (Bemidji Pioneer, Jan 1900) Meetings were probably held even earlier on the streets of the village, but records of that early presence do not survive. References in the Bemidji Pioneer in 1900 suggest that the Salvation Army had been active for some time in the village.
Ensign Miller and Capt. Simpson went over to Cass Lake to check on the work going on in that village. (March 1900)
Capt. Simpson, who has been here with the Salvation Army since it barracked in Bemidji, has gone to Crookston. A farewell service was given in his honor Sunday night. (April 19, 1900)
The Salvation Army went into quite a heavy expense in fitting up the barracks in Bemidji and the officers’ home. But the hustle of Ensign Miller and others of the army has greatly reduced the original debt and they intend to wipe out the balance from the proceeds of the old fashioned banquet which they give next Wednesday night at the city hall. (April 26, 1900)
Commandant Robert Askins was one of the first Salvation Army workers to have Bemidji as his headquarters.
A party of Salvationists went out to Bass lake yesterday for the purpose of catching a few bass, but they brought home a few little pickerel. While on the road out the lieutenant fell out of the wagon and hurt his back pretty bad, but still they say they enjoyed themselves. (May 31, 1900)
Capt. Cashman arrived from Yankton, N. Dak., last week to assist in the Salvation Army work here. (Aug 23, 1900)
A farewell meeting at the Salvation Army hall was held on Sunday at 8 p. m. Capt. Williams was sent to Duluth and Lieut. Cashman to St. Paul. They are to be superseded by two ladies, Capt. Bunch and Lieut. McFall from Marshall. (Sept 6, 1900)
Captains Snyder and Petts of the Salvation Army will bid farewell to Bemidji Sunday next. (June 20, 1901)
Lieut. Col. Margrets and Staff Captain Wait will conduct meetings in the Salvation Army hall Friday, March 23, and Monday, the 31st. (March 20, 1902)
Staff Capt. Folkner of the Salvation Army will speak in their hall on Friday evening. (March 20, 1902)
Meeting places and headquarters for the Salvation Army changed several times before the Salvation Army acquired permanent quarters at 211 Minnesota Ave.
According to available records, the first meeting place of the local corps, shortly following its organization, was the one-story frame store building at 208 Second Street. Records fail to reveal just how long the army made use of this building, for it seems that various store buildings were used for services through the years.
M. E. Carson will move his stock of flour and feed into the building now occupied by the Salvation Army, and will put in a stock of confectionery. Not sure where this was. (Feb 12, 1903)
Mr. and Mrs. J. C. Smith were taken into the congregation of the Free Baptist church of Bemidji Saturday. The baptism occurred near the Mississippi bridge and was conducted by James Driver. Mr. and Mrs. Smith were formerly members of the Salvation Army corps in this city. (May 8, 1905)
Capt. Rose Bulson who was in command of the Salvation Army work here about three years ago has again taken charge of the Army work and will hold meetings at their newly . opened hall on Fourth street. Sunday meetings at 3 p. m. and y 8 p. m. Children’s meeting at 4 o’clock Sunday afternoon. Everybody is cordially invited to attend these meetings. (Sept 9, 1905)
H.S. Chase, Jr. of Grand Forks leased the Mayo building on Beltrami Ave [possibly 321], formerly the headquarters of the Salvation Army, in December 1906.
207 Minnesota Avenue: Early yesterday morning, the body of Lacy Walsh, an old-time lumberjack, was found in a bed above the Salvation Army barracks in rooms conducted by N. W. Brown. Life had been extinct for some time, and although death had not been expected, demise of Walsh was under natural conditions. (Dec 23, 1908)
The Salvation Army met at 506 Minnesota Avenue in 1911, the residence of Helen Reitz, who was captain in 1912. The Salvation Army Barracks were at 213 Minnesota Ave. in 1912.
Captain Myrta Livick, who has spent some seven months in the city in the work of the Salvation Army, will say farewell on Sunday evening. She will go to St. Paul to assist in the work there. The captain goes to her new appointment with the prayers and good wishes of many friends. All are cordially invited to attend her farewell meeting on Sunday evening. (Sept 7, 1912)
Following World War I, the work of the Salvation Army was much more appreciated. Servicemen recalled the service rendered by the Salvation Army during the war years, and local businessmen supported a permanent building for the organization. They also sought ways to work with the Salvation Army through fund drives and cooperation to improve life in Bemidji for those in need. In 1917, the Commercial Club and the Pioneer supported a project suggested by Captain Crusberg.
“In Bemidji there are many children and mothers, as well, who have not had an afternoon’s enjoyment in an outing on the lake and Captain H. Crusberg, the new head of the Salvation Army post, has interested himself in the matter and the Pioneer has volunteered to assist him as well as W Harnwell, president of the Commercial club.
It is a simple idea and one worthy of every co-operation. It is merely to set a day, perhaps a week hence, and take the children and their mothers out to Diamond Point for a day, business men and others donating the use of their autos to take the little ones out, let them have a day on the beach, and serve Ice cream, sandwiches and lemonade for the youngsters. The Pioneer Is going to boost hard for this and so is Mr. Harnwell. Several other business men have been approached and are heartily interested It would be such a little thing to do and the youngsters who haven’t the possible advantages of others would have the time of their lives. Help these children have at least one day of an outing like hundreds of others are enjoying throughout the summer.” (July 1917)
In 1919, the Pioneer praised Captain Orchard for his charity to a woman in Nymore:
Captain Orchard of the Salvation Army post has turned over the barracks in Nymore to Mrs. Mattenson, who was burned out in the recent fire, having no place to take care of her roomers and boarders, on which she depended for her living. Captain Orchard gave her permission to move into the Salvation Army building until another place can be found for her. Mrs. Mattenson’s husband is confined in a local hospital where he has been for some time. Captain Orchard wishes it known that he is at the service of the needy, night or day Kindly call Phone 478. He has considerate clothing, furniture, bedding and other articles which can be given to those in need of them. (Aug 16, 1919)
Ernest Orchard, Salvation Army officer, wife Mary, Dorothy and Ernest, rented a place to live in 1920 at 901 America Avenue. (1920 census); city directory (1920-1921)
116 Third Street: After nine months without a place to meet, the Salvation Army was able to lease space in the old Baker building at 116 Third Street. (Dec 1921)
The Army then purchased a building and lot from Charles Nangle. This building was an old store building, built of frame and having two stories and a partial basement. Some repairs were made and the entire building was redecorated, providing a fairly presentable quarters, and the Army used this home until the erection of the new building at 211 Minnesota, which served as a meeting place and Captain’s residence for many years.
211 Minnesota Avenue: In 1922, the local group tore down the old building and erected a more suitable chapel and home for the Army, and through the assistance secured from local business men and from the Salvation Army headquarters at Minneapolis, enough funds were secured to begin the work. The brick building was completed in December of 1922, and the first services were held just before Christmas. In it were ample quarters for religious services and smaller rooms for meetings, as well as quarters for regular officers.
Marking the progress of Salvation Army work in Bemidji and vicinity, Col. William Barker, divisional commander of the Salvation Army forces of Minnesota and South Dakota will preside at a cornerstone laying ceremony to be held Sunday afternoon at the new Salvation Army Citadel at 211 Minnesota avenue which is now under construction. The new Salvation Army home is rapidly nearing completion and will give the local corps a real home in which to conduct its work and is expected to add greatly to the efficiency of the unit. (Dec 8, 1922)
Ensign Westbrook of Dallas, Texas will conduct an old fashioned revival this event at the Salvation Army Citadel at 8 o’clock. Capt. Virgil Merchant of Minot, N.D., who is successor to Ensign O. C. Asserude, and who will have charge of all Salvation Army operations in this city, together with his family, will also be present tonight. Capt. Merchant has had many years experience in Christian work and is a very capable man and his entire family are all musicians. The public is invited to all these meetings and especially all Salvationists and Christian friends. Ensign Westbrook of Texas will speak and his singing and banjo playing in his own southern style are very interesting and entertaining. Special attention will be given the children and mothers with babies. They will be given seats at the front where they can best enjoy the music. (July 8, 1925)
The officers stationed here in the late 1920s were Mrs. Mildred Locker and Cadet Freda Edberg, and a large number of volunteer assistants. Mrs. Locker was born in Canada about 1904, but her family moved to Mandan, N.D., where she attended high school. Upon graduation, Mildred Hendrickson entered the Chicago college of the organization. She then held posts at Fergus Falls, Jamestown, Rapid City, Hibbing and Devils Lake. She was stationed at Minneapolis for three years, and then came to Bemidji. She was formerly a lieutenant and later a captain in the service of the Salvation Army. Upon her marriage to Bert Locker in Beltrami County on Jan 23, 1928, she automatically lost her rank, as her husband was not a member of the Salvation Army. She will be restored to a captaincy as soon as her husband completes his training course at the Salvation Army College in Chicago. Chief among the studies at the Salvation Army college were early church history, organization, Bible study, doctrines of the Army and first aid. In 1929, there were 35 senior soldiers and 32 junior soldiers belonging to the Salvation Army in Bemidji. A soldier in the organization is comparable to a member of a church congregation. There was a Home League of 21 members, of which Mrs. Frank Taunt was secretary.
During 1930-1940, there was a surge in membership. The Salvation Army was led by Herbert J. Baker in 1934-1935.
The city and the Salvation Army cooperated during the Depression. For example:
“Transients should be referred to Salvation Army. People who are accosted on the street by panhandlers asking for the price of a meal should refer them to the Salvation Army headquarters. City Council went on record as favoring giving the Salvation Army Headquarters $100 a month for the next three months to feed transients who are without food and a bed for the night. Captain E. Stohler stated that the Salvation Army is being besieged by requests for a meal, too much for their organization to handle alone.” (Dec 11, 1936)
The NYA youth project has six young people repairing toys with material supplied by the Salvation Army. (Dec 1936)
Salvation Army, Geo Dearholt (1946) Captain Dearholt was there for many years. One of the issues he fought for was to enforce the council rule that bars could not be within 200 feet of a church. Nevertheless the Municipal Liquor Store #2 went in at 209 Minnesota. Then while Donald Spicer was Captain in 1956, the City Council granted a license to James Boyer to transfer the license of the Spot Tavern to the former Municipal Liquor #2 location, which was next door to the Salvation Army at 209 Minnesota.
Captain Mrs. Chester Cain replaced Captain Dearholt when he was transferred to Hibbing.
As of 1955, the membership included 64 adults, 47 juniors, and 65 Sunday School members. Summer Bible Schools were conducted annually, and served about sixty children. The Sunbeams, girls from six to ten, had a weekend period. The Girl Guards and Boy Scouts had a week, and the Band members had ten days of summer camp.
Capt and Mrs. Dale Vilen were at home in Bemidji after their marriage at the Salvation Army Citadel in Minneapolis. (Oct 9, 1959)
Capt. Gerald Green presented a tambourine to Mrs, Addie Taunt, an active soldier of the local Salvation Army for many years, who was honored at a recent meeting of the citadel. A bouquet of 36 roses was also given to Mrs. Taunt by Capt. Green, representing 36 years of unbroken service in the Salvation Army. William Scherling also gave a tribute to Mrs. Taunt for her faithfulness to God and the Salvation Army. (Bemidji Sentinel, March 10, 1961)
Lt. William Goodman assumed his duties as the new officer in charge on May 17, 1961. Capt. Gerald Green went to Illinois. William Lyon will continue in Bemidji as an assistant to Lt. Goodman. (May 1961)
For Sale. Bids are being accepted for the sale of the Salvation Army Citadel, 211 Minnesota. (Feb 10, 1965).