Eagle Scout project debuts at Independence Day celebration
Nolan Swenson, who will be a Senior at Watford City High School, organized a revitalization of a tall playhouse in Arnegard’s park, one in which he used to play. For the Eagle Scout honor, he has put materials, supplies, tools and local carpentry talent together to remake the structure, in addition to staining it a dark brown, inside and out.
The “small fry” of Independence Day play found the restored playhouse in the trees plagued by chalk graffiti and set to work scrubbing the writing off the dark boards.
“We want the playhouse to look nice and not be all marked up,” said one young boy with a wet eraser in his hand.
Nolan is pictured near the doorway of the plain board building standing high on six or seven foot footings.
Children played and Nolan smiled. More play was to be had on the large air-filled “inflatable games” just across the roped-off street.
Arnegard Boosters threw another marvelous party for the 4th of July Celebration. The parade was lead by Old Glory in the care of Watford City’s American Legion Color Guard. 
Remarkable in length, with horses, cars and fire trucks, its end meant the beginning of the dinner line.
The plate of baked beans and tender roast beef was served by the Arnegard Lions and the ice cream dessert cups came from the McKenzie County Bank in Watford City.
The Family
that provided the beef for the meal presented song and history of the Oluf and Annie Hovde family, whose homestead celebrates its centennial this year in the early afternoon. All veterans were honored near the dedicated memorial under the flag prior to the program.
Games continued for the children all afternoon, while adults visited in the picnic shelters, enjoying music provided first by Ordean Tweden and his wife, then by Jeff Nelson. Suppertime found the Lions serving up their usual Friday evening ‘Burgers in the Park’ and the line was long in the 94-degree sun.
Wilmington Lutheran Church’s cool basement provided education and entertainment with a DVD virtual walking tour of Washington, D.C. Newt Gingritch’s record of God in the Founding Father’s manuscripts and nation’s buildings ended at Arlington National Cemetery. Most amazing was the cameo of Martin Luther, whose work made possible the settlement of North America with Protestant Christian ethics.
The fire alarm went off around 9 p.m. and a grass fire on the northeast edge of town was quickly put down by the local fire department.
The Arnegard fireworks started around 10:30 and went on to around midnight, with boom, bang and “ahhhhhes……” Arnegard once again put on a marvelous 4th of July celebration.
July 5th, 2008 at 7:54 am
Thanks for providing me a recollection of the day.
It was truly a marvelous celebration of family, community, liberty and service–as befits our unique and most national of holidays.