The City of Grand Forks in North Dakota is can be a focal
point for many artists, due to the numerous organizations and structures that
support both the visual and the performing arts. But the beginnings of Grand
Forks, also called “les Grandes Fourches” in French, are similar to the
majority of American cities and the community expanded slowly until Alexander
Griggs came. Griggs is a steamboat captain who decided to settle in Grand
Forks. With his presence and efforts, the industries in Grand Forks grew
rapidly and the town’s growth soared. This is Griggs is considered the “Father
of Grand Forks.” The town also suffered from the Great Depression and then
benefitted from the economic boom of the aftermath of the Second World War. But
an unfortunate event happened in 1997. The city was besieged by flood and fire,
leading to losses that reached more than $1 billion. But the city folks are
resilient. They rebuilt infrastructures and made sure that the city, in the
future, will be flood-proof. Today, travelers to Grand Forks are curious to see
these flood protection projects. Uncharacteristically, the tourism of the city
turned to the arts. Grand Forks vacations will make travelers become more
acquainted with their creative side. The things to do in Grand Forks
include a visit to the Chester Fritz
Auditorium, which hosts a variety of musical entertainment that ranged from
country music to Broadway Theater. The other places to visit are the fine arts
galleries of Browning Arts, Colonel Eugene E. Myers, and the Empire Arts
Center.