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As stated in the introduction to Historic Resources in Minnesota: A Report of Their Extent, Location, and Need for Preservation, Submitted to the Minnesota Legislature by the Minnesota Historical Society (Minnesota Historical Society, 1979), "The 1977 State Legislature directed the Minnesota Historical Society 'to identify, inventory, and organize information about Minnesota's historical resources in a comprehensive plan.' It was anticipated that such a survey would be 'of inestimable use to the state, counties, cities, and regions in charting a course for historic preservation, recommending legislation needed in this field to the 1979 legislature, and bringing into sharp focus what programs and projects most need the State Historical Society's grant-in-aid program in the future'" (p. 1).

Sugar beets have been grown in the Red River Valley since the 1920s. In August 1972, some 300 farmers living in some seven North Dakota and Minnesota counties formed a cooperative. This cooperative, subsequently incorporated as the Minn-Dak Farmers Cooperative, allowed the members to diversify their farming operations by adding sugar beets to their crops.

Mexican-Americans have been migrating to the Red River Valley since the late 1920s, primarily to work on the sugar beet farms during the summer weeding and the fall harvest. Since the introduction of mechanical cultivators and harvesters in the1950s, the need for field labor has declined, but the number of migrants has continued to grow. As a result, many Mexican-Americans have begun to settle permanently in Minnesota and North Dakota towns in the Valley.

The Moorhead Area Retired Educators Association serves as a local unit of the Retired Educators Association of Minnesota and is affiliated with the National Retired Teachers Association. The purposes of the MAREA are to help retired teachers maintain an identity with the teaching profession, to further the causes of education, to help advance the interest and welfare of the retired teachers in the state and local community, to foster good fellowship among retired teachers, and to cooperate with NRTA and REAM by promoting membership, legislation, projects, and programs.

The Moorhead Area Women’s Political Caucus was formed in the early 1970s. It was connected with the Minnesota’s Women’s Political Caucus and the National Women’s Political Caucus. The goals of the organization were to get women involved in politics and to elect women to public office. The organization also worked against discrimination of women.

The Minnesota Region I Women’s Resource Center was organized to provide services specific to the needs of women throughout Minnesota Region I. The services included were aid to battered women, counseling, crisis intervention for child abuse and sexual assault, educational/personal growth programs, and referral.

This organization concerns itself to help aged persons with their needs and wants.

A native of Rutland, North Dakota, Marvin Evenson was involved in politics from his early 20s, both in both North Dakota and Minnesota. He served as a party organizer for the Democratic Farmer-Labor (DFL) Party in a number of capacities, including Finance Director and chairman for the 9th District of the DFL in Minnesota, and chairman of the DFL party in the 7th District (northwest Minnesota). As party chairman, Evenson coordinated party activities for many DFL candidates.

Through the combined efforts of the Women’s Resource Center, Crookston, Minnesota and the Women and Health Task Force of the Agassiz Chapter of the National Organization for Women in Thief River Falls, Minnesota, the Martha Rogers Ripley Alliance for Battered Women was founded.

Marvin Dauner of Hawley, Minnesota, was first elected to the Clay County Board of Commissioners in 1974, and remained on the Board until 1986. His twelve years on the Commission were characterized by an attention to detail and a desire to, in his own words, give “an intelligent, not a political” response to the needs of his constituents.