An extravaganza of photography and music is scheduled for Friday, May 10, at the old Moorhead city power plant. “Power of History: Remixed” is set for 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the plant, located at the corner of Sixth Avenue South and Elm Street in Moorhead. The one-night only event is free and the public is invited.
A total of 24 photography students from NDSU have taken a series of photographs of the historic building, which is slated for demolition later this year. During the evening exhibition, the students’ images will be projected on the exterior of the plant, reaching a size of 25 feet by 40 feet. The images will be accompanied with music supplied by deejays of the local “Scratch Dungeon” troupe.
The students are in an advanced photography class taught by Su Legatt, lecturer of photography, who said a similar project was held in November 2011. “This is a really unique event,” Legatt said. “We have three organizations (Moorhead Public Service, NDSU and Scratch Dungeon) are coming together to celebrate this historic building that we will soon be losing.”
Legatt said the project has been a great educational experience for the students. “It has helped them build a professional network and exposed them to the real world issues that artists face,” she said. “I am very pleased with their work.”
Students, like senior Gretchen Barker from Gardner, N.D., are excited to display their talents in the visual arts. “I'm really glad to be a part of this project,” Barker said. “I think it is wonderful that instead of just being torn down without any commemoration, this piece of Moorhead's history has a chance to become a key piece in many works of art and bring together both artists and the community around it.”
According to Moorhead Public Service, the old municipal plant first generated energy on Nov. 1, 1895. Contemporary newspaper accounts noted there was dancing in the streets and fireworks boomed overhead. At 8 p.m. that evening, the fire alarm sounded, and a team of horses pulled the town’s fire wagon down Front Street, urged on by cheering throngs. At precisely 8:30 p.m. that night, the mayor threw a switch to illuminate a total of 500 incandescent and 25 arc lights.
In August 2011, the 10-megawatt fuel oil turbine generator was retired and the power plant was decommissioned. Today, MPS purchases the power used by the residents in Moorhead from outside resources.
Food and beverages will be served at no cost.
NDSU is recognized as one of the nation's top 108 public and private universities by the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education.