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Watford City & McKenzie County Online Gateway
Date
September 3, 2026 - 5
Location
Alexander
Cost
Free
Categories
Activities; Events
Organization
Tourism
Contact
(406) 489-0281
Add to My Calendar
September 3, 2026 - 5
Location
Alexander
Cost
Free
The Labor Day weekend begins a celebration that began 81 years ago as a community picnic at the end of the harvest season and has grown to one of McKenzie County's larger events. The beef barbecue is still an integral part of Old Settlers Day. The event now covers 3 days and features such activities as a bonfire, parade, a program, dances, school athletics, children’s activities, bingo and horseshoes.
“I've been ranching for fifty years and I'm going to retire. If you fellows in Alexander will sponsor an Old Timers' Picnic, I'll furnish the critter for the barbecue", said Lem Burns in the summer of 1946. The Alexander Community Club accepted his proposal and the Old Settlers Day was begun as Lem Burns Day and has continued annually since then. The first picnic did not draw a huge crowd but the streets of Alexander were filled with farmers, pioneer settlers and former residents. The picnic turned out to be such an enjoyable event that it became an annual affair. The first year, the beef was cooked in an oven pan 4’x6’. Fred Shipman later showed the men how to fix the meat in a pit barbecue.
The pit is dug and the bonfire is held on Thursday night to provide coals for the barbecue. Many loads of wood are hauled by the community for this purpose. Friday afternoon the meat is cut, salt, pepper and onions are added, wrapped in butcher paper and ham bags, placed in gunny sacks, dipped in barrels of water, and thrown into the pit with half the coals removed. The remaining coals and dirt are then pushed over the meat and it begins to cook. It is removed at noon on Saturday in time for the picnic. The barbecue beef is served on a bun along with baked beans dished up from steaming cast iron kettles.
Through the years Old Settler’s has been held on the first Saturday in September with the exception of 1950 when it was postponed one week due to rainy weather. The following week there was even more rain and had to be held anyway due to the cut up of the meat. Old Settler’s was never postponed again. It snowed in 1961 but that didn’t stop the proceedings. In 1989, the Centennial year, the event was extended to a four-day celebration beginning on Thursday with the bonfire.
Through the years there have been many different activities to take part in throughout the celebration. Thank you to all the community members that make this event happen. We look forward to seeing you there!
Categories
Activities; Events
Organization
Tourism
Contact
(406) 489-0281
Add to My Calendar