RYDER – The community of Ryder will be celebrating its 120th birthday on Friday, June 19, and Saturday, June 20.

Two days of class reunions and other gatherings and events plus food and music are being planned.

Activities open on Friday at 4 p.m. with a welcome and class reunions in the Community Center, followed by a catered dinner from 5-7 p.m. Tickets are available at the door but those attending are asked to RSVP to ryderturns120@gmail.com to assist planners.

At 7 p.m., Memories of Ryder will begin, also in the Community Center.

The evening concludes with a DJ and karaoke street party on Main Street.

On Saturday, activities begin at noon in the City Park with vendors in the park and a Tuba Four Brass Quartet performing in the park’s Bandstand.

At 1 p.m., a Veterans Wall Tribune and 100 Year Bandstand Celebration will be held in the park. Those attending are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs as well as for events on Main Street.

Events continue that afternoon with activities on Main Street, including children’s activities such as bounce houses and a scavenger hunt, Bakken Bombers Cornhole Tournament at 2 p.m., a car and bike show from 2-5 p.m., children’s pedal tractor pull at 4 p.m., live music by Daniel Starks from 5-6 p.m., The Saturday Drawing on the bank steps at 6 p.m. and a street dance with Missing Lynx starting at 8:30 p.m.

The Ryder Historical Museums, filled with displays relating to the history of Ryder and the area, will be open daily. Food trucks will be available.

Ryder started as Centerville at a site near the present-day town. According to Ryder history, When a post office was going to be established at Centerville, the name could not be used because another post office had that name. As it turned out, the post office, established in June 1903, at the Centerville settlement was named for James Ryder of the Minot clothing firm of Ryder and Mansfield. His name was selected in gratitude by the U.S. Post Office inspector he loaned an overcoat to for the long and cold drive from Minot to the southwest Ward County community.

When the Soo Line Railroad was extending its branch from Max west, a new town was developed north of the old Ryder site.

Lots were sold in July 1906, and businesses from the old town site were moved to the new town and new businesses sprang up. In November 1906, the first train arrived in Ryder.

Ryder continued to develop, and the rest is history.

In 2017, Ryder had the honor of being selected by the Harley-Davidson Motor Company, a company formed three years after Ryder was incorporated, for a special first outreach effort by the company to promote learning to ride and becoming licensed motorcycle riders. Prior to the event, the company repainted the city’s water tower, mirroring the design of the famous water tower that sits atop Harley-Davidson headquarters in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In June 2017, a day was held for Harley-Davidson events in Ryder, with anywhere from 200-300 motorcycles from North Dakota and other states there.

Ryder’s 120th anniversary is being held in conjunction with America’s 250th celebration. It is among North Dakota communities with local events that highlight the state’s unique history, culture and contribution to the nation listed on the ND250 event calendar.