23 July 2023
As soon as Cory Buettner saw the black-and-white photograph of a street dance on Main Street in downtown Stillwater posted on Facebook, he knew he wanted to recreate the scene this summer.
The photo, taken by Stillwater photographer Frederick Holcombe in 1901, shows hundreds of people dancing to a big band in the middle of the street.
With Main Street closed from Myrtle Street to Olive Street for the next two months, Buettner, owner of Leo’s Grill & Malt Shop, thought this would be the perfect time for a modern take on the historic event.
On Friday, city and Minnesota Department of Transportation officials signed off on his plans for an old-fashioned street dance on Aug. 5 with music from noon to 10 p.m.
“When life gives you orange cones and orange detour signs, make orange juice,” Buettner said. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to have a dance like this here on Main Street.”
Crews are working on finishing the new $3.6 million Chestnut Street Plaza, and traffic is detoured around the area. Downtown retail shops and restaurants are open “even though a part of Main Street is closed,” Buettner said. “It’s actually a really nice time to visit downtown Stillwater. It’s more peaceful since we don’t have Highway 95 traffic now.”
A drone image captured Wednesday, June 7, 2023, showing the progress on the Chestnut Street Plaza in downtown Stillwater. (Courtesy of City of Stillwater)
Buettner said he came up with the idea of hosting a street dance on Main Street after seeing Holcombe’s photo posted on the Stillwater Public Library’s Facebook page on July 6.
Dances on Main Street were a major part of the Stillwater Street Fair, which was held every year from 1898 to about 1903, said Brent Peterson, executive director of the Washington County Historical Society. “At least one was held in September,” he said. “I don’t know why they stopped.”
The Holcombe photo from 1901 shows attendees and band members dressed in their Sunday best — complete with hats. “Everyone dressed up back then,” Peterson said. “They dressed up for everything.”
Buettner said he hopes attendees of this year’s street dance will come suitably attired. Prizes will be awarded to “best dressed, fanciest hat, etc.,” he said.
“The photo shows a big ‘Dance Here’ sign, and we hope to have one like that,” he said. “The bottom line is Stillwater is open, and together we make the best of any situation.”
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