It was during the 2nd Annual Spring Bonspiel that the gentler sex began club curling with a big push from Mrs. J.D. Cardy and Miss Hazel Braithwaite, both former Canadians. Mrs. Kermit Quaintance was the first president and Mrs.Kenneth Erickson first secretary-treasurer in the women's club and new members were lured with tea parties. The ladies' 1st Annual Bonspiel was held in the spring of 1956 in conjunction with the Men's 3rd Annual Spring Bonspiel. This spiel has grown from an eight-entry, two-event competition to one with twice as many entries in three events and has attracted lady curlers from far and wide.

But 1960-61 has been the banner season for the Grand Forks Curling Club. In the first place, a highly capable committee, co-chaired by Leonard Aalgaard and Carlyle Sandstrom, and under the strong leadership of President Ugland made possible the opening of the club's beautiful new artificial ice plant at 12th St. and 7th Ave. So., just three months after ground was broken for the four-sheet, all-steel structure September 3. At the same time, invitations from Dr. George W. Starcher, president of the University of North Dakota, and Leonard Marti, athletic director, and from the Grand Forks Chamber of Commerce, were offered by Dr. J.D. Cardy, a director of the U.S. Men's Curling Association, on behalf of the Grand Forks Curling Club to hold the fifth U.S. Men's National Curling Championship in Grand Forks. The invitations were accepted by the national association, bringing North Dakota its first national men's championship play in any sport.

With the national champion Gilleshammer rink of Grafton, N.D., setting the pace, curling clubs from Alsen, Crosby, Cavalier, Drayton, Edmore, Fargo, Grand Forks, Langdon, Milton, Minot, Pembina, Petersburg, Portal, Park River, and Whales organized into the North Dakota Curling Association.The future of curling in Grand Forks and North Dakota is a bright one.

UPDATE (1969)
The National Championships were held again in Grand Forks in 1969. This time they were played in the new city arena. At the present time the club has approximately 200 members and is doing quite well financially. We have 3 major bonspiels annually with a lot of activity in the club during the curling season. And, of course, this year there is a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow - the trip to the Silver Broom for the national winners to be held in Toronto, Ontario.

UPDATE (1997)
A long and record-setting winter of blizzard after blizzard was broken-up with the arrival of the Scottish Touring Team. True to form, the Scotts were snoed-in for a day, and left lasting memories for all.

UPDATE (2000)
THE "PLAN" A 7-year plan to lay the ground work for a successful bid for the 2008 World Curling Championships. The original plan was conceived by Don Barcome, Jr., and under the umbrella of Forks Classic Events, Inc. (a company founded to be the financial & promotion entity for the plan) become the initial effort of the Grand Forks Chamber of Commerce's Major Event Task Force - led by Dan Schenkein, Rich Becker, Roger Helland and Cheryl Ramberg. Thru the Chamber's Task Force, a $20,000 grant was received from the Grand Forks City Council's Special Events Fund, chaired by Hal Gershman (now GF City Council President), with help from Mayor Brown and his office. In addition, the inaugural Forks Classic Event, as well as the actual bid for the 08 World Championships, would not have happened without the visionary management of the soon-to-be-completed management team, led by Chris Semrau, Earl Strinden, Tom Clifford and Jody Hodgson, of the Ralph Engelstad Arena. Over the life of the plan, the City of Grand Forks has provided over $50,000 in grants to the various Forks Classic Events. The highlights of "The Plan":

UPDATE (2004)
As you can see, curling has a long history in our community. Since 1969, our club has seen the 1979 World Junior Champions (Earl Barcome, Bobby Stalker, Randy Darling & Don Barcome, Jr.), 1982 U.S. Senior Champions (Dr. Wm. Mullally, Orville Johnson, Carlyle Sandstrom & Leonard Aalgaard), 1989-'91 World Curling President (Dr. Don Barcome) 1999 U.S. Champion & 2002 Olympian (Don Barcome, Jr.) 2000 & '02 National Champion (Natalie Nicholson) and 1997-'98 U.S. Senior's Champion & 2002 World Senior Champion (Larry Johnson), and 2003 U.S. Senior Women's Champions (Nancy Rentfrow and Jean Vorachek) all come from our Grand Forks Curling Club! We look forward to another century of fun and achievement on the ice.

UPDATE (2006)
The Executive Committee for the Local Organizing Committee of the 2008 World Curling Championships has been named: President: Jody Hodgson, Vice President: Chris Semrau, Jim Satrom and Don Barcome, Jr.

UPDATE (2007)
The most exciting news for the club has been this announcement: "We had three excellent bids (South Korea, Italy & the US) and it was an extremely difficult choice for the Executive Board to make," said Mike Thomson, Secretary General of the World Curling Federation (WCF). "We're confident that Grand Forks has the knowledge and expertise to organize an extremely successful championship in an excellent arena." February ('07) saw the near record lows in temperature and also the 7th Annual Southgate Outdoor Bonspiel. Fifty-two teams played on 2 sheets of natural ice on the parking lot of Souhgate Bar & casino here in Grand Forks. This event has become a feeder-system for new curlers to join the Grand Forks Curling Club. Also, the 2007 Scottish Touring Team made another appearance in Grand Forks. Much fun was had during the competition, as well as during the wonderful reception and dinner at the fabulous Ralph Engelstad Arena.