Harold Schafer founded Gold Seal in 1942. Its former headquarters are easily recognizable.
Harold Schafer was a local prominent businessman who is mostly known for founding the Gold Seal Company and for his work involving the town of Medora, North Dakota, most notably as founder of the Medora Musical.
Harold was born on February 1, 1912 near Stanton, North Dakota. By the time he graduated from Bismarck High School, Harold had already been working multiple jobs at a time. He was a bellhop at the Patterson Hotel, an usher at Capitol Theater, and an attendant at a Standard Oil Service Station. It was when he was offered a sales job for Bergeson’s clothing store that Harold’s career began to take off.
In 1942, Harold founded the Gold Seal Company when he started to market and distribute Gold Seal Floor Wax. The company would eventually become the largest privately owned business based in North Dakota, having its products distributed to multiple countries.
In addition to his work with the Gold Seal Company, Harold Schafer would find success in the western North Dakota city Medora, beginning with the purchase of the Rough Riders Hotel and Ferris Store in 1962. Harold was also behind the creation of what is now known as the Medora Musical, a highly successful “wild west” themed outdoor musical that has become somewhat of an icon for western North Dakota.
Schafer Hall at Bismarck State College.
When Bismarck Junior College was forced to relocate from its state-owned facility in 1959, Harold Schafer donated a large tract of land overlooking the Missouri River for construction of a new campus. The first building constructed was named Schafer Hall in his honor.
In 2002, Harold Schafer was named one of four people who made the largest impact on North Dakota.
Harold’s son, Edward Schafer, served as North Dakota’s governor from 1992-2000 and as the United States Secretary of Agriculture from 2008-2009.
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