Book dealers appreciate Larry McMurtry’s novel Cadillac Jack, in which his character, antique and book scout Zack Jenks, notes that “anything can be anywhere,” meaning that good things are often found in surprising places by those who know to look for them. Here is an example of a very nice item that was in an unusual place.For the last decade or so my wife and I have been lucky enough to spend most of the summer in her old stomping grounds, Cape Cod. As she collects all things related to the Cape, we make a number of forays to search for books, maps, souvenir china and other items. As you would expect these items turn up in the Cape shops.

What I did not expect to see was this gem, an 1886 Independence Day broadside from Bottineau, Dakota Territory.

Bottineau, Dakota was founded in 1883 as Oak Creek. It was a customs station, and an overnight stagecoach stop. The town name was changed to Bottineau in 1884 in honor of Pierre Bottineau, probably the first white child born in Dakota around 1812. The. St. Paul, Minneapolis and Manitoba Railway in 1886-1887 extended a line to Bottineau. To accommodate the railroad crossing Oak Creek, the town moved its location. – McPhillips, Bottineau Illustrated. 1901-2. Two of the organizers of the festivities were early pioneers. In 1884 John W. G. Simrall was appointed register of deeds of Bottineau County and J. B. Sinclair was appointed surveyor. – Lounsberry, Early History of North Dakota. 1919. The program for the day included prayers, reading of the Declaration of Independence, a Base-ball match, Horse Racing, Foot Races, Hurdle rides, Vaulting, Jumping and other athletic event, dinner on the grounds, music by the Roberts String Band and Dancing in the afternoon and evening. July 4th fell on Sunday in 1886, so the festivities were held on Saturday.

Under any circumstance this would be a rare survivor. It is unrecorded on World Catalog (the library data base) and I can find only one holding of a similar item from this period in Dakota Territory. How it ended up in a shop on Cape Cod is anyone’s guess. But it shows McMurtry’s aphorism is always to be kept in mind.