from the centers of the hippie movement on the coasts of the United States, but this did not mean that the local students did not know what was going on with their peers at schools such as UC-Berkeley. The combination of tension between the students and the established powers, and the local and state governments' lack of experience in dealing with large gatherings of angry and drunk protesters led to the riot that would put Zap, North Dakota across the headlines of the U.S. newspapers and make it the lead story on the CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite. What started out as a lark turned into a riot that resulted in thousands of dollars of damage. Buildup Cryptic ads and articles in various student newspapers throughout the midwest heightened curiosity about the Zip to Zap. A front-page article in the Spectrum that read This article was the first to be picked up by the Associated Press. The residents of Zap were quick to embrace the idea. They saw an opportunity for publicity and to make some money. The two local bars stockpiled a supply of beer and local diners began marketing "Zapburgers" in anticipation of the event. "We thought, well, we'll put ourselves on the map here," remembered Norman Fuchs, the mayor of Zap in 1969. The publicity surrounding the event became quite tremendous. Wham-O used the event to launch a toy called the Zip-Zap. Mayor Fuchs was even photographed playing with the toy. Local rock bands were engaged to play. The organizers of the Zip to Zap and the government and residents of Zap were caught up in a whirlwind of publicity and seemingly gave little regard to the organization of the event or how to deal with thousands of college-aged students who were out for a good time. Continued publicity further increased the excitement surrounding the Zip to Zap. The Spectrum published a map of Zap and the surrounding area and published an article detailing the bars and cafes of Zap and the scenic beauty of the Knife River Valley. The article concluded with what was to become a prophetic statement, "In addition to these events, a full program of orgies, brawls, freakouts, and arrests is being planned. Do you dare miss it?" From party to riot Students began arriving in Zap on Friday, May 9, 1969. They quickly filled the town's two taverns. The demand for