Alice Cooper Gets Keys to Alice, North Dakota

ALICE, N.D. – The key to this city, with just a feed store, fire hall and a bar, won't open much for rock legend Alice Cooper.

Officials from this town of about 60 people presented the aging shock rocker with a marble plaque and a gold-plated key Sunday to commemorate Cooper's visit to the city that bears his name.

"There's not a whole lot of buildings to unlock with that key," Mayor Dan Lund said. "But Alice is a cool guy and Alice is a cool city — so it's a fun thing to do."

Cooper arrived in Alice the day before he was scheduled to perform at the Fargo Civic Center. About 1,000 people cheered as his limo rolled into the town, one of several in southeast North Dakota named for the daughters of a railroad surveyor.

"This is bigger than if the governor was coming out here," Councilman Ron Mulder said.

Mulder and his wife, Jill, contacted Cooper's manager a few weeks ago about coming to Alice.

"He shook hands and signed autographs," Jill Mulder said. "He was here 30 minutes tops but it was well worth it. He was grateful."

Lund said the city had not seen so much excitement — or people — since the town's centennial celebration in 2000. But Lund, who at 58 is the same age as Cooper, said he prefers country music.

"He rocked a little too hard for me," the mayor said. "I wasn't quite angry enough to be into his music."