The State Historical Society of North Dakota Foundation, the primary fundraising arm of the State Historical Society of North Dakota, recently received a $5.86 million dollar donation from the estate of George Spangler on behalf of the Stutsman County Courthouse State Historic Site.
Dale Lennon is executive director of the State Historical Society of North Dakota Foundation. He says they knew George left them a donation, but he thought it would be a couple hundred thousand – not the largest donation in the foundation’s history.
"I told Bill Peterson, the Director of the State Historical Society, 'no we didn't get that amount that we thought we were going to get,' and he looked a bit disappointed, and I said 'well, we got 5.86 million.'"
The contribution is designated to help preserve and support the Stutsman County Courthouse State Historic Site. Lennon says not only will they be able to complete major projects that the site needs, such as air conditioning and making the courthouse accessible year-round, but George Spangler’s donation will allow them to support the site for generations to come.
Sebastian George Spangler farmed and raised cattle in the Jamestown area in addition to operating an antique business. He was involved in his community dedicated to Jamestown’s heritage. He passed away December 15th, 2023.
"You know, this is kind of a lifetime commitment that George has felt that loyalty to his community and to his state, and we wish we would've known, because we would've loved to have thanked him personally, but we never got the opportunity."