Carole Butcher

Food contamination was a common problem in the early 20th century. Contaminants that would shock us today were routinely found in food products. Sawdust was added to coffee, and chalk was added to milk to improve its appearance. Vivid colors for candy were created with lead, arsenic, coal tar, and copper compounds.

As World War I progressed, North Dakota began to suffer the consequences, even though the state was far from the battlefields of Europe. On this date in 1917, North Dakota newspapers were filled with reports of shortages affecting people across the state.

In spite of the clear skies and wide-open spaces, North Dakota ranks among the states with the fewest UFO sightings. Unidentified flying objects just do not seem very interested in North Dakota. One possible explanation is the state’s low population density. There are simply fewer people to notice what is happening in the sky. South Dakota has similar results. California appears to be the UFO capital, with more than 16,000 historical reports.

The election of 1912 was one of the few times North Dakota supported a Democrat for president. It was a time of rapid social and economic change. Voters had a great deal to consider about the role of government in regulating the economy and protecting the rights of citizens against the undue influence of corporate power.

Grant was impressed with Dakota Territory when he ventured onto the Great Plains in 1883. During his stop in Fargo, Grant said, "I came out here to be impressed, but I see greater evidence of enterprise in your city and prosperity in your country than I anticipated, and all promise great things for the future. Although I have crossed the United States much and visited nearly every territory as well as state, this is the first time I have ever set foot on Dakota soil. I am glad to be on so solid and substantial a foundation."

The Missouri River, the longest river in North America, begins its journey at Three Forks, Montana. It travels 2,341 miles before joining the Mississippi River just north of St. Louis. For 390 of those miles, it winds through North Dakota. It is such a literal force of nature and such a major presence in the state that it has been called "one of the defining attributes of North Dakota's landscape."

Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer was a popular public figure throughout the United States. He was young and handsome, with a beautiful wife. It was widely thought that he would run for president and, as a genuine Civil War hero, many believed he was a sure bet to win the election. Custer was especially popular in North Dakota since his cavalry was based at Fort Abraham Lincoln.

Paper money has been part of United States currency since the Continental Congress authorized a two-dollar note in June 1776. But those notes were not the paper money we know today. They were bills of credit used to fund the defense of a new country's struggle for independence. When the Constitution was ratified in 1788, it prohibited states from issuing bills of credit or using anything other than gold and silver as legal tender.

Ragnvold Anderson Nestos was born in Voss, Norway, on April 12, 1877. His name highlights his Norwegian heritage. “Ragnvold” is a traditional Norwegian name. “Anderson” comes from his father’s name, indicating he is the son of Anders. Nestos was sixteen years old and spoke no English when he came to the United States. He received his education at the Mayville Normal School and the University of Wisconsin. In 1904, he earned his law degree at the University of North Dakota and opened a practice in Minot.

The Lewis and Clark Expedition, which took place from 1804 to 1806, was only the beginning of the exploration of the vast wilderness acquired through the Louisiana Purchase.