Carole Butcher

During World War I, American farmers benefited from high prices. Enjoying the extra income, many borrowed money to buy more land and equipment. But agricultural prices fell suddenly after the war. The cost to produce a bushel of wheat was seventy-six cents, but wheat was selling for only sixty cents!

The Gas Light Company of Baltimore was the first American commercial gas lighting company, making Baltimore, in 1817, the first American city illuminated by gas flames. Gas lighting soon spread across the country, although some areas were slow to catch on. It wasn’t until the 1880s that the Dakotas began to light up the night with gas lamps. By the early twentieth century most American cities had streets, homes, and businesses illuminated by gas, with rural areas still dependent on lanterns.

North Dakota is located in the center of North America and experiences what is called a continental climate. One feature of this climate is the unpredictable weather patterns.

In 1883, Bismarck won out over Yankton as capital of Dakota Territory. When two states emerged from the territory in 1889, Bismarck was named the capital of North Dakota. Not everyone was happy with the decision. Residents of other cities thought their locations would be an improvement. When the capitol building burned in 1930, “removalists” as they were called, thought it was an ideal time to push for the relocation of the state government. It seemed like a good time to promote the move since a new capitol building had to be built.

On June 25 and 26, 1876, the Battle of Little Big Horn took place along the Little Big Horn River in Montana Territory. Known to the Plains Indians as the Battle of the Greasy Grass, it is widely remembered as Custer’s Last Stand. The 7th Cavalry Regiment under Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer faced the combined forces of several tribes including Lakota Sioux, Northern Cheyenne, and Arapaho. The only survivor of regiment on Last Stand Hill was Captain Keogh’s horse Commanche, but 7th Cavalry troops in other portions of the battlefield did survive.

Carl Ben Eielson is a famed North Dakotan, known for being a pioneer of polar aviation. On November 9th,1929, Eielson and his mechanic Earl Borland disappeared on a flight to Siberia. They were on a rescue mission to an ice-bound ship. By November 16th, the ship reported that the plane had not arrived.

The wild turkey is a popular North Dakota game bird. It may be surprising to learn that they are not native to the state. Once they arrived, they found everything they needed to thrive. They found trees for roosting and grasses and shrubs for nesting. North Dakota’s plants attract insects for hungry chicks, and in winter there’s food provided by waste agricultural grain and by garden leftovers. In short, turkeys have everything they need.

A century ago, half of all American homes had a piano. It was often the most expensive piece of furniture. It was more than a musical instrument. It represented financial stability – a symbol of prosperity.

Europe was at war in 1916. In North Dakota, Germans from Russia agonized over the foreign events. Their ancestors were from Germany, and they or their parents were born in Russia. And even though they now lived in America, their loyalty was widely questioned.

In 1937 when Fred Morrison was seventeen years old, he and his girlfriend began tossing the lid of a popcorn container to each other. Even after Fred and Lucile got married, they continued playing with the popcorn lids. Then they discovered that metal cake pans flew better and began tossing those.