Christina Sunwall

5/11/2012: “Rugby vs. The World:” It was a match for the history books. And a future North Dakotan played a key role.

4/9/2012: Dawn had just broken the morning of April 9, 1865. Union forces had finally maneuvered the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia into the place chosen for a final showdown. Leading the Third Cavalry, General George Armstrong Custer stood at the advance, awaiting word to proceed against the Confederate cavalry. General Lee’s army was trapped.

1/24/2012: August of 1862 marked the beginning of the US-Dakota Conflict, resulting in the death of several hundred Minnesota settlers. When US troops moved against the American Indian forces, they pushed them west into Dakota Territory. The effect on the territory’s capital city, Yankton, was almost immediate, worsening the relationship between local Native Americans and the rapidly expanding white settlements.

12/12/2011: For some battle-hardened soldiers, the most difficult mission they can be assigned is behind a desk. Born in Illinois on this date in 1856, Frank Charles White moved to Dakota Territory as a young man. He quickly involved himself in the newly organized Dakota National Guard where he served as Captain of the Valley City unit. A few years later, during the Spanish-American War, White distinguished himself as commander of the First North Dakota Infantry, even earning a Silver Star for bravery during combat.

11/21/2011: The support of influential politicians and powerful corporations often plays a significant role in the election of US Congressmen; indeed many bitterly criticize American politics for just this fact. But in 1889, one North Dakota hopeful discovered that having friends in high places is not always enough.

8/25/2011: The late summer of 1906 was a busy time for President Theodore Roosevelt. The one-time North Dakotan faced pressing issues both at home and abroad. T

7/3/2011: On this date in 1876, Captain Grant Marsh and his steamboat, the Far West, embarked on their famous 700-mile dash from Fort Pease, Montana to Bismarck.

6/13/2011: “Of all the variable things in creation the most uncertain are the action of a jury, the state of woman’s mind, and the condition of the Missouri River.” Sioux City Register, March 28, 1868

5/2/2011: For the late 19th century churches of North Dakota, meeting the religious needs of a growing population spread across 70,000 square miles presented many challenges. Some areas lacked a building; others a minister.

4/6/2011: Americans woke up this morning in 1917 to discover the country at war. Like other college campuses across the country, the State Normal School at Minot soon felt the war’s impact.