In 1872, European Americans founded a modest settlement at what was called Missouri Crossing. It got its name because the Lewis and Clark Expedition crossed the river there on their journey to explore the Louisiana Purchase. The settlers named their new community Edwinton, after Edwin Ferry Johnson, an engineer with the Northern Pacific Railroad. Less than a year later, the name was changed to Bismarck, in honor of German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, aiming to attract German immigrants.
In its early days, Bismarck was a rough and tumble place. Camp Greeley was established by the U.S. Army to protect settlers and railroad workers. It was named after the famous newspaper editor and 1872 Republican presidential candidate, Horace Greeley. A year later, it was renamed Camp Hancock, in honor of General Winfield Scott Hancock, the commander of the Department of Dakota. The post served as a staging ground for Army supplies that could be shipped by rail, wagon, or steamboat to posts further west.
In 1874, the Signal Corps set up operations at Camp Hancock. Their primary mission was to transmit and receive military messages. As hostilities across the West began to subside, the Signal Corps also served as an early weather station, recording and maintaining weather records. The last troops left Camp Hancock in 1877, though a small staff remained to manage the weather station and a quartermaster’s depot. The camp was finally closed for good on this date in 1894.
Reminders of the past still echo in Bismarck. The Camp Hancock Historic Site, located at 101 East Main Avenue, preserves North Dakota history dating back to 1872. The interpretive center is housed in a log headquarters building, remodeled over the years, with clapboard siding concealing the logs. It is the oldest building in Bismarck and contains artifacts from the days before North Dakota was a state. The Bread of Life Church, built in 1880, was relocated to the site in 1965. Also at the site is a 1909 Northern Pacific Railroad locomotive. This hidden gem is the perfect place to explore the history of North Dakota.
Dakota Datebook by Dr. Carole Butcher
Sources:
- State Historical Society of North Dakota. “Camp Hancock State Historic Site.” https://www.history.nd.gov/historicsites/hancock/hancockhistory.html Accessed 4/3/2025.
- Only in North Dakota. “There’s a Fascinating Historic Site Hiding in the Middle of a North Dakota City.” https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/state-pride/north-dakota/camp-hancock-nd Accessed 4/3/2025.
