At one time, North Dakota could have claimed recognition as the third-largest nuclear power if it were a separate country, with about 250 Minuteman III missiles, each carrying up to three warheads. Deterring Soviet aggression was a primary goal of the United States during the Cold War. Several factors led to placing nuclear missiles in the state. The wide expanses of open land allowed them to be located far from densely populated areas. This also made the sites easier to protect. And while it may seem counterintuitive, it is actually a shorter flight path to Russia from North Dakota over the North Pole than from a state farther west across the Bering Strait. This was part of America’s strategy to build a rapid-response capability.
Minot became the center of missile activity. It was home to 150 intercontinental ballistic missiles, along with missile alert facilities and thousands of airmen who maintained the missiles and would have launched them if necessary. Grand Forks Air Force Base joined the system in 1964 with the addition of 150 Minuteman missiles.
The missile sites had a significant impact on North Dakota. Construction provided jobs and stimulated local economies. The work broadened an economy that had relied primarily on agriculture. It brought new people into the state, increasing demand for housing and schools. The downside was a reliance on military spending, which has fluctuated over the years.
The emphasis on nuclear weapons shifted when the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty went into effect on this date in 1970. Both the United States and the Soviet Union had an interest in slowing the pace of the arms race. Research and development of nuclear weapons were extremely expensive, and both powers understood the massive destruction a nuclear strike would cause.
Fortunately, nuclear tension between the two antagonists never turned into a shooting war. As the Cold War cooled and the Berlin Wall fell, the United States and Russia began drawing down their arsenals. Missiles were removed from North Dakota, although some remain. The state’s economy had to adjust as large numbers of service members and their families left. Visitors can learn about North Dakota’s missile history at the Ronald Reagan Minuteman Missile State Historic Site in Cooperstown.
Dakota Datebook written by Dr. Carole Butcher
Sources:
- KFYR-TV. “North Dakota at epicenter of US nuclear overhaul as Sentinel replaces Minuteman.” https://www.kfyrtv.com/2025/09/09/north-dakota-epicenter-us-nuclear-overhaul-sentinel-replaces-minuteman/Accessed 2/10/2026.
- We Are the Mighty. “North Dakota was the world’s 3rd most powerful nuclear power.” https://www.wearethemighty.com/mighty-history/north-dakota-nuclear-arsenal-minuteman/Accessed 2/10/2026.
- ND Studies. “Air Force Bases.” https://www.ndstudies.gov/gr8/content/unit-iv-modern-north-dakota-1921-present/lesson-1-changing-landscapes/topic-4-missile-defense-system/section-2-air-force-basesAccessed 2/20/2026.
- Office of the Historian. “Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.” https://history.state.gov/milestones/1961-1968/nptAccessed 2/10/2026.
- National Park Service. “Hidden in Plain Sight.” https://www.nps.gov/mimi/index.htmAccessed 2/10/2026.
