Sitting Bull to Phil Jackson, cattle to prairie dogs, knoephla to lefse. North Dakota's legacy includes many strange stories of eccentric towns, war heroes, and various colorful characters. Hear all about them on Dakota Datebook, your daily dose of North Dakota history.
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Dakota Datebook is made in partnership with the State Historical Society of North Dakota, and funded by Humanities North Dakota, a nonprofit, independent state partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in the program do not necessarily reflect those of Humanities North Dakota or the National Endowment for the Humanities.
You can find all Dakota Datebooks from 2018-today below. Our archive of Datebooks from 2003-2017 can be found here.
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Most of us have probably read or heard some version of the postman's creed but according to the U.S. Postal Service, the organization has no official creed or motto. The United States Post Office was founded by the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia on June 26, 1775, at the start of the American Revolution but it was not until around 1914 when an architectural firm in New York City, popularized the motto when they inscribed the words “Neither rain, nor snow, nor sleet, nor hail, nor armed villains deterred this hardy courier” on the exterior walls of the New York City Post Office. -
On this date in 1800, fur trader Alexander Henry concluded his November journal entries for the Park River post. He described methods of hunting raccoons, black bears, and grizzly bears hibernating along the Red River. The hunters checked large hollow trees for signs of animals inside. They would then cut a hole into the hollow space and set fire to smoke out the inhabitants. On November 30, seven raccoons were taken from a tree, which was six feet hollow inside, with two feet of rim and bark on the outside.
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In the early 1900s, the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction published special day programs for holidays, ranging from Arbor and Bird Day to July Fourth and, relevant to us today, Thanksgiving.
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A love triangle is an age-old story, and it makes for good gossip. In 1912, a reporter in Mandan heard about the fallout from a local love triangle and knew it would make a juicy tale for the newspaper.
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On this date in 1896, the Jamestown paper reported Mrs. Swain had been taken home to New Rockford for burial. She and her lover were found dead in a Valley City hotel room. A note left at the scene said, "You will find sufficient funds in my pocketbook to bury us. Our last request is to bury us together without any fuss, and do not try to find out who we are. Parted in life but joined in death."
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Thanksgiving activities filled the pages of local newspapers throughout North Dakota. Details about plans, table fare, festivities, and guests at private homes were reported throughout the century, as well as Thanksgiving events at state and federal institutions. These stories often portrayed such places as a "gravy train" funded by taxpayers and human-interest stories that highlighted the societal benefits of these institutions.
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The Panic of 1907 was a severe financial crisis that foreshadowed the Great Depression. The name "panic" was fitting, as unemployment rose from 2.8% to 8%. Americans lost faith in the banking system and withdrew their money. Banks and businesses struggled, and the public became concerned about an unstable economy.
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On this date in 1906, in Wahpeton, the County Board of Commissioners authorized a warrant for the admission of Mary L. to the State Hospital for the Insane. Mary, a domestic worker, had been employed in the household of Dr. and Mrs. Meckstroth.
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On this date in 1909, Professor Benjamin Shambaugh, a professor at the University of Iowa, delivered a convocation speech at the University of North Dakota titled "The History of the West."
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On this date, in 1883 Jamestown College was incorporated. The Presbyterians had been considering founding a college in either Minnesota or Dakota Territory and began receiving offers from interested cities the year before. Grand Forks made a bid, but with UND opening the following year, its appeal diminished. Fergus Falls was more established, offering a location in an official State of the Union. Reverend C.B. Stevens of Fargo favored a beautiful setting on the rim of the James Valley at Jamestown, population 425. However, the Northern Pacific Presbytery chose Casselton.
Dakota Datebook is made in partnership with the State Historical Society of North Dakota, and funded by Humanities North Dakota, a nonprofit, independent state partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in the program do not necessarily reflect those of Humanities North Dakota or the National Endowment for the Humanities.