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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As European settlers moved onto the Great Plains, they built wooden structures for shelter. These were vulnerable to fires, especially as settlers began building communities with wooden buildings close together. Fire, whether from natural causes like lightning or accidents caused by humans, could destroy an entire town in the blink of an eye. -
Mary Ada Fisher was born at Somerset, Ohio, on July 5, 1888, the fourth child of John and Amita Fisher. When Mary was 10 years old, she moved with her family to North Dakota to settle the affairs of a deceased uncle. The Fisher family decided to stay, and bought a homestead near Wolf Creek where John built the Fisher store and post office, which then became known as Fisher, North Dakota.
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In the fall of 1910, there was a big scandal in Minot. Citizens wanted to know: who drank the beer?
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On this date in 1969, a shocking and grisly crime unfolded in the wee hours of Halloween morning. Various rumors began circulating in Wahpeton, spawning different local legends of the Halloween Horror.
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There was a man in Grand Forks named Royal L. Boulter who was an innovator and an inventor. Back in 1896, R.L. “Roy” Boulter secured a patent from the U.S. Patent Office for what he called a “bicycle-boat.”
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October is Archives Month, when archives around the country celebrate the records in their holdings and recognize the archivists who assess, collect, organize, preserve, and provide access to information of lasting value. The North Dakota State Archives is part of the State Historical Society of North Dakota.
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In 1865, French historian and abolitionist Edouard de Laboulaye proposed a monument to celebrate the upcoming centennial of American independence and the abolition of slavery. The project was delayed by the Franco-Prussian War, but finally got underway in 1875. The plan was for the people of France to fund the statue, while Americans would provide a site and build the pedestal.
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Eleanor Maguren never had a teddy bear as a child. Born in 1918 on a farm near Leonard, North Dakota, she became a teacher after college. Around 1945, she bought her first teddy bear in Fargo, adding a few more over the years without much thought.
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At 1,875 miles, U.S. Route 281 is the longest continuous north-south U.S. highway, running from the Canadian border in the north to the Mexican border in the south. The northern terminus is at Dunseith, North Dakota, near the International Peace Garden. The highway serves as a vital north-south corridor for both business and leisure travel.
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The effort of North Dakota women to win the right to vote began in earnest in the late 19th century and continued to grow. Famed suffragettes like Susan B. Anthony arrived in the state to help organize the movement. British suffragettes also came to offer support and encouragement. In 1912, Sylvia Pankhurst spent time in North Dakota on a lecture tour. She spoke to large and enthusiastic crowds. When she came to Fargo, the newspaper called her “one of the world’s most notable women.”
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.