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 the summer of 1902 ended, three brothers left their home in Minnesota and headed west. The oldest brother had worked for several years on a farm near Courtenay during harvest season. In 1902, he was joined by his two younger brothers. Raymon, Harold, and W.C. Sweet left Fargo one August evening and walked to the Milwaukee Crossing, where they planned to camp while waiting for a train to Valley City. -
Today's Dakota Datebook is about Charles Alexander Reynolds. Charles was born on this date in 1842 in Illinois. The son of a doctor, Reynolds attended prep school before moving to Kansas with his family at 17. Seeking adventure, he left his family to work as a teamster on a wagon train. A year later, he joined the Union Army to fight in the Civil War.
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It’s basketball tournament time! For over 100 years, basketball has been a cornerstone of North Dakota’s sporting scene—uniting players, fans, and entire communities in the pursuit of victory. Join us as we celebrate the history of basketball in the region, through Dakota Datebook!
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On this date in 1989, school teacher Lola Geller from Perkett Elementary School in Minot demonstrated a new educational video game called “Where in North Dakota is Carmen Sandiego?”
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The Cannonball River got its name from the stones found in its waters and along its banks that are so round and smooth that they “greatly resemble cannon balls.”
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Beryl McClane was born on May 12, 1896. He married his sweetheart in 1918 after returning from World War I. He began his law enforcement career with the Aberdeen, South Dakota, police department. In 1936, his family moved to Ellendale, North Dakota, where he became the Chief of Police. McClane joined the North Dakota Highway Patrol in 1941, serving for seven years out of the Jamestown office before transferring to Napoleon.
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Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer and his 7th Cavalry were based at Fort Abraham Lincoln, and Custer was a familiar figure in the area. The Bismarck Tribune sent a special correspondent with the 7th Cavalry on their expedition, which would lead to the disaster at Little Big Horn. The correspondent predicted that by the time his last message reached Bismarck, Custer would have fought the Sioux. That correspondent was among the dead.
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It's basketball tournament time! For over 100 years, basketball has been a cornerstone of North Dakota's sports scene—uniting players, fans, and entire towns in the pursuit of victory. Join us as we celebrate the history of basketball in the region through Dakota Datebook!
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In the early days, when the West was still wild, stealing a horse was a hanging offense. Justice was often swift and without formalities. As the country moved into the Twentieth Century, motorized horsepower began replacing the flesh-and-blood variety. By 1913, drivers were speeding down roads at 40 miles per hour in automobiles, while farmers started swapping their horses for tractors. But that didn’t mean anyone would overlook a stolen horse.
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On the surface, SB 294 seemed straightforward. Its intent was to loosen the state’s blue laws that restricted activities on Sundays. North Dakota had these laws in place since statehood. SB 294 aimed to allow bathing beaches, Chautauqua assemblies, pleasure resorts, boating, swimming, canoeing, and more on Sundays. The bill passed the Senate, but the House narrowly defeated it. Some believed it was worth another try, but before being reintroduced, supporters of Sunday activities quietly added a new provision.
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.