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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Judson Siercks, known as Jud, was born on this date in 1908, and if visitors to the Bottineau County Museum make a journey to the back of the building, they will discover an interesting device he built. -
In World War II, it became a tradition for members of the Wahpeton Rotary club to write letters to soldiers overseas and publish them in the local paper. In the past, letters coming from soldiers were published in the newspapers, but publishing outgoing letters was a new twist.
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Life on the prairie can be adventurous and harrowing. Two newspaper anecdotes about a Raleigh, North Dakota rancher might seem straight out of the 1880s rather than the 1960s, except for the helicopter.
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After World War I, people across the country waited anxiously for the soldiers to make the long trip home. Towns from coast to coast jumped into action to prepare parades and events for the returning heroes.
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In this episode of Dakota Datebook, we'll listen to Mark Bluestone, enrolled member of the Mandan, Hidatsa, Arikara Nation, discuss the importance of feeding people.
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The problem of providing help for poor people has plagued local governments since ancient times. Assistance has oftentimes been provided in the context of religious duty or as a preventative to social disorder.
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On this date in 1954, Agnes Geelan, Secretary and Treasurer of the North Dakota Nonpartisan League, sent a letter on the official letterhead of the NPL's Executive Committee to P. W. Lanier, Jr., a prominent Democratic Party activist. He had invited her to the inaugural meeting of the Democratic Farmer-Labor Association, the day before on November 22. He had become chairman of this organization, which sought to include “progressive Democrats and Leaguers, farmers and organized Labor...”
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It might be surprising to learn how early the snowmobile was invented. It was on this date in 1927 that the United States Patent office granted a patent for a “motor toboggan” to Wisconsin native Carl Eliason. He was ahead of his time as he dreamed of a motorized vehicle that could travel on snow.
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Thanksgiving is this week. Today we take a glimpse at the holiday from long ago.
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A murderer fleeing town, only to settle in a quaint community to start a quiet life sounds like an overused trope. However, that is what happened in Minot over 25 years ago. Dr. Robert Bierenbaum was a plastic surgeon and a cherished member of the community. He moved to Minot in 1996.
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.