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.
—
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.
-
On this date in 1906, according to City Attorney Aaron Bessie of Wahpeton, he filed papers that had been served on Ruby Weston the previous day. Bessie asserted that public records could be viewed by anyone in the register of deeds office and sheriff’s process docket, under the date of February 21, 1906. -
The first automobile in North Dakota sparked a wave of excitement when it appeared in Fargo in 1897, igniting the state's love affair with cars. In 1898, Samuel Holland’s homemade steam-powered jalopy became the first car manufactured in the state. North Dakotans didn’t wait for mass production; they started building their own vehicles. Some, like Holland, sold their creations, while others, like William Walton of Neche, built them for personal use. When Henry Ford’s Model T hit the market in 1908, it sold for four hundred dollars—equivalent to about eleven thousand dollars today.
-
Einar Mickelson was born in York, North Dakota, in 1915 and died in China in 1944 at the age of 29. In between, Mickelson lived a life of adventure.
-
When the U.S. Constitution was adopted in 1788, the framers faced a challenge: how to balance the representation of large states with fair treatment for smaller ones. They designed Congress to ensure fair representation for all states, regardless of size. The House of Representatives allotted seats based on population, giving larger states more representatives. To balance this, the Senate gave every state two senators, regardless of size.
-
Andrew Miller began his long law career in 1894, opening a private practice in Buffalo Center, Iowa. He served as county attorney for Winnebago County and was elected mayor of Forest City, Iowa, in 1897, serving one term. After a failed bid for a seat in the Iowa state legislature, he moved to Bismarck in 1905 and opened a private practice.
-
On this date in 1931, the Bismarck Tribune reported on "local swains who flooded the mails here… with dulcet missives protesting unbounded love for their lady-loves" in honor of Valentine’s Day.
-
On this date in 1885, Mrs. Dill awaited trial in the Richland County jail. The Wahpeton paper reported that a search of the Dill farm had turned up the missing August Dill, buried in the cow stable under a pile of manure. Mrs. Dill, her sons, and a hired man were arrested and taken to Wahpeton. Mrs. Dill confessed, saying she alone was the murderer and had placed the body there without help.
-
Winter in North Dakota can be a challenge, but it also offers great experiences and traditions. Dakota Datebook joins in the celebration of winter with a look at Vinterfest!
-
On this date in 1904, Pat Gourneau was born at Turtle Mountain, rushed by sleigh to the priest for baptism, and given little chance of survival due to his premature birth.
-
On this date in 1919, Grand Forks woke up to learn that their neighbors in East Grand Forks had suffered a devastating fire.
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.