3/16/2008:
John F. McGrann was completing a week-long circuit of the state of North Dakota on this day in 1924. Mr. McGrann, as the vice-president and business manager of the newly formed North Dakota Automobile Association, was making his rounds in an attempt to promote his novel idea for increasing tourism to the state.
McGrann claimed that the only thing necessary to increase the state’s tourism was a catchy slogan. He was urging “...the businessman, newspaperman, banker, professional, school teacher, and all he [came] in contact with to practice simple courtesy toward the tourist who visits the state” by saying “Hope you like North Dakota.” He viewed the friendliness of the people of North Dakota as the state’s greatest asset for bringing in tourists.
Although McGrann’s idea for an official slogan never caught on, and “Hope you like North Dakota” has been forgotten over time, a number of slogans have been used in the state in an effort to encourage tourism. In the 1980's, North Dakota’s Department of Tourism attempted a more humorous approach to advertising the state. Signs along the eastern end of the state proclaimed, “Welcome to North Dakota, Mountain Removal Project Completed,” while on the western end they read boldly, “Stay in North Dakota: Custer Was Healthy When He Left.”
Sources:
The Fargo Forum and Daily Republican. March 24, 1924: p. 3.
http://www.startribune.com/645/story/510946.html
http://ndtourism.com/index.asp
http://www.nd.gov/category.htm?id=75
http://www.nd.gov/sos/seal/greatseal.html
Written by Jayme L. Job