7/26/2009:
With the recent sighting of a family of owls at the State Historical Society in Bismarck, the city has been slightly owl-crazy. However, the wise old birds have been seen in North Dakota for many years. One sighting resulted in a strange incident, occurring on this date in 1923.
Walter Monson, a local farmer near Flasher, was driving his two small sons in his roadster one evening. An owl who happened to be along the road was dazzled by the headlights, and flew directly into the farmer's face!
Monson lost control of the car, which hurtled into a nearby ditch.
He and his boys escaped injury, though the owl perhaps became just a little wiser!
Dakota Datebook written by Sarah Walker
Sources:
Thursday, July 26, 1923