Nickname: Peace Garden State
Date Ratified: November 2, 1889 (39th)
Capital: Bismarck

Map of North Dakota

• Bismarck was originally the capital of the entire Dakota Territory. Upon achieving statehood though, it was agreed that the capital should be moved to Jamestown, in the eastern part of the state, where most North Dakotans lived (and still live). The state’s official records were even moved to Jamestown in preparation for the first session of the North Dakota Legislature. However, a group of Bismarck residents, angry at the loss of prestige, rode 100 miles on horseback in a January blizzard, to Jamestown, where they stole the state records and absconded with them back to Bismarck. They then held the records hostage until the legislature agreed to move the capital back to Bismarck.
• Rugby, North Dakota is the geographic center of North America.
• The Lewis and Clark Expedition, officially known as the Corps of Discovery, encountered their first grizzly bears in North Dakota.
• If you’ve already South Dakota’s profile, then this one will sound familiar to you. North Dakota and South Dakota were originally one territory prior to statehood. Because of regional rivalries, the Dakota Territory was split in two. In order to not show favoritism when admitting the two states into the Union, President Benjamin Harrison had the paper shuffled, and which state was admitted first was never recorded.
• Despite President Harrison’s attempts, South Dakota was admitted 2nd because the states were registered in alphabetical order.
• The flag of the state of North Dakota, was adopted in 1911, and is a near-exact replica of the unit banner carried by the state’s troop-contingent during the Phillipine-American War.

Flag of North Dakota

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