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Sitting Bull to Phil Jackson, cattle to prairie dogs, knoefla 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.
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.
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Founded on this date in 1854, the Republican Party quickly became a political force. Throughout the 1850s, Republicans and Democrats voiced strong disagreements about new states. Republicans believed the Dakota and Washington territories would support their policies. Democrats were counting on the Montana and New Mexico territories. Each party sought to admit only states that would support its policies.
Even if a day starts under bright sunshine, winter on the Great Plains is unforgiving, and a snowstorm can close in rapidly. Such a day was March 15, 1920.
Norval Baptie was born on this date in 1879. He's enshrined in Canada's Sports Hall of Fame and is in the Ice Skating Hall of Fame.
The Dakota Territory was created in 1861. It included what would become the states of North and South Dakota, as well as parts of what would become Wyoming and Montana. It consisted of the northernmost portion of the 1803 Louisiana Purchase.
An old postcard of the Wahpeton Indian School shows a line of buildings and a cow minding her own business. She was Beauty Colantha Fresian Tidy No. 1083302, a retired dairy champion whose celebrity status entitled her to graze along Seventh Street in view of the public.
In the early years of the twentieth century, the Middle East was in turmoil. After World War I, European powers carved up the Ottoman Empire, creating new territories under colonial control. The upheaval led to the rise of nationalist groups and conflict, not only with foreign powers, but also with rival resistance factions and bandit gangs.
On this date in 1937, The Institute of Heraldry approved the design for the North Dakota Distinguished Service Medal.
In 1775, George Washington appointed Colonel Richard Gridley as his first chief engineer and gave him two assistants. Congress formally created the United States Army Corps of Engineers on this date in 1779. The Corps included several French officers and played an instrumental role in Revolutionary War battles, including Battle of Bunker Hill, Battles of Saratoga, and the final victory at Siege of Yorktown.
Alexander Griggs was a trader who used flatboats to transport goods to Canada. In the fall of 1870, he set out too late and became stuck at a French trading post when the river froze. He spent the winter in a cabin he built and began to realize he had found an excellent location for a new settlement.
March in North Dakota signals the coming of spring, the last gasps of winter and basketball. High school teams across the state battle through the regular season, with successful squads earning trips to district tournaments and hoping to secure a spot in the state tournament to compete for the title of best in the state.
When Franklin D. Roosevelt stepped into the White House on March 4, 1933, the country was gripped by the Great Depression. Bank failures and record unemployment were ravaging the nation. Roosevelt knew Americans wanted a confident president who could lead them through the storm, and he was determined to hit the ground running.
At one time, North Dakota could have claimed recognition as the third-largest nuclear power if it were a separate country, with about 250 Minuteman III missiles, each carrying up to three warheads. Deterring Soviet aggression was a primary goal of the United States during the Cold War. Several factors led to placing nuclear missiles in the state. The wide expanses of open land allowed them to be located far from densely populated areas. This also made the sites easier to protect.
When a new baby is born, there’s great anticipation about the name. For Abraham and Minnie Vaupel, the decision was clear. They chose to emphasize the “V” in their last name, Vaupel, by giving each of their children a first name that also began with “V.”
On this date in 1937, The Foster County Independent reported that 15-year-old Robert Kuntz of Harvey had accidentally shot himself but not fatally. Just weeks earlier, he had fallen through an ice pocket on the Sheyenne River and somehow survived that, too.
On a cold winter evening in 1907, years of family conflict came to a tragic climax. Fred Cramer came home and found that his wife, Laura, had not prepared dinner. Fred was furious. He grabbed a club and started up the stairs.
In this episode of Dakota Date book, we'll hear Josie Lawrence, enrolled member of the Spirit Lake Dakota Nation share a bit about how to teach by example.
In North Dakota, a woman coaching high school basketball remains rare enough to make headlines. As recently as January 2026, the Fargo Forum profiled the only two women coaching basketball in the state’s highest sports classification. Both led girls’ teams. A woman coaching boys’ basketball is rarer still.
On this date in 1969, the North Dakota Senate Agriculture Committee heard a contentious argument over the destiny of milk prices. On one side was the Milk Stabilization Board, which wanted more power to set the minimum price of milk in the state.
Wahpeton Indian School was established as a government institution by an Act of Congress in 1904 and was a source of civic pride and regular news coverage early in its history. After construction was completed, many public events were held in the new facilities, which were considered the best in town.
On this date in 1973, a happy puppy tale warmed the heart of winter. The lucky puppy owners were interviewed by the Wahpeton Daily News for an “authentic, believe-it-or-not” feel-good story.
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