North Dakota is known by several nicknames including the “Peace Garden State”, the “Flickertail State”, and the "Roughrider State".[1] The International Peace Garden is on the international border between North Dakota and the Canadian province of Manitoba. Flickertail refers to the Richardson ground squirrels[2] which are abundant in North Dakota. The tail of these squirrels is constantly moving, hence the name "flickertails." The Roughrider State" nickname come from the First U.S. Volunteer Cavalry organized by Theodore Roosevelt to fight in the Spanish American War called "Roughriders." The First Infantry, North Dakota Volunteers mustered 685 men.[3] North Dakota is the 19th largest state in the U.S., covering an area of approximately 70,700 square miles (183,112 square kilometers).[4] As of 2024, the state had a population of approximately 788,940.[5]
North Dakota’s economy ranks 46th in size among U.S. states.[6] The state’s economy has been largely driven by agriculture and fossil fuels production, with recent efforts to diversify into manufacturing and other sectors.[7][8] North Dakota leads the nation in the production of several commodities, including spring wheat, durum wheat, canola, flaxseed, honey, oats, sunflower, and various pulse crops.[9] The state also has a significant presence in machinery manufacturing, oil and gas extraction, chemical manufacturing, and petroleum and coal products manufacturing.[10][11][12]
As for the state’s most attractive features, North Dakota is renowned for its scenic “badlands”, which are part of the Theodore Roosevelt National Park. The state is also home to the International Peace Garden, a memorial to perpetual peace between Canada and the United States. Other notable attractions include Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park and the Plains Art Museum.
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History of North DakotaHistory of North Dakota
The first recorded European visitor to the area that is now North Dakota was Pierre Gaultier La Vérendrye, a French explorer who reached the Missouri River from Canada in 1738 while searching for a water route to the Pacific Ocean.[13] This marked the beginning of European exploration and subsequent trade with the native tribes in the region.[13]
North Dakota was admitted to the Union on November 2, 1889, becoming the 39th state.[14] The statehood marked the end of the pioneer period, with the state fully settled by around 1920.[15]
While North Dakota is far from the areas traditionally associated with the Civil War, events did warrant sending resources, men, equipment, and supplies to the frontier as conflicts between Dakota tribes and Euro-American settlers became more frequent.[16] There are five Civil War Battlefields in North Dakota, as defined by the Civil War Sites Advisory Commission[17] established by Congress in 1990.[16]
The 19th century saw rapid economic, cultural, and political change in the region.[18] The fur trade brought European men of many nations to compete for economic advantage; the army demonstrated the power of the United States government; Dakota Territory was established; and pioneers from the States and Europe began to build farms and towns.[18]
The 20th century brought further changes to North Dakota. The state’s economy, which has been heavily based on the production of agricultural products such as wheat, flaxseed, and cattle since its early days, saw a decline in the farming industry due to agricultural mechanization.[19] This led to population declines in formerly heavy farming areas. However, the state’s population rebounded from its low point of approximately 618,000 in 1970 to the state’s all-time record population of almost 724,000 just forty years later, owing largely to a vigorous energy economy of hydroelectricity, coal, shale oil, and wind.[20]
Demographics of North DakotaDemographics of North Dakota
The demographic distribution of the North Dakota population is as follows:[21]
- White: 84.9%
- Native American: 5.06%
- Two or more races: 3.85%
- Black or African American: 3.15%
- Asian: 1.59%
- Other race: 1.29%
- Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 0.15%
Most common surnames in North DakotaMost common surnames in North Dakota
Researching family history in North DakotaResearching family history in North Dakota
The National Archives at Kansas City hold important government records for Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota. The State Historical Society of North Dakota has been established to identify, preserve, interpret, and promote the heritage of North Dakota and its people. The North Dakota State Library is a division of the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction and has a limited collection of online genealogy resources. An collection of historical records is maintained by the North Dakota State University Archives. Digital Horizons is an online resource for thousands of images, documents, video, and oral histories depicting life on the Northern Plains from the late 1800s to today. There is also a North Dakota State Genealogical Society located in Bismark, North Dakota.
North Dakota county listNorth Dakota county list
North Dakota has 53 counties.
| Adams | Barnes | Benson | Billings |
| Bottineau | Bowman | Burke | Burleigh |
| Cass | Cavalier | Dickey | Divide |
| Dunn | Eddy | Emmons | Foster |
| Golden Valley | Grand Forks | Grant | Griggs |
| Hettinger | Kidder | LaMoure | Logan |
| McHenry | McIntosh | McKenzie | McLean |
| Mercer | Morton | Mountrail | Nelson |
| Oliver | Pembina | Pierce | Ramsey |
| Ransom | Renville | Richland | Rolette |
| Sagent | Sheridan | Sioux | Slope |
| Stark | Steele | Stutsman | Towner |
| Traill | Walsh | Ward | Wells |
| Williams |
See alsoSee also
Explore more about North DakotaExplore more about North Dakota
MyHertitage.com has 8 valuable collections of North Dakota documents and records. These include North Dakota Marriages, North Dakota Deaths, North Dakota Biographies, and North Dakota Divorces. Additional valuable records can be found in the North Dakota Collection Catalog.
References
- ↑ Nicknames | North Dakota State Government - ND Portal
- ↑ Richardson's Ground Squirrel - Facts, Diet, Habitat & Pictures on Animalia.bio
- ↑ North Dakota Militia Regiments - Spanish American War
- ↑ How Big is North Dakota?
- ↑ North Dakota Population 2024 (Demographics, Maps, Graphs)
- ↑ Economy of North Dakota Statistics and Data Trends: GDP ranking, unemployment rate, and economic growth | USAFacts
- ↑ Economy - North Dakota Compass
- ↑ Where North Dakota Places in the U.S. News Best States Rankings
- ↑ North Dakota Agriculture
- ↑ Studies highlight impact of oil and gas industry on North Dakota’s economy, counties | North Dakota State Government - ND Portal
- ↑ Advanced Manufacturing
- ↑ Top 10 Manufacturing Companies in North Dakota - IndustrySelect®[1]
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 First People - Summary of North Dakota History - State Historical Society of North Dakota
- ↑ Statehood - Summary of North Dakota History - State Historical Society of North Dakota
- ↑ North Dakota History Timeline: North Dakota Important Dates
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 The Civil War in North Dakota | State Historical Society of North Dakota Blog
- ↑ Civil War Sites Advisory Commission
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 Unit 3: Commerce, Culture, and Conflict, 1800 - 1878 North Dakota History Primary Sources State Historical Society of North Dakota
- ↑ North Dakota - Native Tribes, Settlers, Economy | Britannica
- ↑ North Dakota
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 North Dakota Population 2024 (Demographics, Maps, Graphs)