North Dakota shares a lot with South Dakota. They have the same statehood date — Nov. 2, 1889 — making them the 39th and 40th states in the Union. Both also had many of the same Indigenous Tribes inhabiting their borders before Europeans arrived, including the Dakota (or Lakota) nation, Mandan, and Arikara. In fact, there is evidence of Native Americans in the area dating back to at least 13,000 years.
European settlers first arrived in the area in the mid-1700s when French explorer Pierre de La Verendrye visited the Mandan Tribe on behalf of a trading company. Later, Alexander Henry established the first permanent trading post at Pembina in 1801.
Even with the same “birthdays” and entrenched Native American cultures, North Dakota stands out from its southern neighbor in several unique ways. The state’s landscape includes clay-like and sandy river valleys, rolling prairies, and great plans. It has a strong agriculture industry, being one of the top producers of dry edible beans, flaxseed, and canola — it’s the No. 1 honey producer!
The Peace Garden State’s charm and farming legacy can be explored in its National Monuments and landmarks. Read on to learn more!
Lynch Quarry Site: This historic landmark, also known as the Lynch Knife River Flint Quarry, is located east of Dunn Center, North Dakota. The Knife River runs through central North Dakota, exposing large flint cobble deposits. These cobbles or boulders were quarried or mined through digging, with the area being a major source of flint. The sedimentary rock was estimated to have been mined from 11,000 B.C. to A.D. 1600 — found at archaeological sites across North America. Flint, also known as chert, is a common stone found worldwide. Prehistoric people fashioned spear and arrow points, knives — where the Knife River gets its name — and a wide range of other tools from this strong stone. Native Americans camped and harvested flint for their tools and weapons at Lynch’s Knife River Flint quarries. In 2011, the National Parks Service (NPS) designated the site a National Historic Landmark.
Photo Courtesy National Parks Service
The Menoken Indian Village Site: The village is an archeological site near the state capital of Bismarck, North Dakota. The small community consisted of approximately 30 oval-shaped, earth-covered houses, first excavated in the 1930s. For many years, it was thought to be a Mandan village visited by La Verendrye, who first came to the site in 1738. Archaeological investigations in the 1990s have revealed evidence that the location was occupied by ancestors of one of the region’s major Tribal groups. NPS declared the village a National Historic Landmark in 1964, and it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1966. Open to the public, visitors can do a free walking tour of the grounds.
Photo Courtesy Magicpiano
The Frederick A. and Sophia Bagg Bonanza Farm: Old MacDonald would have been envious of this setup. The farm, also known as Bagg Bonanza Farm, is a former agriculture operation in Richland County, North Dakota, open in 1915 and 1935. From the 1870s to 1920, bonanza farms were large, commercial farming enterprises that grew thousands of acres of wheat, most commonly in northwestern Minnesota and the Dakotas. According to business practices of the period, the owners operated the 7,000-acre farm like a factory. It is one of the best-preserved examples of a bonanza farm complex in the nation, and NPS declared it a National Historic Landmark in 2005. The surviving farm complex is now owned by a local nonprofit organization and runs as a museum. You can get a tour on the weekends from Memorial Day in May through Labor Day in September.
Photo Courtesy Historic Bagg Bonanza Farm