North Dakota

The Peace Garden State

It takes a lot to become a legend. It takes a personality, a vision, a lifetime of heroic deeds and great accomplishments that transcend time. North Dakota is no stranger to legends. The list of trailblazers and pioneers who have left their mark on this state is as long and diverse as anywhere: Lewis and Clark, Sakakawea, Custer, Sitting Bull and Theodore Roosevelt. Lewis and Clark, and their guide, Sakakawea, are immortalized at the Clark Interpretive Center and Fort Mandan near Washburn.
General George Armstrong Custer commanded Fort Abraham Lincoln near present-day Mandan. From there, he took the 7th Cavalry west to Montana for a show down with chiefs Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse in 1876. Indian tribes celebrate their heritage each September in Bismarck with the United Tribes International Powwow. The celebration features drummers and dancers from around the world. Theodore Roosevelt credited his stay in North Dakota with helping him become the 26th president. Roosevelt’s life is immortalized in the two units of Theodore Roosevelt National Park, connected by the 96-mile-long Maah Daah Hey Trail. The North Dakota Heritage Center on the Capitol Grounds in Bismarck takes visitors from the first settlers to present day, and we still celebrate our diverse cultures with events like Norsk Hostfest at Minot.