Explore Legendary North Dakota

North Dakota has been ranked as the friendliest state. Found in the north central portion of the country, it is home to more than 600,000 residents and is also ranked as the safest state. The capital city is Bismarck, with its Capitol Building nicknamed the “Skyscraper on the Prairie.” Its largest cities are Fargo, Bismarck, Grand Forks, Minot and West Fargo.

In its 70,703 square miles of land, North Dakota is known for its abundant hunting and fishing opportunities. With 20 state parks that offer countless things to see and do, places to visit might include Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site, the International Peace Garden and Theodore Roosevelt National Park.

For the more adventurous, check out the annual french fry feed in Grand Forks, North Dakota. No stranger to agriculture, the state produces enough soybeans to fabricate 212 billion crayons annually. There are so many sugarbeets produced, there is enough sugar to sweeten 27 billion gallons of Kool-Aid.

The economy these days relies largely on industry. Processing plants for food items are popular, as well as farm equipment assembly plants. North Dakota also produces lignite, clay, sand, gravel and natural gas. With the help of Garrison Dam and the Missouri River, North Dakota produces 400,000 kilowatts of electricity each year that is then distributed to the Missouri Basin areas.

Steeped in history, North Dakota was settled originally by Native American tribes. Nomadic tribes in the region included the Crow, Sioux, Cheyenne, Cree, Chippewa and the Assiniboine. There were also agriculturally-based tribes, the Hidatsa and the Arikara. Once part of the Dakota Territory with present-day South Dakota, Montana and Wyoming, North Dakota became part of the union in 1889 as the 39th state. The Lewis and Clark expedition wintered in North Dakota and it was home to fur trading companies. John Jacob Astor's fur company gained the monopoly on the fur trade there, helping him make his fortune.

North Dakota has several nicknames, such as the Peace Garden State, the Sioux State, the Flickertail State and the Rough Rider State. North Dakota’s tree since 1947 has been the American Elm. Its bird is the western meadowlark and its song, "North Dakota Hymn," were established the same year. The beverage of choice is milk and the state flower is the wild prairie rose. North Dakota has both a state fish, the pike, and horse, the Nakota.

Sons and daughters of North Dakota include William H. Gass, Angie Dickenson, Maxwell Anderson and Elizabeth Bodine all called North Dakota home.