Dakota Datebook

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.

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Episodes 20

August 28: Teachings of Our Elders - Dr. Twyla Baker on Building a Better Society
2d ago · 2:51
In this episode of Dakota Datebook, we'll listen to Dr. Twyla Baker, enrolled member of the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation, talk about building a better society.
August 27: What’s for Lunch at School?
3d ago · 3:03
Late August signals the beginning of a new school year for thousands of students in North Dakota. As schools welcome children for another term, lunch remains an important part of the school day. How have school lunch menus changed over time, and what can they tell us about the past?
August 26: The Great Comet
4d ago · 3:00
Edmund Halley was an English astronomer, mathematician, and physicist. In 1720, he was named the second Astronomer Royal. He produced a map of the stars in the southern sky and received many awards and accolades. On this date in 1682, he made the finding for which he is still remembered today. It was then that Halley identified the comet that still bears his name.
August 25: Boys in Blue
5d ago · 2:23
In August of 1930, men who had fought for the Union during the Civil War and were able to make the trip to Cincinnati were at a convention for the 'Boys in Blue' who marched home with a Union victory in '65.
August 24: Escape Attempt
6d ago · 2:23
On this date in 1916, citizens of Fargo were reading about an attempted escape from the Cass County jail. According to the local papers, "Only the eternal vigilance of Sheriff John Ross and his force of deputies" prevented the escape from happening.
August 21: Not on Shaky Ground
9d ago · 2:49
On this date in 2009, a rather unusual event occurred in North Dakota when residents in the Minot area felt the earth tremble. The earthquake measured 4.2. An earthquake of this magnitude is considered light to moderate and often goes virtually unnoticed.
August 20: Fargo Society snippets from the Wisconsin Afro-American, 1892
10d ago · 3:01
Society columns were once a popular feature in newspapers. Here are some examples from this date in 1892 from the Fargo Society column of the Wisconsin Afro-American.
August 19: North Dakota Wolves
11d ago · 2:58
Wolves once thrived in North Dakota. Early settlers considered them a danger to livestock and to the settlers themselves. In the late 19th century, eradication efforts largely drove them out of the state. Local governments began offering bounties on wolves. In 1893, the Emmons County Record reported that the county board approved paying wolf bounties.
August 18: A Bolt from the Blue
12d ago · 2:44
North Dakota experiences frequent thunderstorms, averaging 25 to 35 storms each year. The storm season usually runs from late spring through early fall. The state is located in the path of winds that bring warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico. The flat terrain allows those winds to move freely, with little to impede the formation of storms.
August 17: Bank Robbery in Lunds Valley
13d ago · 2:30
In August 1921, a wave of bank robberies swept through small towns across North Dakota. The first targets were banks in Honeyford and Niagara in Grand Forks County. On this date, the criminals struck again, this time at the Farmers State Bank in Lunds Valley, Mountrail County.
August 14: On Top of the Food Chain
16d ago · 2:53
On this date in 2003, the United States Navy announced that a contract had been awarded for a new vessel. The Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics in Groton, Connecticut, would build a Virginia-class submarine. Virginia-class submarines are designed for a broad range of open-ocean missions as well as operations closer to shore. They were developed as a less expensive alternative to the Cold War-era Seawolf-class submarines.
August 13: Little Sure Shot
17d ago · 2:56
Buffalo Bill Cody had an astute talent for both business and self-promotion. He turned his experiences as a Pony Express rider, Army scout, and buffalo hunter into a successful career as a major celebrity. Ned Buntline wrote dime novels about Cody, and Buffalo Bill starred in a Broadway show about — who else? — himself.
August 12: Chief Goose
18d ago · 2:45
Chief Giles Goose, also known as Joseph, was an Arikara scout, soldier, and mail carrier whose life reflected the rapid change on the Great Plains. Between 1870 and 1882, Goose served as a scout for the U.S. Army while military posts lined the Missouri River. During this time, he guided and protected settlers and traders traveling along this route, the primary transportation and trade corridor.
August 11: Chokecherry Season is On!
18d ago · 2:43
Prunus virginiana, commonly known as chokecherry, is a remarkably adaptable plant that thrives in diverse growing conditions and climates. It is a member of the rose family, blooming with clusters of white flowers in the spring, followed by dark red cherries. The plant is extremely hardy, able to survive both harsh winters and drought.
August 10: Somewhere in France
20d ago · 3:02
The United States entered World War I on April 6, 1917. Fourteen thousand troops of the American Expeditionary Force landed at Saint-Nazaire, France, on June 26. More than 35,000 North Dakotans served in World War I, with approximately 28,000 deployed overseas.
August 7: Rotten Tomatoes
23d ago · 2:55
Food contamination was a common problem in the early 20th century. Contaminants that would shock us today were routinely found in food products. Sawdust was added to coffee, and chalk was added to milk to improve its appearance. Vivid colors for candy were created with lead, arsenic, coal tar, and copper compounds.
August 6: A Shortage of Everything
24d ago · 2:42
As World War I progressed, North Dakota began to suffer the consequences, even though the state was far from the battlefields of Europe. On this date in 1917, North Dakota newspapers were filled with reports of shortages affecting people across the state.
August 5: We Might Not Be Alone!
25d ago · 2:54
In spite of the clear skies and wide-open spaces, North Dakota ranks among the states with the fewest UFO sightings. Unidentified flying objects just do not seem very interested in North Dakota. One possible explanation is the state’s low population density. There are simply fewer people to notice what is happening in the sky. South Dakota has similar results. California appears to be the UFO capital, with more than 16,000 historical reports.
August 4: He Tried to Keep Us Out of War
26d ago · 2:53
The election of 1912 was one of the few times North Dakota supported a Democrat for president. It was a time of rapid social and economic change. Voters had a great deal to consider about the role of government in regulating the economy and protecting the rights of citizens against the undue influence of corporate power.
August 3: Maza Meteor
27d ago · 2:53
If you ever see a meteor in the nighttime sky, you will likely be either speechless with wonder or poetic in awe. It is unlikely you would be indifferent. For 62-year-old William W. Barrett, words came easily as he described a summer Saturday-night meteor display in 1894.