Continental Resources Donates $1.8 million to North Dakota Heritage Center Expansion
Posted 6/18/10 (Fri)
Oklahoma-based Continental Resources, Inc. (NYSE: CLR), has donated $1.8 million to sponsor the North Dakota Inspiration Gallery for the expansion of the North Dakota Heritage Center in Bismarck. The new gallery will interpret North Dakota’s innovators, opportunities and inspirations.
Governor John Hoeven and Senator Byron Dorgan announced the gift January 22 in the main gallery of the North Dakota Heritage Center. Joining 
them was Harold Hamm, Chairman and CEO of Continental Resources, and several Continental Resources executives, state officials, legislative leaders, regional energy industry representatives, board and staff members from the State Historical Society of North Dakota and its Foundation, and other Heritage Center volunteers and supporters.
“Continental Resources is honored to sponsor the North Dakota Inspiration Gallery at the North Dakota Heritage Center,” said Hamm. “About 20 years ago we were drawn to North Dakota to find oil fields of giant proportions. Following the lead and pioneering spirit of those before us, including notables such as Teddy Roosevelt, we knew North Dakota was a land of unlimited opportunity, and we haven’t been disappointed. I believe mankind has an inherent duty to collect, preserve and memorialize our common history and knowledge on Earth and share them with society. Therefore we are very proud to be a participant in this grand project.”
View more photos of the event
Continental Resources is a crude-oil concentrated, independent oil and natural gas exploration and production company with operations primarily in the Rocky Mountain and Mid-Continent regions of the United States. The company focuses its operations in large new and developing plays where horizontal drilling, advanced fracture stimulation and enhanced recovery technologies provide the means to economically develop and produce oil and natural gas reserves from unconventional formations. Continental Resources has been in business in North Dakota since 1991 with offices in Killdeer, Rhame and Bowman, plus another under construction in Tioga. The company is the third largest oil producer in North Dakota.
“The North Dakota Heritage Center is a wonderful facility for showcasing our state’s rich history and culture, and this donation by Continental Resources, Inc., will ensure that North Dakota’s exciting story continues to be shared with future generations,” said Hoeven. “The new Inspiration Gallery will celebrate the pioneers and leaders who have helped define our state and will highlight North Dakota’s climate of opportunity and innovation that has enabled us to partner with world-class companies such as Continental Resources.”
View more about oilman Harold Hamm and his exploration of North Dakota
“Harold Hamm is an American original. He is one of those unique people who make big things happen, as he proved when he pioneered the new drilling techniques that revolutionized oil development in our region,” Dorgan said. “It's appropriate that his generous gift will sponsor the 'Inspiration' gallery at the Heritage Center, because history will record the fact that his innovations have contributed so much to our state. I salute my friend Harold Hamm and the contributions he has made to the richness of our state's history and traditions, and the fullness of opportunity in our future.”
The Heritage Center’s current Main Gallery will become the North Dakota Inspiration Gallery. It will present the last 150 years of the state’s history, and interpret the opportunities, innovations, decisions, and outcomes through captivating stories about North Dakota’s resources, industries, events and people.
“North Dakota’s successful oil and energy development in the 20th Century is one of the many stories that will be shared with the world in this new gallery,” said Merl Paaverud, director of the State Historical Society of North Dakota. “The investment that innovators like Harold Hamm and Continental Resources have made in our state’s oilfields is one of the many stories that will inspire all who visit this gallery.”
The 2009 Legislative Assembly authorized $51.7 million for the expansion of the exhibits and collections spaces of the North Dakota Heritage Center. Of this, $39.7 million in state funds was appropriated. An additional $12 million must come from private and federal funds, says Foundation Executive Director Virginia Nelsen.
According to Development Director Marlo Sveen, the Foundation has raised $5.6 million in private donations to date, and groundbreaking has been tentatively set for this summer.