July 1, 1919

The fourth Rotary Club in North Dakota was chartered at Williston.

July 1, 1962

Minot Air Force Base was transferred from control of the Air Defense Command to that of the Strategic Air Command.

July 1, 1963

Command of Grand Forks Air Force Base was transferred from the Air Defense Command to the Strategic Air Command.

July 1, 1890

The prohibition section of the North Dakota Constitution became effective.

July 1, 1939

The new North Dakota Board of Higher Education replaced the State Board of Administration as the control body for state institutions of higher learning.

July 1, 1919

Thomas S. Kleppe, congressman from North Dakota since 1967, was born at Kintyre.

July 1, 1895

The North Dakota Geological Survey was established.

July 1, 1907

A Public Health Laboratory was opened at the University of North Dakota.

July 1, 1955

The Camp Hancock Museum at Bismarck opened. Originally a military post, for years the building housed the U. S. Weather Bureau. The original structure, which dates from 1872, was turned over to the State Historical Society in 1951.

July 1, 1954

The graduate school at North Dakota State University became formalized, and Dr. Glenn Smith was named its dean.

July 1, 1895

Establishment of North Dakota Geological Survey.

July 1, 1955

Garrison Diversion Conservancy District organized to plan for irrigation of 250,000 acres, initially in 25 counties.

July 2, 1883

Dakota Territory capital moved from Yankton to Bismarck.

July 2, 1859

Samuel J. Albright established the Dakota Democrat at Sioux Falls City, first newspaper published within the limits of Dakota Territory.

July 2, 1874

General George Custer and an expedition of 1,000 men left Fort Abraham Lincoln, near present-day Mandan, on an expedition that confirmed the discovery of gold in the Black Hills.

July 2, 1863

General Sibley's expedition entered North Dakota at the Cayuga site to campaign against the Indians.

July 2, 1864

President Lincoln approved an act of Congress creating the Northern Pacific Railway.

July 2, 1955

A tornado caused two deaths and $180,000 damage at Walcott.

July 2, 1868

The largest Indian peace parley held in North Dakota convened at Fort Rice. There were said to have been 50,000 Indians on hand. Peace commissioners included Generals William S. Harvey, Alfred H. Terry and John B. Sanborn.

July 2, 1875

George H. Walsh published the first edition of the Grand Forks Plaindealer, the first newspaper of the village.

July 1, 1892

A special three-day session of the North Dakota Legislature convened to provide for election of presidential electors for 1892, so North Dakotans could have a voice in the selection of the President.

July 1, 1916

The First North Dakota Infantry was mustered into federal service at Camp Lincoln at Bismarck.

July 1, 1940

The Rural Electrification Administration announced an $860,000 loan to Minnkota Power Cooperative to build a generating plant at Grand Forks.

July 3, 1839

Lieutenant John C. Fremont, "the great pathfinder," and Lieutenant Jean N. Nicollet began exploring east-central North Dakota.

July 3, 1907

Natural gas was discovered on the Parker farm, 9.5 miles south of Westhope, while drilling for water.

July 3, 1805

Sioux massacred rival Indians on the Tongue River, in what now is North Dakota, killing or taking 14 men, women and children prisoner.

July 3, 1871

The first Grand Forks area voting precinct was established at John Stewart's stage station, located on the banks of the Red River at what now is Grand Forks. The precinct stretched from the Turtle River on the north to the Goose River on the south.

July 3, 1947

Nine people were killed by a tornado in Walsh County.

July 4, 1889

Sitting Bull led 500 warriors down the streets of Bismarck in a parade, followed by the 75 elected delegates to the North Dakota Constitutional Convention, which convened that day.

July 4, 1919

The Grand Forks post of the American Legion was organized.

July 4, 1942

A plaque was unveiled at Whitestone Hill Battlefield State Park, near Monango, to commemorate the Indians killed in a three-day battle, September 3-5, 1863, by forces under General Alfred H. Sully.

July 4, 1962

A state historical museum was dedicated in North Dakota's oldest community, Pembina.

July 3, 1836

The territory of Wisconsin was created, including the part of North Dakota east of the Missouri River.

July 3, 1864

The site was selected and construction started on Fort Rice, south of Mandan on the west bank of the Missouri, by General Alfred H. Sully.

July 4, 1889

The North Dakota Constitutional Convention opened in Bismarck.

July 4, 1871

The Fargo townsite was established, although not given that name until the following year.

July 4, 1883

The first train arrived at the site of Devils Lake and was met by the steamboat Minnie H.

July 4, 1886

Theodore Roosevelt was the principal speaker for Dickinson's first Independence Day celebration.

July 5, 1889

Fredrick B. Fancher, a Republican and Farmers Alliance member, was elected chairman of the North Dakota Constitutional Convention at Bismarck.

July 5, 1966

Raymond C. Dobson, publisher of The Minot Daily News, was elected grand exalted ruler of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.

July 5, 1876

Clement A. Lounsberry, editor-founder of The Bismarck Tribune, scored one of journalism's biggest scoops -- filing 50,000 words by telegraph on the Custer Massacre to The New York Herald.

July 5, 1876

The steamer Far West reached Bismarck with news of the Custer Massacre and the wounded from Reno's force.

July 5, 1888

The plat for the townsite of Rolla, seat of Rolette County, was filed.

July 6, 1881

The first service of the Mayville Congregational Church, the first church established in Mayville, was held in the open air.

July 6, 1873

Colonel C.A. Lounsberry publishes first issue of The Bismarck Tribune, the state's oldest newspaper in existence today, although it carried the date of July 11. Delays in setting type and fear that legal advertising would be invalidated if dated on a holiday prevented first issue from being published on July 4.

July 6, 1910

Formation of Renville County, named for pioneer trader Gabriel Renville, was recognized by executive proclamation. It had been separated from Ward County at an election on Nov. 30, 1908.

July 6, 1910

Burke County was organized. Carved out of the northwestern townships of Ward County, it was named in honor of Governor John R. Burke.

July 6, 1910

The Abbey Church at Richardton was dedicated.

July 6, 1918

During World War I, William Jennings Bryan, three-time Democratic candidate for president, delivered a patriotic address at Grand Forks.

July 7, 1862

The first of four wagon trains led by Capt. James L. Fisk, and including 117 men and 13 women in 53 wagons, left Fort Abercrombie for the west.