Today in North Dakota History
April 16, 1948 |
A Red River flood crested at 41.6 feet at Grand Forks. |
April 17, 1934 |
Indictment returned by grand jury at Fargo, charging Governor William Langer with violating law prohibiting one federal employee from soliciting campaign funds from another. |
April 18, 1950 |
Water went over 40-foot level at Grand Forks, remaining there until April 29 in the first of two serious floods that year. |
April 19, 1852 |
The Swiss artist, Rudolph Kurz, began his homeward trip after nearly a year on the Upper Missouri portraying Indians, animals, traders and various fur trade articles. Kurz, who kept a detailed journal, spent most of his time at Fort Union, near the confluence of the Missouri and Yellowstone Rivers. |
April 25, 1823 |
General Stephen H. Long's exploration authorized to establish Canadian boundary. |
April 26, 1805 |
Captain Meriwether Lewis scouted locality at junction of Yellowstone and Missouri Rivers and suggested it was "a butifull commanding situation for a fort." |
April 30, 1942 |
First permit issued by N.D. Geological Survey for the Carter Oil Co.-E. L. Semling Well in Oliver County. |
April 30, 1803 |
Louisiana Purchase concluded with France, giving U.S. title to all of North Dakota except portions drained by Red and Mouse Rivers. |
April 29, 1920 |
The contract was let for the State Mill and Elevator in Grand Forks, which was symptomatic of the victory won by the state's agrarian forces. |
May 1, 1882 |
Hillsboro was organized as a municipality with John DeGroat as its first mayor. |
May 1, 1885 |
State hospital for mentally ill opened at Jamestown as territorial institution. |
May 2, 1898 |
Eight infantry companies of National Guard are accepted for service in the Spanish-American War. |
May 7, 1917 |
Law enforcement officers, led by Attorney General William Langer, swooped down on Minot in biggest "raid" in history of state. |
May 7, 1935 |
Federal Court of Appeals ordered new trial for former Governor William Langer because of "insufficiency of evidence" to sustain conviction of violating law prohibiting one federal employee from soliciting political contributions from another. |
May 7, 1960 |
The fast segment of Interstate Highway 29 in North Dakota, Pembina to Drayton, was dedicated, It was the first stretch of interstate highway reaching an international border. |
May 12, 1950 |
Red River flood crested at 45.79 feet. |
May 14, 1889 |
Delegates elected to state constitutional convention -- a requisite for statehood later in the same year. The convention was called for July 4. |
May 16, 1871 |
Joseph Rolette died at Pembina. |
May 17, 1801 |
Alexander Henry selected spot for building fort at Pembina. |
May 17, 1876 |
Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer left Fort Abraham Lincoln on the Little Big Horn campaign. |
May 19, 1742 |
Sons of Pierre Verendrye, the explorer, visited Mandan Indians on their search for a western sea near high mountains. |
May 20, 1862 |
Homestead Act became effective. |
May 22, 1869 |
Sioux-Arikara battle fought at site of Washburn. |
May 22, 1934 |
Trial of William Langer and others on charges of violating federal political contribution law began at Bismarck. |
May 22, 1888 |
North Dakota Medical Association organized at Grand Forks with Dr. J.G. Millspaugh of Park River as its first president. |
May 26, 1872 |
Troops withdrawn from old Fort Ransom. |
May 28, 1963 |
Patrons of the Central Valley School District agreed on a site for a new high school, midway between Buxton and Reynolds after a long controversy. |
May 27, 1872 |
At Jamestown, then known as the James River crossing, Fort Seward was established for the protection of railway construction crews. It existed as a fort for only five years. |
May 31, 1963 |
Dedication of Twamley Hall, administration building at the University of North Dakota, Grand Forks; it replaced Old Main, first building at the university. |
June 1, 1873 |
The first Americans arrived at Pembina to join the Canadian Army in a survey of the northern border. The survey, started in 1872 by the Canadians, continued until 1876. |
June 3, 1883 |
Territorial legislators choose Bismarck for capital. |
June 4, 1949 |
Theodore Roosevelt National Memorial Park, the country's only national memorial park at that time, was dedicated at Medora in the Badlands of western North Dakota. |
June 5, 1873 |
First train arrives in Bismarck. |
June 7, 1893 |
Fire burned almost entire business section of Fargo. |
June 8, 1872 |
First NP train crossed Red River to Fargo. |
June 10, 1880 |
Congress enacted a law throwing the military reservations of Forts Abercrombie, Ransom and Seward open to homestead entry. All had been vacated earlier. |
June 12, 1843 |
J.J. Audubon arrived at Fort Union at the mouth of the Yellowstone River for a two-month sojourn, during which he completed work on two major nature studies, "Quadrupeds of North America" and "Birds of America." |
June 14, 1934 |
Federal court jury convicted Gov. William Langer of violating federal political contribution law. |
June 15, 1866 |
Construction began on Fort Buford, at the mouth of the Yellowstone River in western North Dakota. It was here that Sitting Bull surrendered in 1881. |
June 15, 1889 |
North Dakota Press Association reorganized at Fargo. |
June 14, 1872 |
Fort McKeen was established as an infantry post. Later the same year it was replaced by the cavalry post, Fort Abraham Lincoln. It was Custer's home for several years. |
June 18, 1867 |
For protection of rail construction workers, Fort Ransom was established on the Sheyenne River. |
June 20, 1957 |
Fargo hit by tornado that killed 10, injured more than 100, and destroyed or damaged 1,400 homes. |
June 20, 1966 |
President Lyndon Johnson signed into law the bill establishing the Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site. |
June 22, 1922 |
Alexander McKenzie died in St. Paul, Minnesota. |
June 23, 1952 |
Dr. W.T. Thom, Princeton University chairman of geology, returns to North Dakota 40 years after geological discoveries that led him to give the Williston Basin its name. |
June 24, 1908 |
First statewide primary election (for U.S. senator) held. T.F. Marshall ties M.N. Johnson. Johnson declared nominee in second primary. |
June 25, 1876 |
Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer and his immediate command were annihilated by Indians consisting largely of the Sioux at the Battle of the Little Big Horn. |
June 26, 1919 |
Bank of North Dakota founded. |
June 26, 1952 |
Service Pipeline Company announced it would build a pipeline from oil fields near Tioga to refinery being built at Mandan. |