What does America at 250 Mean to North Dakotans?

THE North Dakota 250 Commission and the State Historical Society of North Dakota officially kicked off our state's celebration of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence on November 2, 2025. ND250 is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to explore the totality of North Dakota's history and what it means to be both an American and a North Dakotan. We are excited to invite North Dakotans to reflect upon what their ancestors were doing 250 years ago and what it means to them today to be an American.While we are geographically a long way from the original thirteen colonies, there was a lot going on 250 years ago among the flourishing Native American populations in the region that became North Dakota. Some Native American populations have called the geography of North Dakota their home for at least 650 generations, some with origin stories encompassing all of time. What you would have found in North Dakota 250 years ago or earlier if you visited was a widely populated state with a variety of thriving, sophisticated Native American societies. Mobile Plains Indian cultures built on the horse and hunting bison coexisted with agricultural communities. Various communities hunted, grew, preserved, produced, and stored massive amounts of food and trade goods each year. The Nomadic cultures planned and timed their movements with much intent and deep understanding of growing and fruiting seasons, animal migration patterns, geologic formations, weather, and celestial patterns. It was a very purposeful existence.1By the late 1700s, communities such as Double Ditch, now a state historic site, existed up and down the Missouri River in today's central North Dakota. From 1750–1776, Double Ditch was larger than ninety percent of North Dakota's communities today. They were working farm operations on a commercial scale producing enough food for both consumption and trade. Trade networks consisted of various commodities flowing out of North Dakota such as corn, beans, and Knife River Flint, while materials from coastal areas flowed inward such as shells, feathers, and other decorative goods. Knife River flint can be found all over the central and eastern United states particularly in the Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks complex and around the Great Lakes region. In short it was a lot like you would imagine other places in the world 250 years ago to be—vibrant, bustling, and complicated—all based on a keen understanding of human needs and available resources. Prior to the United States government forcing these groups of Natives onto the small reservations of today, they occupied territories well beyond the current state boundaries.2European colonization and impacts from the fur trade were felt in what is now North Dakota for decades even before Euro-Americans began arriving in great numbers. These first influences showed up in about 1650 as populations began to react to coastal settlement and inland trade and travel. The arrival of the horse in North America permanently changed Native American dynamics. European diseases such as smallpox also appeared around 1776 with devastating impact.By the end of the American Revolution, global political events were set in place that would change North Dakota and its landscape forever. Native Americans living here would adapt to these abrupt changes and lose vast amounts of territory to incoming Europeans. In the next 100 years, immigrants from around the world made Dakota Territory their home. On November 2, 1889, North Dakota became the 39th state. By 1910, twenty-seven percent of North Dakota residents were foreign born, primarily comprising Norwegians and Germans from Russia.North Dakota has always been a place of change, filled with resilient people. Today the five tribal nations sharing the geography of North Dakota make up about six percent of the state's population. They include the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation, Spirit Lake Nation, Standing Rock Sioux Nation, Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate Nation, and the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Nation. Native language programs are bringing traditional communications to a new generation, new commerce strategies are popping up, and a tourism organization has been formed by the five tribal nations to help educate the world about Native cultures and places. Our populations and cultures continue to evolve.The State Historical Society of North Dakota acts as the state's central history keepers and protectors.3 The agency exists to document the experiences of North Dakotans, serve as the official repository of North Dakota governmental records, maintain and promote history and culture of the state, and manage sixty museums and historic sites. Headquartered at the State Capitol grounds in Bismarck in the ND Heritage Center & State Museum are State Archives, Administration, Archaeology & Historic Preservation, and Audience Engagement & Museum Departments.As the agency preparers for ND 250, it will use its collections, exhibit areas, historic sites and places, and partnerships with others to share our stories. In the words of 34th Governor of North Dakota Kelly Armstrong, “This milestone offers a meaningful opportunity for North Dakotans to come together and reflect on the values that shaped the United States into the greatest nation in the world. North Dakota is proud to play a leading role in honoring America's 250th anniversary through education, remembrance and civic engagement, while paying tribute to the generations of exceptional North Dakotans who continue to define our state and contribute to the American success story.”4The State Historical Society of North Dakota received funding from the 68th and 69th legislative assemblies for the ND250 Commission. The Commission oversees funding for promotions and the ND250 Grant Program administered by the State Historical Society. The goal of the commission is to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the United States through inclusive community projects and events that inspire North Dakotans to renew and strengthen our democracy. Grants of up to $10,000 are available to non-profit organizations, as well as city, county, or tribal governments, for projects related to the celebration of the past 250 years of North Dakota's people, places, innovations, and achievements contributing to the nation's story. Eligible projects may include: Implementing tours, hosting exhibits or public programs, creating educational materials, organizing travel to Bismarck to visit the ND250 exhibit at the North Dakota Heritage Center & State Museum (Opening June 2026).Over the Fourth of July celebrations in 2026, a national signature America 250 event will take place in the western town of Medora with the grand opening of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library. The media screens of the entire nation will be on Medora for this spectacular event and place exploring the legacy and life of the 26th president. Roosevelt stood for leadership, conservation, and citizenship. This expansive project will be an environmental and technical marvel. The State of North Dakota and the State Historical Society are partnering with the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library to leverage extensive state assets at the Chateau De Mores State Historic Site in Medora to ensure that the opening of the library is an unforgettable experience.The State Historical Society's commemorative exhibit at the ND Heritage Center and State Museum in Bismarck will invite visitors to take a journey through the state's past, present, and future role in the American story via interviews, text, film footage, photographs, interactive technologies, and 3D objects. Covering the historical developments, global forces, and cultural identities that have shaped the state over the past 250 years, the exhibit features elements such as recordings of tribal leaders discussing their people's origin stories, promotional materials advertising the state to would-be immigrants, and exhibit areas extolling North Dakota's greatest achievements and areas of leadership. It challenges people to understand how the state came to be what it is today and how it will evolve in the next 250 years.Importantly, the exhibit offers a personal roadmap for audiences to engage with their own place in this story in the section, “Where were your people in 1776?” Here, audiences learn about the North Dakota State Archives’ genealogical resources, from Indian boarding school annuals to naturalization records to WPA pioneer histories, that can assist them in researching their ancestries. Additionally, a centennial farm kiosk will allow visitors to explore our agricultural heritage through North Dakota farms that are at least 100 years old; while an animated kids’ kiosk introduces children to the work of archivists, oral historians, and genealogists, aiming to spark a passion for family history research in future generations. Finally, a mosaic of historical and contemporary photographs from the State Archives collections reflects the extraordinary sweep and rich diversity of the people who have and continue to call this place home. In addition, our state historic sites are planning weekly public programs related to the 250th commemoration for all of 2026. A schedule of statewide activities began in November 2025.Whether North Dakota is your home or you are passing through in 2026, you will find remarkable ways to experience and explore the meaning of the United States and our state. From tribal nations grounded here for hundreds of generations to the stories of our recent immigrants, North Dakota will be your guide to engaging experiences revealing our outstanding American stories, past, present, and future. North Dakota is woven into the fabric of the American story. Our story is a work in progress, and everyone has a part to play.