When the flu pandemic struck Bismarck in 1918, everyday life ground to a halt. Schools, churches and theaters closed. Public gatherings ended. Bismarck's city health officer ordered waitresses and other food handlers to wear face masks. The Red Cross made and distributed masks to the public. Police had orders to arrest and jail anyone loitering or congregating on streets. The chief of police put extra officers on duty for enforcement. With school off, Bismarck children were banned from congregating. And in these dark days of the pandemic, World War One lingered in its final weeks.