Dakota Datebook

At 1,875 miles, U.S. Route 281 is the longest continuous north-south U.S. highway, running from the Canadian border in the north to the Mexican border in the south. The northern terminus is at Dunseith, North Dakota, near the International Peace Garden. The highway serves as a vital north-south corridor for both business and leisure travel.

The effort of North Dakota women to win the right to vote began in earnest in the late 19th century and continued to grow. Famed suffragettes like Susan B. Anthony arrived in the state to help organize the movement. British suffragettes also came to offer support and encouragement. In 1912, Sylvia Pankhurst spent time in North Dakota on a lecture tour. She spoke to large and enthusiastic crowds. When she came to Fargo, the newspaper called her “one of the world’s most notable women.”

The North Dakota State Archives houses a collection of papers compiled by local WPA workers during the 1930s. These include a variety of interviews and gathered information about people, places, and more, all related to North Dakota.

Early in 1902, the United Mine Workers called for a strike in the anthracite coal fields of eastern Pennsylvania. They demanded safer working conditions and higher wages. The mine owners refused to meet with the union. George F. Baer, leader of the operators, insisted that so-called “labor agitators” did not have the best interests of the miners at heart. He claimed the owners would protect the workers' rights.

Over six decades, Miss Briggs was likely the most frequently mentioned name in the Wahpeton papers. Her advertisements and activities were regular fodder.

During the 1860s, Major General John Pope needed additional troops in the Trans-Mississippi West, but the Union Army was preoccupied with the Civil War. General Ulysses S. Grant sent the only troops he felt he could spare: the 1st U.S. Volunteer Regiment, made up of former Confederate soldiers who had been taken prisoner and were willing to trade their gray uniforms for blue.

When 21-one-year-old Berth Kaepernick talked her way into the bronc riding event at the Cheyenne Frontier Days in 1904, she became the first woman to compete against men at one of the big rodeos.

October is Archives Month, when archives across the country celebrate their records and recognize the archivists who assess, collect, preserve, and provide access to information of lasting value. The North Dakota State Archives is part of the State Historical Society of North Dakota.

October is Archives Month, an occasion to recognize the efforts to assess, collect, organize, preserve, and provide access to information of lasting value.

Wahpeton was in a tizzy on June 10, 1897 as the Ringling Brothers Circus train pulled into town. A crowd gathered to watch the unloading of the flashy white horses, the exotic animals, and the gaudy circus wagons. Children gathered, hoping to be chosen as temporary help, since the circus gave free tickets to boys who helped to hoist the big main tent.