Dakota Datebook

A tattered mansion on 8th Street, which still stands today, was once the home of U.S. Senator Porter J. McCumber of Wahpeton. Five blocks north of the old silk-stocking block is the Wahpeton Indian School, now known as the Circle of Nations.

On this date in 1897, an 'air ship' was spotted in the skies across eastern North Dakota. The Larimore Pioneer in Grand Forks County reported eyewitness accounts of the event. Three men in particular—Chief Clerk W.A. Willian, Agent J. McNaught, and Janitor Chris Johnson—shared their observations. They said the object was first seen shortly before 11 PM, moving swiftly in a northwesterly direction, with a noticeable swaying motion.

"It wouldn’t be so bad if it weren’t for the wind!" Many a North Dakotan has lamented the state’s well-known whirlwinds—and for good reason. North Dakota is relatively flat, with few natural formations to block the wind. So, it’s no surprise that the weather has been a topic of interest in newspapers since the region became a state.

Mount Tambora is a volcanic mountain in Indonesia. It may be hard to imagine how an eruption there could affect the Great Plains, especially from so far away on the other side of the world. But on this date in 1815, it did exactly that. The eruption began on April 5, with small tremors hinting at a major event. Then, on the evening of April 10, a cataclysmic explosion blew the mountain apart. A thick cloud of hot rock fragments and gases, known as a pyroclastic flow, rolled down the mountainside. The explosion and the tsunamis it triggered killed 10,000 people and destroyed 35,000 homes. And that was just the beginning.

No proposed tariff has ever been universally popular among all Americans. In the early 1900s, a tariff proposal highlighted the tensions between differing interests. Many Americans supported tariffs to discourage monopolies from raising prices. Industrialists believed tariffs on foreign products would protect their business interests. However, a tariff that protected one interest could harm another. New England, which produced no coal, opposed a tariff on that product. But Pennsylvania, a major coal producer, strongly supported the tariff.

Wildfires have historically played an important role in the ecology of the Great Plains. Fires on the plains help remove accumulated litter, stimulate native grass growth, and slow the spread of invasive plants.

In the United States, Arbor Day originated in Nebraska. As settlers moved west, they were struck by the lack of trees. Newspaper editor Julius Morton used his platform to stress the importance of trees. His message resonated with readers. In 1872, he proposed a day dedicated to planting trees, and Arbor Day was born.

April is a time of optimism as the region thaws, and thoughts turn to planting and warmer weather. However, it’s also a deceptive time, as the last gasps of winter can still wreak havoc, surprising those who believe the snow is finished. March and April storms have earned their place in residents' memories, like the March 1966 blizzard. But the 1997 blizzard, named “Hannah” by the Grand Forks Herald, came with an intensity and consequences that belied its innocent name.

George Haneckeyk was born in Denmark in 1886 and came to North Dakota in 1910. In 1916, he had a run-in with the law when he attacked and tried to kill a girl in Minot. He was found guilty and sentenced to three and a half years in prison. After being discharged in 1918, he opened a painting shop in Bismarck. It seemed he had changed. He was a quiet man who kept to himself and caused no trouble. He did some painting at the police office and even became friends with some officers. While he was never a police officer, he was occasionally sworn in to assist the department when extra help was needed.

North Dakota Agricultural College opened on January 3, 1892, with 123 students. Farmers were initially skeptical that "college boys" could help them improve their farms. However, they were pleasantly surprised as professors took students out into the field to consult with farmers through the extension service, offering in-person courses and consultations.