Dakota Datebook

Two North Dakota political giants died hours apart, decades after their parallel rises to power during a remarkable period in state history.

North Dakota has a long history with baseball. It was a cheap and easily-organized form of entertainment for people living on isolated farms and ranches, giving them the chance to gather for a social event. Those early games tended to be a matter of local pride, with neighboring towns competing. When the railroad arrived, teams began traveling. One of the biggest rivalries was between Grand Forks and Fargo.

Native American Essential Understanding number six is about native contributions. It states native people continue to contribute to all levels of society, from local to global in diverse fields, including medicine, science, government, education, economics, art, music, and many more.

On this date in 1917, American composer Charles Wakefield Cadman, and opera singer Tsianina Redfeather performed in Grand Forks at the Methodist Church after appearing at Bismarck at the City Auditorium the night before. They were doing a small circuit in North Dakota, thanks to the efforts of Sara Cushing of Fargo, wife of Walter Cushing, a well-known North Dakotan newspaper man.

The Homestead Act promoted westward expansion by offering free land to people who would settle in the west, building homes and farms. Colonization companies also played a role. In both the United States and Canada, colonization companies bought tracts of land.

NDSU was created out of a bill that Senator John E. Haggart introduced on January 20, 1890. It called for the development of an Agricultural College and Agricultural Experiment Station in Fargo. The bill passed on March 8, 1890, and the North Dakota Agricultural College became a reality on October 15th that year. While the name might suggest it only focused on farming, the college actually involved many areas of study, including the military.

October is Archives Month, and Halloween! Is a perfect time to discuss mediums and psychics. Their unorthodox work found its way into reports in various newspapers around the state, and these newspapers can be accessed through the North Dakota State Archives.

In this episode of Dakota Datebook, we'll listen to Patricia Christensen, enrolled member of the Spirit Lake Dakota Nation, in part one of her interview concerning traditional foods.

In a letter to his daughter, Ben Franklin suggested the turkey as the national bird. While the turkey was passed over in favor of the eagle for that honor, we Americans like our turkeys. The bird is a popular centerpiece for holiday meals. About 88% of Americans eat turkey on Thanksgiving, adding up to forty-six million turkeys. Christmas is also a popular turkey day, with twenty-two million birds consumed.

What do you first think about when you think about bib overalls? If you grew up in the 1980s and 1990s, you might picture yourself wearing toddler-sized Oshkosh B’gosh overalls in colorful shades of red, blue, or in stripes.