Thread:61Storm/@comment-29709319-20190401001525/@comment-29709319-20190419015121

National Themes For April 19th: National Clean Out Your Medicine Cabinet Day, National Hanging Out Day, National Oklahoma City Bombing Commemoration Day, National Garlic Day, National Amaretto Day, and 💜National North Dakota Day💜.

💊National Clean Out Your Medicine Cabinet Day goal is to raise awareness and effectively rid homes of unused or expired prescription and over-the-counter medications sitting in medicine cabinets, night stands or kitchen cabinets that have the potential for diversion or abuse by family members, friends or visitors to your home. Your medicine cabinet might be filled with many ticking time-bombs—you just don’t know which drug, when it will happen or who might be affected. You can do your part to dispose of those leftover and unused medications that can lead to misuse, addiction, poisoning or death. Today, the country is in a pitched battle in the war against opioid addiction. Seventy percent of opioid dependence, overdoses and deaths begin with leftover drugs in the medicine cabinet—a startling statistic speaking directly to the danger of leftover, unused pain prescriptions. But, opioids are just one of the dangerous drugs found lying around our homes. Others, such as antidepressants, muscle-relaxers, ADHD medications and sleep aids remaining in medicine cabinets may result in misuse, diversion, poisoning, abuse, and death. Additionally, some expired medications may become toxic. For instance, studies indicate the commonly prescribed drug tetracycline may degrade to the point of becoming toxic to the kidneys. How you dispose of your expired or unused medications is just as important as why. Environmental studies have shown that flushed medications flow into our water supply, they negatively impact the fish we eat and the water we drink. When discarded in the trash, medications leach into and contaminate the soil. Site-of-use, or at-home drug disposal solutions offer a safe, effective and eco-friendly way of ridding your home of medications that are no longer needed or have expired. As a supplement to site-of-use drug disposal on April 19, you may also consider participating in the Drug Enforcement Agency’s (DEA’s) National Drug Takeback Day on Wednesday, April 27. DisposeRx founded National Clean Out Your Medicine Cabinet Month Day to raise awareness of the risks associated with keeping leftover or expired prescription or over the counter medications in your home. Drug addiction, overdose, poisonings and deaths related to leftover medications are real. So is contamination of our environment from flushing medications or putting them in the trash. DisposeRx provides a safe and effective way to dispose of expired and unused medications that is easy to use and eco-friendly.

🍁National Hanging Out Day! Project Laundry List works with hundreds of other organizations to sponsor National Hanging Out Day. This day was set aside as a day to encourage communities to learn about the benefits, both financially and environmentally, of using a clothesline for drying laundry. According to Project Laundry Lists’ website, clothes dryers account for an astonishing six to ten percent of residential energy consumption. Hanging your clothes out has several benefits: Good for the environment. Saves you money. It is therapeutic because being outdoors in the fresh air has benefits to your health. National Hanging Out Day has been sponsored by Project Laundry List along with other organizations since 1995. Project Laundry List is a New Hampshire-based group that wants to encourage outdoor drying of clothes, “making air-drying laundry and cold-water washing acceptable and desirable as simple and effective ways to save energy,” as quoted from their mission statement. (http://laundrylist.org/about/history/)

🍁National Oklahoma City Bombing Commemoration Day is in memory of the Oklahoma City bombing on April 19, 1995. The Oklahoma City bombing was a domestic terrorist bomb attack on the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City. It remained the most destructive act of terrorism on American soil until the September 11, 2001, attacks. The blast in Oklahoma City claimed the lives of 168 people, including 19 children under the age of 6. More than 680 people were injured. (http://www.history.com/topics/oklahoma-city-bombing) National Oklahoma City Bombing Commemoration Day is a day of remembrance for those who perished and for those who were injured. If you would like to learn more about this awful day in Oklahoma, you can visit the Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum website athttps://oklahomacitynationalmemorial.org/.

🍁National Garlic Day! This stinking rose is a member of the lily family. This family also includes onions, leeks and shallots. While garlic originated in Asia over 7,000 years ago, it is used in a variety of cuisines, but it is also used for medicinal purposes. It is considered an herbal remedy for colds, and it has been suggested to reduce blood pressure and cholesterol. Modern science has proven garlic’s antibiotic properties. Myth and superstition reek of garlic. The most familiar one is garlic wards off vampires. This same theory seemed to work on witches, werewolves, demons and other such evils one could come across. Folklore tells us garlic grew from satan’s left footprint when he left the Garden of Eden; Greek midwives kept evils spirits away with it, and courage filled Roman soldiers who consumed the bulb. Our dreams often have meaning. Dreaming of garlic is no different. To dream about garlic in the house is supposed to mean good luck and if the dream includes eating garlic (perhaps in a pesto sauce), there might be hidden secrets. There are over 300 varieties of garlic in the world to dream about as well! Gilroy, California is known as the Garlic Capital of the World. Will Rogers was once quoted as saying it is “…the only place in America where you can marinate a steak just by hanging it out on a clothesline.”

🍷National Amaretto Day! Amaretto in Italian means “a little bitter” and is made from bitter almonds or apricot kernels or both. The nuts are infused in pure alcohol or brandy resulting in a strong almond flavor. This traditionally Italian liqueur is fragrant with legend. Taking us back to 1525 Renaissance in Saronno, Italy, painter Bernardino Luini selected a young innkeeper as his model for a fresco of the Madonna of the Miracles. In gratitude for being selected the innkeeper gave the artist a gift of her own secret blend of almond and brandy. It’s not until centuries later that well-guarded recipe was produced on a larger scale in Saronno, Italy. At the turn of the 20th century, Disaronno began producing their amaretto for a broad market. It began appearing for sale in advertisements in the United States in the late 1940s. The family still bottles their recipe today. Another Amaretto tale comes from the same area of Italy but is of a young Lazzaroni couple blessed by the Cardinal of Milan in 1718. The couple honored his visit with a special recipe of their own, producing an amaretto cookie like no other. This one came in a bottle. Their recipe was also a closely guarded family secret for generations. The Lazzaroni family began selling their amaretto liqueur in 1851, and it is still being produced today.

My medicine cabinet gets clean out twice a year mostly just to be straighten back up but expired things are disposed of properly. I don't like my clothes dried on a clothes line their to scratchy. I don't have any vampires hanging out so I will throw the garlic in some pasta sauce. Yum! I'll pass on the Amaretto, we need a designated driver for North Dakota, so hop aboard and here we go.

🇺🇸North Dakota is the nineteenth largest in area and the fourth smallest by population of the 50 states. It was admitted to the Union on November 3, 1889, along with its neighboring state, South Dakota. Its capital is Bismarck, and its largest city is Fargo. Nickname(s): Peace Garden State,Roughrider State, Flickertail State. Motto(s): Liberty and Union, Now or whenever, One and Inseparable till death. State song: "North Dakota Hymn". It's highest point is White Butte at 2,965 ft (903 m). It's lowest point is Red River of the North at Manitoba border at 864 ft (216 m). Living insignia; Bird: 🕊Western meadowlark, Fish: 🐟Northern pike, Flower: 🌷Wild prairie rose, Grass: 🌾Western wheatgrass, Insect: 🐝Western honeybee, Mammal: 🐎Nokota horse, Tree: 🌳American Elm. Inanimate insignia; Beverage: 🥛Milk, Dance: 💃Square dance, and Line dance, Fossil: Teredo petrified wood, Other: 🍒Chokecherry (state fruit). North Dakota contains the tallest human-made structure in the Western Hemisphere, the KVLY-TV mast. CLIMATE: Due to its location in the center of North America North Dakota experiences temperature extremes characteristic of a continental climate, with cold winters and hot summers. One feature of a continental climate is that weather patterns can be unpredictable. Being 1,000 miles (1,609 km) from any large body of water, temperatures and precipitation in North Dakota can vary widely. North Dakota is far enough north to experience -60°F (-51°C) temperatures and blizzards during the winter months, but far enough south to experience 121°F (49°C) temperatures and tornado outbreaks in the summer. The 181 °F degree (100 °C) variation between North Dakota's highest and lowest temperature is the 3rd largest variation of any U.S. State, and the largest of any non-mountainous state. North Dakota is far from major sources of moisture and is in the transition zone between the moist East and the semi-arid West, as precipitation and humidity decrease from east to west. Annual average precipitation across the state ranges from around 14 in (35.6 cm) in the west to 22 in (55.9 cm) in the east. Snow is the main form of precipitation from November through March, while rain is the most common the rest of the year. It has snowed in North Dakota during every month except July and August. Summer sees heat and humidity predominate in the east, while hotter and less humid conditions are generally present in the west. These humid conditions help kick off thunderstorm activity 22–34 days a year. Summer high temperatures in North Dakota average in the mid 80s (30°C) in the west to the upper 70s (25°C) in the east, with temperatures as hot as 121°F (49°C) possible. HISTORY: Native American peoples lived in what is now North Dakota for thousands of years before the coming of Europeans. The known tribes included: the Mandan people, Hidatsa people, the Crow, Dakota people, the Lakota, the Santee, the Yanktonai, the Assiniboine, the Plains Cree, the Shoshone, Cheyennes, Chippewas, Sotaio Indians, the Arikara. The first European to reach the area was the French-Canadian trader Pierre Gaultier, sieur de La Vérendrye, who led an exploration and trading party to the Mandan villages in 1738. From 1762 to 1802, the region formed part of Spanish Louisiana. European Americans settled in Dakota Territory only sparsely until the late 19th century, when railroads opened up the region. Benjamin Harrison signed the proclamations formally admitting North Dakota and South Dakota to the Union on November 3, 1889. The proclamations were shuffled and obscured from sight before Harrison signed them, so no one knows which became a state first. Unrest among wheat farmers, especially among Norwegian immigrants, led to a populist political movement centered in the Non Partisan League ("NPL") around the time of World War I. It tried to insulate North Dakota from the power of out-of-state banks and corporations. In addition to founding the state-owned Bank of North Dakota and North Dakota Mill and Elevator (both still in existence), the NPL established a state-owned railroad line (later sold to the Soo Line Railroad). Anti-corporate laws virtually prohibited a corporation or bank from owning title to land zoned as farmland. These laws, still in force today, after having been upheld by state and federal courts, make it almost impossible to foreclose on farmland, as even after foreclosure, the property title cannot be held by a bank or mortgage company. The original North Dakota State Capitol in Bismarck burned to the ground on December 28, 1941 in a attempt to destroy American food production by the Nazis. It was replaced by a limestone-faced art-deco skyscraper that still stands today. Federal investment and construction projects began in the 1950s, including the Garrison Dam and the Minot and Grand Forks Air Force bases. Western North Dakota saw a boom in oil exploration in the late 1970s and early 1980s, as rising petroleum prices made development profitable. This boom came to an end after petroleum prices declined. Throughout the latter half of the nineteenth century and into the early twentieth century, North Dakota, along with most of the midwest, experienced a mass influx of immigrant farmers and general laborers and their families, mostly from Norway, Sweden, Germany and the United Kingdom. This area is well known for its fertile lands. From the 1930s until the end of the 20th century, North Dakota's population gradually declined, interrupted by a couple of brief increases. Since the late 20th century, one of the major causes of migration from North Dakota is the lack of skilled jobs for college graduates. During the first decade of the 21st century, the population increased in large part because of jobs in the oil industry related to development of tight oil (shale oil) fields. The primary historic tribal nations in or around North Dakota, are the Lakota and the Dakota ("The Great Sioux Nation" or "Oceti Sakowin," meaning the seven council fires), the Blackfoot, the Cheyenne, the Chippewa (known as Ojibwe in Canada), and the Mandan. The federally recognized tribes have Indian reservations in the state. Agriculture is North Dakota's largest industry, although petroleum, food processing, and technology are also major industries. North Dakota is the only state with a state-owned bank, the Bank of North Dakota in Bismarck, and a state-owned flour mill, the North Dakota Mill and Elevator in Grand Forks. These were established by the NPL before World War II. Fargo is home to the second-largest campus of Microsoft. And Amazon.com employs several hundred in Grand Forks. The state is the largest producer in the U.S. of many cereal grains, including barley (36% of U.S. crop), durum wheat (58%), hard red spring wheat (48%), oats (17%), and combined wheat of all types (15%). It is the second leading producer of buckwheat (20%). As of 2007, corn became the state's largest crop produced, although it is only 2% of total U.S. production. Most of the cereal grains are grown for livestock feed. The state is the leading producer of many oilseeds, including 92% of the U.S. canola crop, 94% of flax seed, 53% of sunflower seeds, 18% of safflower seeds, and 62% of mustard seed. North Dakota is the second leading producer of sugarbeets, which are grown mostly in the Red River Valley. The state is also the largest producer of honey, dry edible peas and beans, lentils, and the third-largest producer of potatoes. The energy industry is a major contributor to the economy. North Dakota has both coal and oil reserves. Shale gas is also produced. Lignite coal reserves in Western North Dakota are used to generate about 90% of the electricity consumed, and electricity is also exported to nearby states. North Dakota has the second largest lignite coal production in the U.S. (Lignite coal is the lowest grade coal.) North Dakota has 11 public colleges and universities, five tribal community colleges, and four private schools. The largest institutions are North Dakota State University and the University of North Dakota. The following is a partial list of notable people who were born in the U.S. state of North Dakota, live (or lived) in North Dakota, or for whom North Dakota is (or was) a significant part of their identity. Lynn Anderson, country music singer. James F. Buchli, former NASA astronaut. Angie Dickinson, Golden Globe-winning television and film actress. Louise Erdrich, Native American author of novels, poetry, and children's books. Richard Hieb, former NASA astronaut. Louis L'Amour, author of primarily Western fiction. Kellan Lutz, actor who portrays Emmett Cullen in Twilight and New Moon. Former male fashion model. Cara Mund, Miss America 2018. Alan Ritchson, participant in 3rd season of American Idol, singer, model and acto. Sakakawea, who joined Lewis and Clark on their expedition. Eric Sevareid, CBS news journalist. Shadoe Stevens, host of American Top 40. Bobby Vee, pop music singer. Lawrence Welk, musician, accordion player, bandleader, and television impresario. Wiz Khalifa, hip hop artist. Carson Wentz, professional football player for the Philadelphia Eagles. Connor McGovern, professional football player for the Denver Broncos. Griffin Neal, professional football player for the New Orlean Saints. Things to do in North Dakota. 1️⃣North Dakota Cowboy Hall Of Fame is located in Medora, North Dakota. The 15,000-square foot interpretive center features permanent and traveling western cultural exhibits, a Hall of Honorees, theater, gift shop, archives, 1,400 square feet of multi-purpose meeting space and a 5,000 square foot open-air patio. The North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame strives to preserve the history and promote the culture of North Dakota’s Native American, Ranching, & Rodeo communities by informing and educating people of all nations and cultures about the state’s rich and colorful western heritage. 2️⃣The Enchanted Highway is a collection of the world's largest scrap metal sculptures constructed at intervals along a 32-mile (51 km) stretch of two-lane highway in the southwestern part of North Dakota. The road has no highway number, although its northern portion is ​100 1⁄2th Avenue SW (counting from Bismarck, ND, which is 85 miles [137 km] to the east). Local artist Gary Greff conceived of the project, built it beginning in 1989, maintains it and plans more sculptures. A goal is to counter the trend toward extinction of small towns such as Regent, North Dakota. The Enchanted Highway extends north from Regent to the Gladstone exit on Interstate 94 east of Dickinson. Each sculpture has a developed pull-out and several have picnic shelters. The highway passes through scenic farm country with intermittent buttes. 3️⃣The Dakota Zoo is a zoo in Bismarck, North Dakota located on the banks of the Missouri River. It is the third zoo built in North Dakota. The Dakota Zoo has been accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) since 1991, and remains self-supported through admissions, concession sales, animal sales, the adopt an animal program, memberships, and donations. The Dakota Zoo was founded in 1961 by Marc & Betty Christianson with the help of a host of dedicated volunteers. The Dakota Zoo opened its gates on June 3, 1961 on 15 acres of developed land, with 75 mammals and 23 birds, and 40,000 visitors passed through the gates that first year. Today, thanks to the continued support of members, visitors, donors and volunteers, the Dakota Zoo has grown to a 90 acre facility housing 600 animals, birds, reptiles and fish representing 125 species. Animals: 🐾Ungulates are mostly housed in the southern part of the zoo in large, open enclosures. And include goats, pigs, miniature horses, miniature donkeys, Highland cattle, bison, pronghorn, Przewalski's horse, Bactrian camel, Dall sheep, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, moose, reindeer, longhorn cattle, Clydesdale horses, and elk. Llama, mouflon, and aoudad are in the northeast section of the zoo. 🐾Predators are housed in the northern part of the zoo, and include tigers, snow leopards, wolves, bears, Canada lynx, bobcats, cougars, coyotes, foxes, badgers, and servals. 🐾Birds are housed in a variety of smaller enclosures and aviaries, mostly in the center of the zoo, and include eagles, emus, many South American birds, turkey vultures, wild turkeys, owls, and various water birds. 🐾Monkeys are mostly housed in the Monkey Barn near the center of the zoo, and include cotton-top tamarins, Goeldi’s monkey, golden-headed lion tamarin, pygmy marmoset, red ruffed lemurs, squirrel monkeys, white-fronted marmosets. Spider monkey are in their own outdoor enclosure. 🐾The zoo also includes an exhibit of reptiles and small mammals, a butterfly house, a prairie dog town, and a monkey barn. 4️⃣The Billings County Courthouse in Medora, North Dakota was built c.1880 and was remodeled in 1913. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977. According to its NRHP nomination, the courthouse "symbolizes the orderly administration of justice in a county which is one of the least populated in North Dakota. The structure is also a physical link with the first years of settlement in the region, its core being formed from a building believed to date from the 1880s." The Billings County Museum has been located in the former county courthouse since 1986. Exhibits include a collection of barbed wire, fencing, farm and automotive tools, guns and weapons, military artifacts, horse riding and Western items, and displays of ethnic items from area pioneers. Visitors can also view the restored courtroom and jail, and a period bunkhouse, general store and kitchen. The museum is operated by the Billings County Historical Society. 5️⃣Turtle River State Park has a system of mountain biking, hiking, and interpretive trails. Winter users will find more than 7.5 miles of groomed cross-country ski trails, and plenty of opportunities for snowshoeing. 🍃Fisher Loop is opened to hiking, mountain biking and cross-country skiing. This .65 miles wooded trail is accessed from the CCC Trail Head and returns to the same location. The trail crosses over the Turtle River and winds along the river corridor. It provides access to the Riverview and Timber trails and is groomed for cross-country skiing in winter. 🍃Coneflower Loop is a .61 miles prairie and wooded trail and accessed from the Prairie Pass Trail. This trail loops through the prairie, into the wood line following the river corridor and returning to the prairie. This trail is open to hiking, mountain biking and snowshoeing. 🍃Timber Loop is a 1.16 mile wooded trail accessed from the CCC Trail Head via Fisher Loop and returns to the same location via Riverview. It begins along the Turtle River and meanders back through wooded hillsides. It is groomed along a modified route for cross-country skiing in winter along with hiking and mountain biking other times. 🍃Prairie Pass Trail is a .64 miles prairie trail accessed from the CCC Trail Head via Fisher/Riverview and ends at the Moose Head Trail accessed via the Woodland Lodge Trail Head. This trail meanders through the prairie, crossing the old entrance roadbed and features the old entrance booth as a resting location. Coneflower, Moose Head and Riverview trails can be accessed from this trail. Hiking. mountain biking and snowshoeing are opened to this trail. 🍃Moose Head Trail is a 1.31 miles scenic trail beginning at the Woodland Lodge Trail Head and loops back to the Chalet and ball diamond. This trail is mostly wooded as it meanders along the creek corridor and features a foot-bridge crossing at the southeast end of the trail. Prairie Pass, Riverview, Eco Loop, and the Woodland Lodge can be accessed from this trail. It's opened to hiking, mountain biking and snowshoeing. 🍃River View Trail is opened to hiking, mountain biking and snowshoeing. This 1.05 miles wooded trail accessed from the CCC Trail Head via Fisher Loop and ends at the Woodland Lodge Trail Head. It begins by crossing the Turtle River and climbing the ridgeline that follows along the river with benches for viewing the river. The trail returns to the river corridor at the CCC Dam and ends at the Woodland Lodge. Prairie Pass, Moose Head and Timber trails can be accessed from this trail. 🍃Woodchuck Trail is a short .2 miles trail beginning at the CCC Memorial Shelter and ends Woodland Lodge Trail Head. This trail follows the Turtle River corridor with access to the river. It's also open to hiking, mountain biking and snowshoeing. 🍃Eco Loop is a 1.05 miles scenic trail beginning at the Chalet Trail Head and ends on the Moosehead Trail. This trail features wooded hillsides, open prairies and views of the oxbow wetlands. Cattail trail access via this trail. A modified route is groomed for cross-country skiing in the winter and hiking. 🍃Cattail Loop a short .62 miles trail is accessed via the Eco loop trail. It features a wildlife viewing station of the oxbow wetlands, boardwalk crossing of the oxbow, and finishes in the wooded hillside of the Eco loop trail. Hiking and snowshoeing. 🍃Raven Ravine is a scenic 2.53 miles trail beginning at the CCC Trail Head and loops back to the Woodland Lodge. There are several connections to the campground, amphitheater, and the playground. This trail is mostly wooded as it meanders along the creek corridor, featuring a water crossing at the north end of the trail and two benches. Portions of this trail are groomed for Fat Tire Bikes and hiking in the winter. 🍃Keystone is a 2.53 Miles scenic trail beginning at the Trapper’s Rest Campground and ends at the Hollow’s Bridge parking area. There are several connections to the campground, Agassiz picnic area, and the Turtle River. This trail is wooded as it meanders along hillsides of the river corridor. Portions of this trail are groomed for Fat Tire Bikes and hiking in the winter. 🍃Hollows is a scenic 1.74 miles trail beginning at the Visitor Center and ends at the Hillside Picnic Area with access to the Hollow’s Bridge parking and picnic area. This wooded trail winds through the hillsides and along the river corridor. Portions of this trail are groomed for Fat Tire Bikes and hiking, and others for cross-country skiing in the winter. 🍃Woodland Cabins are a good option for larger groups. The cabins are duplexes with a total of 12 units. Ten units sleep six each, bunkbed-style, while the other two units are wheelchair accessible and sleep three each. All units are equipped with private showers and toilets. Call for prices and reservations. 6️⃣The capitol building is a 241.67 feet (73.7 m) tall, 21 story, Art Deco skyscraper. It is the tallest building in North Dakota and is known as the Skyscraper on the Prairie. The 18th floor of the Capitol is an observation deck with the highest vantage point in the state. The many windows on the capitol building's tower are used for several ongoing traditions. During the Christmas season, red and green shades are drawn over the windows and lights are turned on in certain offices to make a pattern that resembles a Christmas tree. During the New Year's Eve, office lights are turned on to spell out the new year; the first two numbers of the new year are given on the top half, and the last two numbers on the bottom. This tradition began during the 1970s, and is now done on all four sides of the building; the Christmas tree tradition began as early as the 1940s. There are two parks, walking trails, and monuments on the capitol grounds that provide a great deal of information about the state's history. The two parks are, the Myron Atkinson Park and the Capitol Park. 🌳The Arboretum Trail is a walking trail winding through a wooded area on the west side of the grounds. Walkers pass 60-million-year-old petrified tree stumps from the Amidon, North Dakota, area, as well as 75 different species of trees and shrubs which are labeled with ground plaques. Various statues and memorials are also on the trail. The Pioneer Family statue is one of the most prominent on the grounds. The statue was sculpted in 1946 and dedicated to honor the memory of the great northwest. The All Veterans Memorial is a large monument south of the Heritage Center, along a walking path. The memorial is to all North Dakotans who served in the armed forces during the first 100 years of statehood was finished and dedicated on June 10, 1989. The names of 4,050 men and women who died in the nation's wars are inscribed on the bronze tablets displayed under a large block of stone supported by columns. The monument is lit during the night. Stone benches are available for seating. Other statues on the capitol grounds include Sakakawea, John Burke, Cortés, Buffalo, Pioneers of the Future, Purple Heart Memorial, Peace Officers Memorial, French Gratitude, and USS North Dakota bowplate. 7️⃣Bonanzaville, USA is a history museum complex in West Fargo, North Dakota. Bonanzaville, the museum of the Cass County Historical Society, is made up of forty buildings on 12 acres (49,000 m2), many of them are historic and from the region. These buildings have been moved to the museum grounds and now form a village setting. Most of the buildings have a special theme. Displays include a prairie church, a general store, a drug store, a fire station, Fargo's first house, and a schoolhouse. There are also several newer buildings which have been constructed on the grounds including an aircraft museum and an automobile museum. Other exhibits include horse-drawn vehicles, firefighting vehicles and equipment, medical and dental equipment, a law enforcement museum, a telephone museum, and a newspaper printing press. Bonanzaville has several hundred thousand artifacts in their collections and on display. 8️⃣Scandinavian Heritage Park is a park located in Minot, North Dakota. Scandinavian Heritage Park features remembrances and replicas from each of the Scandinavian countries: Norway, Sweden and Denmark, as well as Finland and Iceland. The park was established during 1988 to celebrate and preserve Scandinavian heritage. The first building was dedicated October 9, 1990. It is believed to be the only park in the world representing all five Nordic countries. The park is supported by the Scandinavian Heritage Association and Norsk Høstfest, both of which have offices at the park. Park Highlights: ✨Casper Oimoen statue - Norwegian born captain of the ski team for the United States at the 1936 Winter Olympics. ✨Dala Horse - 30 feet tall replica of brightly colored horses from the province of Dalarna, Sweden. ✨Danish Windmill - working windmill on rock and concrete base built locally in 1928. ✨Finnish Sauna - authentic free standing sauna built in traditional Finnish style. ✨Flag Display - flags of the five Nordic countries, Canada and the United States. ✨Gol stave church - replica of the original Gol Stave Church that was built in Gol, Hallingdal, Norway. ✨Hans Christian Andersen statue - Danish writer famous for his fairy tales. ✨Leif Eirikssen statue - bronze statue of the Icelandic explorer. ✨Nordic Pavilion - Arts and Picnic Shelter. ✨Observatory- 48-inch diameter spinning marble globe fountain. ✨Plaza Scandinavia - granite map of the five Nordic countries. ✨Scandinavian Heritage Center - office of the Scandinavian Heritage Association. ✨Sigdal House - 200-year-old house relocated from the Vatnas area of Sigdal, Norway. ✨Sondre Norheim statue - Norwegian born father of modern skiing ✨Sondre Norheim eternal flame - monument represents the sport of skiing. ✨Stabbur - replica of a storehouse from a farm near Telemark, Norway. ✨Waterfall - cascading waterfall and rippling stream that flows down to serene ponds. 9️⃣The Dickinson Museum Center is an organization that preserves and presents history through a museum complex in Dickinson, North Dakota. The organization operates the museum center, which serves as a history museum for the city of Dickinson, and Southwest North Dakota. Other museums in the complex include; 🍀Badlands Dinosaur Museum: This museum houses thousands of rock, mineral, and fossil specimens including a complete Triceratops skeleton. 🍀The Joachim Regional Museum features local art and history exhibits, and is managed by the Southwestern North Dakota Museum Foundation. Permanent exhibits include a Western art gallery and a dollhouse. The building includes the Osborn Reading and Research Room. 🍀Prairie Outpost Park: Five historic and five reproduction buildings are located in the park east of the museum. Several other groups manage buildings and/or host events in the park throughout the year including Czech, Scandinavian, and Germans from Russia heritage organizations. The historic buildings include a house, train depot, general store, church, and school. The reproduced buildings include a print shop, an ethnic German-Russian stone house, a Czech town hall, a Scandinavian Stabbur, and a blacksmith shop. Other structures in the park include the Heritage Pavilion picnic shelter, a veteran's chapel, an oil pumpjack, a coal car, a Northern Pacific train caboose and a windmill. 🍀Pioneer Machinery Hall: This museum focuses on the early agricultural and ranching history of Stark County, and includes threshing machines, tractors and other horse-drawn and mechanized farm equipment. The museum is operated by the Stark County Historical Society, and is located in Prairie Outpost Park. Prairie Outpost Park: Five historic and five reproduction buildings: 🍂The Veterans Memorial Chapel was built on site in 1978 by the VFW, DAV, American Legion, Dickinson High School students, and the National Guard. As a place of gathering and reflection. The building was retired in 2017. 🍂The Scandinavian Stabbur was built in 1993 as a tribute to Scandinavian immigrants from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland who settled in southwest North Dakota. The Scandinavian Stabbur is maintained and supported in part through the efforts of the local Scandinavian heritage organization. A typical stabbur, following traditional and ancient practices, would look similar to the one in the pic. This particular one was based on Norwegian construction techniques. A stabbur consists of a main, cube-shaped room for storing food (usually grain). It was topped by a slightly larger room used for storage of food (fruits and vegetables), furniture, spare living quarters, or for smoking meat. The stabbur was purchased in Park Rapids, Minnesota, disassembled, shipped to Dickinson, and put back together on site in Prairie Outpost Park. The logs were originally from Yellowstone National Park. 🍂Czech Town Hall: Built in 2001, the Czech Town Hall contains exhibits about the heritage of the Czech immigrants who settled in southwest North Dakota. The Czech Town Hall is maintained and supported through the efforts of Czech Heritage, Inc. 🍂The Pioneer Stone House reproduction building was built on site in Prairie Outpost Park from 1980 to 1986 by the local Deutsche Leute Chapter of the Germans from Russia Heritage Society. It was constructed of local limestone from a farm south east of Dickinson and designed to represent the architectural style brought to North Dakota by the German immigrants from Russia. Housing of this type contained the living quarters of people and the living quarters of their animals all under the same roof and would have been built of locally available materials, often stone and/or sod. The Pioneer Stone House is maintained and supported by the local Deutsche Leute Chapter of the Germans from Russia Heritage Society. 🍂Shipley School No. 3 was the last one-room rural school to operate in southeast of Dickinson. The school originally opened in 1897 as St. Anthony School Number 16. In 1908 it was renamed as Shipley School Number 3, one of four rural schools in the newly created Shipley District. In 1928 the original school building was destroyed by a fire during a winter storm and this building was erected in 1929 to replace it. Children in the 1st through 8th grades attended school here and were taught by one teacher. 1978 was the last year the school was in operation. The building was donated by the school district and moved to the Park in 1980. 🍂The Ridgeway Lutheran Church was constructed in 1915 and originally located about 13 miles north of Taylor, ND in Dunn County. The Church is available to rent for weddings and other ceremonies. 🍂Print Shop: This reproduction print shop was built on site in 1999 to house pieces of printing equipment used by the North Dakota Herold and The Dickinson Press. The North Dakota Herold was the successor to the Nord Dakota Herold. The Nord Dakota Herold, a German weekly newspaper, was first published in Dickinson in 1911. Over time it grew to be a very popular publication that was read not only by German-speaking immigrants, but also by people in South America, Canada and Europe. With the outbreak of World War II and the associated anti-German sentiment in the United States, the Nord Dakota Herold changed its name to the North Dakota Herold. The North Dakota Herold was discontinued in 1960, but the Lengowski family one of the owners, continued as the business as a commercial print shop which printed such items as the Dickinson State College paper, the Knights of Columbus Reporter, books, pamphlets, leaflets, and advertisements. 🍂Gorham Store and Post Office: Gorham was a small town located northwest of Dickinson, North Dakota. The Gorham Cooperative Store was organized in 1917 by some area ranchers and farmers but it burned down in 1918. A new structure was built in 1919 and became the General Merchandise Store. The Gorham Store and Post Office was built across the street in 1920 and over the years various families ran the business. In 1940, the store was bought by John and Olga Baranko who operated it and the post office until 1947. Then their son Mike Baranko bought the store and post office and he operated it until 1972. At that time the government decided to combine the post offices of Gorham and nearby Fairfield. Baranko bought land along U.S. Highway 85 and built a new post office building which became the Fairfield Post Office. The other businesses of Gorham relocated as well and Gorham became a ghost town. This building sat unused at the Gorham site until 1984 when it was moved to Prairie Outpost Park. 🍂South Heart Depot and Caboose: The settlement of South Heart, located west of Dickinson, began with the building of the Northern Pacific Railway depot in 1881. The town, named for its location on the south side of the Heart River, moved in 1910 when the railway moved the depot 1 ½ miles west. The South Heart Depot was the home of the Station Agent and their family, sometimes with the spouse working as Telegrapher. The Depot was staffed 24/7 as the services of the Agent or Telegrapher might be needed at any time to receive or send freight and telegraph messages as well as dispatch orders to passing trains. The Northern Pacific Railway was in operation until 1970 when it was consolidated with several other railroads to form the Burlington Northern Railroad. Sixteen years later Burlington Northern consolidated with the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe to become the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway (BNSF) in 1996. The Depot was donated by Laudie P. Tuhy and moved to Prairie Outpost Park in 1984. The #1081 is a steel ‘low cupola’ caboose that was constructed in the Northern Pacific Railway’s Brainerd Shops in 1954. It was donated to Prairie Outpost Park in 1985 by Burlington Northern Railroad. 🍂Heath-Steinmetz Farm House: The Heath-Steinmetz House located in Prairie Outpost Park was built in 1912 and was originally located in Rifle Township in Hettinger County, ND. It was originally the homestead of Lawrence Heath who came to North Dakota from Wisconsin. Heath died suddenly in 1917. His wife and daughter remained at the home and farm until 1923 when they returned to Wisconsin. The John Steinmetz family then rented the house and farm. They lived there until November 17, 1944 when John retired and they moved to New England. His daughter, Irma, purchased the house from him in 1944. The family still spent summers at the farm. The house remained in the possession of Irma until her death in 1991. The house was never remodeled, and electricity and plumbing were never added. In 1993, the house was moved to Prairie Outpost Park. The structure had extensive vandalism and weathering damage prior to being moved to this site as it had sat empty for nearly thirty years. It took five years to be restored. 🍂The Blacksmith Shop: Located next to the Pioneer Machinery Building, the Blacksmith Shop was constructed in 1998 to feature a variety of items that would have been found in a typical blacksmith shop. 🔟The International Peace Garden is a 3.65-square-mile (9.5 km2) park located adjacent to the International Peace Garden Border Crossing between Canada and the United States, in the state of North Dakota and the province of Manitoba. It was established on July 14, 1932, as a symbol of the peaceful relationship between the two nations. The legend "Peace Garden State" was added to vehicle registration plates of North Dakota in 1956, and adopted by the North Dakota Legislative Assembly in 1957 as the official state nickname. The park plants over 150,000 flowers each year. Main features of the garden include an 18-foot (5.5 m) floral clock display, and fountains. A chime, and twin 120-foot (37 m) concrete towers straddled the border with a peace chapel at their base; the chapel walls were inscribed with notable quotes about peace. However, the concrete towers had been declared unsafe due to irreparable weather-related erosion and were demolished in 2016. The Arma Sifton bells are a chime of 14 bells cast by Gillett & Johnston bellfounders. The bells were a gift from Central United Church of Brandon, Manitoba, in 1972. The tower was supplied by North Dakota Veterans and dedicated in 1976. Some building remains of the World Trade Center attacks of September 11, 2001, have been placed in part of the garden. The Masonic Auditorium, built in the shape of a Masonic Square and Compasses, was completed in 1981 as centennial project of Grand Lodges of Manitoba and North Dakota and features seating for 2,000 people. The Peace Garden Lodge of Freemasons holds an annual communication on the property. The officers, ritual and program are rotated each year between the Grand Lodges of Manitoba, North Dakota, Minnesota, and Saskatchewan. Located at the garden is the North American Game Warden Museum. 1️⃣1️⃣North American Game Warden Museum was initially founded on a temporary basis at the International Peace Garden in the 1990s, it became a permanent museum in 2005. The museum is sponsored by the North American Wildlife Enforcement Officers Association. Its underlying purpose is to raise the professional profile and celebrate the work of game wardens and their colleagues, conservation officers. The name each group of professionals goes by depends on their governmental jurisdiction. This museum's management has set forth a fourfold mission statement: 🍃protecting "the wild" in an overcrowded, polluted and too-civilized planet, so that "natural gifts" are preserved for future generations through legal enforcement and public education; 🍃recognizing the important and dangerous role of game wardens who often work alone in desolate and remote locations, facing armed foes; 🍃honoring and memorializing fallen heroes and other officers, who work in a largely unsung role, thereby helping their morale, and 🍃educating the public about the work and mission of conservation officers, thereby increasing support for their efforts. 73 Game Wardens/Protectors/Conservation Officers are listed on The Officer Down Memorial Page. 1️⃣2️⃣Theodore Roosevelt National Park is an American national park comprising three geographically separated areas of badlands in western North Dakota. The park was named for U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt. It is the only American national park named directly after a single person. The park covers 70,446 acres (110.072 sq mi; 28,508 ha; 285.08 km2) of land in three sections: the North Unit, the South Unit, and the Elkhorn Ranch Unit. The Little Missouri River flows through all three units of the park. The Maah Daah Hey Trail connects all three units. Roosevelt first came to the North Dakota badlands to hunt bison. During that first short trip, he fell in love with the rugged lifestyle and the "perfect freedom" of the West. He invested $14,000 in the Maltese Cross Ranch. That winter, his two ranch managers built the Maltese Cross Cabin. After the death of both his wife and his mother Roosevelt returned to his North Dakota ranch seeking solitude and time to heal. While there he started his second ranch, Elkhorn Ranch and hire two managers to run it. Teddy Roosevelt took great interest in his ranches and in hunting in the West, detailing his experiences in pieces published in eastern newspapers and magazines. He wrote three major works on his life in the West: Ranch Life and the Hunting Trail, Hunting Trips of a Ranchman and The Wilderness Hunter. His adventures in "the strenuous life" outdoors and the loss of his cattle in the starvation winter in 1886-1887 were influential in Theodore Roosevelt's pursuit of conservation policies as President of the United States (1901–1909). Following Theodore Roosevelt's death, the Little Missouri Badlands went under several changes: developing roads and other structures that are in use today. The park was first called the Roosevelt Recreation Demonstration Area. The park was transferred to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service as the Theodore Roosevelt National Wildlife Refuge President Truman established the Theodore Roosevelt National Memorial Park on April 25, 1947, the only National Memorial Park ever established. In 1978 the boundaries were adjusted and another estimated 29,920 acres (121.1 km2) were added. With the addition came a name change to present day Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Both main units of the park have scenic drives, approximately 100 miles of foot and horse trails, wildlife viewing, and opportunities for back country hiking and camping. There are three developed campgrounds: Juniper Campground in the North Unit, Cottonwood Campground in the South Unit, and the Roundup Group Horse Campground in the South Unit. The park is home to a wide variety of Great Plains wildlife including bison, coyotes, cougars, feral horses, badgers, elk, bighorn sheep, white-tailed deer, mule deer, prairie dogs, and at least 186 species of birds including golden eagles, sharp-tailed grouse, and wild turkeys. BISOM MAY BE DANGEROUS and VISITORS are advised to VIEW THEM FROM A DISTANCE. Bison, elk, and bighorn sheep have been successfully reintroduced to the park. A museum at the South Unit Visitor Center provides background on Roosevelt and his ranching days. Roosevelt's Maltese Cross Cabin is open for public viewing year-round at the South Unit Visitor Center. Roosevelt's Elkhorn Ranch is a separate, remote area of the park, 35 miles north of Medora, accessible by gravel roads. Check for road conditions and routes to travel to the site. The foundation of the ranch house and other shops buildings have been preserved, though the other portions of the cabin were removed and re-purposed after Roosevelt vacated the ranch. Threats to the Elkhorn Ranch site include oil development on adjacent lands, particularly visual intrusions and noise pollution from oil facilities and traffic. The park is popular for back country hiking and horseback riding. Permits for back country camping may be obtained at the South Unit or North Unit Visitor Centers. Over 100 miles of trail make it a fine hiking park, though water and shade are limited along trails. The park units are mostly surrounded by Forest Service grasslands. The area has very dark night skies with excellent star gazing and occasional northern lights. The entire park has been surrounded with a 7-foot (2.1 m) tall woven wire fence to keep bison and feral horses inside the park and commercial livestock out. Other animals are able to pass over, under, or through the fence in specific locations provided for that purpose. The town of Medora, at the entrance to the south unit, provides a touristy western experience, with wooden planked sidewalks, old fashioned ice cream parlors, and buggy rides. There are several museums and the Burning Hills Amphitheather with nightly productions of the Medora Musical from early June to early September. Park officials manage populations of bison, horses, and elk to maintain a balanced ecosystem. Biologists also monitor prairie dog towns, though the park only controls their population in instances where they pose a threat to buildings or human health.🍂The Maltese Cross Cabin! Originally located about seven miles south of Medora in the wooded bottom-lands of the Little Missouri, the Maltese Cross Ranch was one of the places Theodore Roosevelt stayed during his time in North Dakota. Now located at the TRNP South Unit Visitors Center, this is a must-see window into the past, and the President’s time in the Dakota Territory. Here are a few of the hiking trails in the park: 🍃Wind Canyon Trail is a 0.4 mi (0.6 km) trail. This nature hiking trail runs alongside a wind-sculpted canyon as you climb to the best views of the Little Missouri River. It’s the Park Ranger’s best kept secret for watching sunsets. 🍃Coal Vein Trail is a favorite of many TRNP hikers, the Coal Vein Trail is located approximately half way around the scenic loop in the South Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park. It’s a little over a mile and will take you along the butte edges and through the juniper trees, then down through small gorges and across patches of meadow. This trail has stairs. 🍃Painted Canyon Nature Trail is a 0.9 mi (1.4 km) trail. The canyon looks amazing from the rim, but wait until you experience a hike down into it! Get up close and personal with the rock layers, junipers, and wildlife. Remember, every step down means a step back up on the return. 🍃Maah Daah Hey Trail is a 93 mile lightly trafficked point-to-point trail located near Sentinel Butte, North Dakota that features a river and is rated as difficult. The trail is primarily used for hiking, camping, horses, and mountain biking and is best used from April until October. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash. 🍃Ridgeline Nature Trail is a 0.7 mile lightly trafficked out and back trail located near Fairfield, North Dakota that offers the chance to see wildlife. The trail is rated as moderate and primarily used for hiking. 🍃Lower Paddock Creek Trail is a 7.2 mile lightly trafficked out and back trail located near Fairfield, North Dakota that offers the chance to see wildlife. The trail is rated as moderate and primarily used for hiking, trail running, and backpacking. 🍃Boicourt Overlook Trail is a 0.8 mile lightly trafficked out and back trail located near Belfield, North Dakota that offers scenic views and is good for all skill levels. The trail is primarily used for hiking, walking, and nature trips and is best used from April until October. 🍃Old East Entrance Station Trail is a 0.9 mile lightly trafficked out and back trail located near Belfield, North Dakota that features beautiful wild flowers. The trail is good for all skill levels and is primarily used for hiking and walking. 🍃Caprock Coulee Loop is a 3.8 mile lightly trafficked loop trail located near Watford City, North Dakota that features beautiful wild flowers and is rated as moderate. The trail is primarily used for hiking and is accessible year-round. 🍃Buckhorn Trail is a 12.2 mile lightly trafficked loop trail located near Watford City, North Dakota that features beautiful wild flowers and is rated as difficult. The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from March until October. 🍃Prairie Dog Town via the Buckhorn Trail is a 1.5 mi (2.4 km) trail that starts at the Caprock Coulee Trailhead and then follows the Buckhorn Trail to a prairie dog town. Be sure to plan some extra time for wildlife viewing; where there are prairie dogs, there are often lots of other animals, too! 🍃Buck Hill is located one mile north of Paddock Creek, Buck Hill is the highest point in the National Park South Unit and a great vantage point to see wild horses or roaming buffalo. It’s a steep trail. 🍃Achenbach and North Achenbach Trail Loop is a 18.2 mile lightly trafficked loop trail located near Watford City, North Dakota that features a river and is rated as difficult. The trail is primarily used for hiking, camping, nature trips, and backpacking and is best used from April until October. 🍃The Big Plateau Trail is a 5.8 mile lightly trafficked out and back trail located near Medora, North Dakota that offers the chance to see wildlife and is rated as moderate. The trail is primarily used for hiking, walking, nature trips, and bird watching and is best used from April until October. 🍃Peaceful Valley Ranch Trails is a 1.9 mile moderately trafficked loop trail located near Medora, North Dakota that offers scenic views and is rated as moderate. The trail is primarily used for hiking, walking, nature trips, and bird watching and is best used from March until October. 🍃Ekblom and Maah Daah Hey Trail is a 15.4 mile moderately trafficked out and back trail located near Medora, North Dakota that offers scenic views and is rated as moderate. The trail is primarily used for hiking, walking, nature trips, and bird watching and is best used from March until October. 🍃Lone Tree Spring Trail is a 9.6 mile moderately trafficked loop trail located near Medora, North Dakota that offers scenic views and is rated as moderate. The trail is primarily used for hiking, walking, nature trips, and bird watching and is best used from April until October. 🍃Achenbach/Bison Trail Loop is a 13.6 mile lightly trafficked loop trail located near Grassy Butte, North Dakota that features a river and is rated as difficult. The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from March until November. Horses are also able to use this trail. 🍃East River Road to Scenic Loop Drive is a 34.8 mile moderately trafficked loop trail located near Medora, North Dakota that features a river and is good for all skill levels. The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from March until November. 🍃Petrified Forest Loop is a 10.3 mi (16.6 km) trail located in the remote northwest corner of the South Unit, this hike takes you through ancient petrified forests and badlands wilderness. The loop includes the North and South Petrified Forest Trails as well as the Maah Daah Hey. 🍀Please keep the following in mind as you hike: 🍀All plants, wildlife, and natural and cultural features are protected. This includes animal bones, rocks, flowers, cultural items, and anything else you may discover while hiking. Do not disturb or remove these things. 🍀Watch wildlife from a safe distance of 25 yards or more. 🍀Pets, bicycles and motorized equipment are prohibited on all trails and in the backcountry. 1️⃣3️⃣The National Buffalo Museum and Bison Herd Located at the Frontier Village! 🍃The National Buffalo Museum is a 6000 square foot facility housed in a rustic log building at the Frontier Village in Jamestown, North Dakota. Museum exhibits focus primarily on the history of bison in the plains culture, but displays include Plains Indian artifacts; a wide variety of artwork; the 19th century firearms used by bison hunters; remains of prehistoric bison; and other wildlife of North Dakota. Kids will love the children's room which feature wildlife of North Dakota, as well as a fascinating video presentation about the history of the bison. The National Buffalo Museum frequently hosts educational programs and community events. 🍃Frontier Village is a historical attraction, that has taken original buildings from other frontier villages across North Dakota, and brought them all together to create an entirely new village, from the post office, church, and even a one-room school house. There is also displays showcasing antiques, Louis L'Amour writer's shack dedicated to this beloved western author, Northern Pacific Railroad Depot, the first railroad depot in Jamestown (1880). It was in use until 1965, when it was moved to the Frontier Village. The Gift shops featuring North Dakota products and handmade goods from local artisans. There are Stagecoach and pony rides (11:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Memorial Day through Labor Day - weather permitting) and a Wild West Shoot-Outs. 🍃World Largest Buffalo has stood watch over Frontier Village since 1959. His name is Dakota Thunder and he stands at 26 feet tall, 46 feet long, and weighs 60 tons. For reference, that means he weights about as much as five average-sized African Elephants, or 30 average-sized automobiles! 🍃Of course, with a buffalo statue comes real buffalo! The museum maintains a live buffalo herd. The live bison herd that the North Dakota Buffalo Foundation maintains currently numbers around 30 animals. The herd has approximately 200 acres of pasture land on the north and south sides of interstate I-94 and is visible on one or both sides of the interstate most of the time. The live animals are a big draw for the museum. All year round, families can come and enjoy looking at these sacred animals, including the ONLY three in the world who are true albino buffalo! You can go and say hello to White Cloud, Dakota Miracle and Dakota Legend. In summer they are roaming right near the museum. In winter, they are just moved nearby. 1️⃣4️⃣White Butte is the highest natural point in the state of North Dakota. At an elevation of 3,506 ft (1,069 m), it is a prominent butte in Slope County, in the Badlands of the southwestern part of North Dakota. It is located 3 miles (5 kilometers) east of US 85 and about 6.5 mi (10 km) south of its nearest town Amidon. The summit is located within the boundaries of the Little Missouri National Grassland and is about 35 miles (56 km) south of Theodore Roosevelt National Park. It is on private property, owned by Daryle and Mary Dennis who live nearby and also request visitors to call ahead and alert them if you will be making the trek. If they are unavailable, the trip to the top of the butte can simply be undertaken without permission at one’s own risk. Any proceeds that are offered to the family go to maintaining the site itself. White Butte gets its chalky color from the bentonite clay that makes up the butte which was formed by glacial runoff thousands of years ago. The hike to the top of White Butte is not particularly challenging, including only a one mile trek to the summit from an old farmhouse marking the trail’s start. However, the countryside crawls with prairie rattlesnakes in the summer which can make the trip more dangerous. So do be watchful. 1️⃣5️⃣Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site! The fort has been reconstructed, and the once -elegant Bourgeois House is now a visitor center. On the spacious plains in 1828, near where the mighty Missouri and Yellowstone Rivers joined, John Jacob Astor's American Fur Company built what became its most famous fur trade post. Although called a fort, the post was neither a government nor a military installation, but a privately owned commercial establishment founded to engage in business with the Northern Plains Tribes. Built at the request of the Assiniboine nation, Fort Union Trading Post, then called Fort Union, quickly emerged as the Upper Missouri's most profitable fur trade post. This trade business continued until 1867 making it Fort Union western America's longest-lasting fur trade post. From 1828 to 1867, seven Upper Missouri tribes—Assiniboine, Plains Cree, Blackfeet, Plains Chippewa, Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikiara—annually traded buffalo hides, beaver pelts, and other furs for hundreds of goods imported from eight countries. In exchange for furs that ranged from grizzly bear and bison to mice, tribal trading partners received manufactured materials such as calico cloth, guns and ammunition, clothing, pipes, beads, and cooking ware. The post also provided federal Indian agents with a base of operations and storage warehouse before the national government established a permanent presence in the Trans-Mississippi West after the Civil War. Indian and fur trades weren't the only post activities that contributed to Fort Union's longevity and legacy. The American Fur Company and its successors routinely hosted well-known visitors during the fur trade period. George Catlin, Prince Maximilian of Wied, Karl Bodmer, and John James Audubon were but a few of the many artists and scientists who came to the Upper Missouri fort to learn about and document the region's native peoples, wildlife, and landscape. Their observations, recorded in sketches, paintings, and journals later shared with people in the East and overseas, made the region the most well documented in the American West prior to photography's widespread adoption. The U.S. Army in 1866 built Fort Buford three miles east of the trade post. The next year, in 1867, the Army purchased Fort Union from its last private owner, the Northwest Fur Company. Soldiers dismantled the palisades and bastions and transported the salvaged timber and stone to the new Army post, where both were used for building materials. The crews of passing riverboats also scavenged what wood they could for firewood to feed steam engines powering the Missouri River's swelling steamboat traffic. Within a few years, little visible trace remained of the Upper Missouri's once-dominate commercial hub. A century later, following decades of periodic attempts to preserve Fort Union's legacy, local citizens and historians launched a sustained campaign to preserve the historic fort site and rebuild the post. At their urging, the National Park Service acquired the site in 1966. Two years later, archaeological excavations commenced and continued into the early 1970s. Today's Fort Union is a reconstruction based in part on the archaeological evidence recovered during those and later excavations completed between 1986 and 1988. Rebuilt to its appearance in 1851, at the height of the Indian and fur trades, the fort offers a place that helps illuminate the Indian and fur trades'—and the post's—role in shaping the land and culture of the Upper Missouri region and the Northern Great Plains. (I was unable to found a list of the building inside furnishings.) 1️⃣6️⃣Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park, established in 1907 is the oldest state park in North Dakota and provides a variety of unique adventures. While exploring the diverse historical landscape, visitors will learn about the cultural, historical, and natural influences that make Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park known worldwide. Visitors can camp or overnight in camping cabins along the Missouri River. Hike, bike or horseback ride the extensive and scenic trail system that climbs through the hills providing breath-taking views of the river bottom. Anglers can fish the shorelines of both the Missouri and Heart Rivers. The vast rich history of Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park is on display in the park Visitor Center. From the Visitor Center venture out to old Fort Abraham Lincoln, and tour the reconstructed military buildings, or visit the ancient village site of the earliest known inhabitants the Mandan Indians and explore their unique Earthlodge homes. 🍂On-A-Slant Indian Village: The Mandan village, named On-a-Slant (Miti O-pa-e-resh) because of it being built on a sloping plain toward the river, contained about 85 Earthlodges with a village population of around 1500. Unlike most Plains Indian tribes, the Mandan lived in sedentary communities in permanent homes called Earthlodges. The Mandan relied upon a mixture of fishing, hunting, and agriculture for subsistence. The men hunted and fished while the women tended crops, prepared animal hides and meat, gathered wild berries, wove baskets and made pottery. The Mandan had advanced skills in village design and defense, which were economic centers where nomadic tribes came to exchange animal skins for agricultural products. After prospering on this site for two centuries, a smallpox epidemic hit in 1781 and virtually eliminated the Heart River-region Mandan. The survivors moved north along the Missouri River, eventually joining the Hidatsa near the Knife River. When Lewis and Clark discovered the deserted On-A-Slant Village in late 1804, it was already in an advanced state of decay, for they reported that the remains included fallen heaps of earth, which had covered the houses. Today On-a-Slant Village is a state historic site and has 6 reconstructed Earthlodges including a large Council Lodge. Tours take you through the village and give visitors an insight into the lives of the Mandan people who once lived at On-a-Slant. 🍂Military Fort: Nearly a century after the Mandan occupied On-a-Slant village, the U.S. military established an infantry post on a bluff above the On-A-Slant ruins. In preparation for the Northern Pacific Railroad to lay its track to the west of the Missouri River basin, the military dispatched to companies of Infantry to the area. In June 1872, an infantry post, called Fort McKeen The name Fort McKeen was short-lived; the designation was changed to Fort Abraham Lincoln on November 19, 1872. In 1873 Congress authorized the addition of a cavalry post and its construction was mostly completed the same year. By 1874, Fort Abraham Lincoln housed three companies of the 6th and 17th Infantries and six companies of the 7th Cavalry, making the fort a nine-company command. With a total complement of about 650 men, the fort was among the largest and most important forts on the Northern Plains. Lt. Colonel (Brevet Major General) George Armstrong Custer was the first commander of the enlarged fort and served here from 1873 until the Battle of the Little Big Horn in 1876. Upon completion of the railroad to Montana, Fort Abraham Lincoln had fulfilled its primary purpose. Consequently, the fort gradually declined in importance in 1891 it was decommissioned. In its heyday, the fort encompassed 78 separate buildings. All of the original buildings were dismantled by area settlers and the materials used in the construction of area homes and farms. Today, dues to efforts by former Fort Abraham Lincoln Foundation reconstructed, Commanding Officer’s Quarters, Central Barracks, Granary, Commissary, and Stables now stand on the site. 🍂Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park is one of North Dakotas designated horse parks. This park is set up with 8 corrals and additional amenities to accommodate equestrian users. 🍂Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park's non-motorized trail system covers approximately 6.75 miles in a series of loops and several connecting segment trails that are open for hiking, biking and horseback riding. Most of the trail system surface is either grass, dirt or hard-packed single-track, with manageable grades with only a few steeper sections. Trails include; 🍂Scouts Trail System: The non-motorized, multi-use Scouts Trail System covers 6.75 miles in a series of loops and connecting trails. Most of the surface is hard-packed single-track, with manageable grades and only a few steeper sections. The trail system joins the Mandan-Fort Lincoln Bike Trail just north of the Infantry Post Road. The Scouts Trail System is open for hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding and snowshoeing. The Scouts Trail System can be accessed near the valley picnic shelter or the horse campground. 🍂Little Soldier Loop Trail allows hiking, snowshoeing, horseback riding, mountain biking. This 1.76 mile trail segment starts at the Valley picnic shelter and meets up with the Young Hawk Interpretive Trail. The trail provides excellent vistas of the On-A-Slant Village, Missouri and Heart rivers and the city of Bismarck. 🍂Young Hawk Interpretive Trail is opened to hiking, snowshoeing, horseback riding and mountain biking. This 1.1 mile trail starts and ends at the picnic shelter. The trail contains several numbered posts and a corresponding trail guide describing the history, plant and wildlife of the area. 🍂Bob Tailed Pass: A .88-mile trail that connects Little Soldier and Bloody Knife Trail Loops. The trail segment winds through prairie, shrublands and woodlands. The trail runs past the Post Cemetery. Hiking, snowshoeing, horseback riding and mountain biking are allowed on the trail. 🍂Little Sioux Trail: Is open to hiking, snowshoeing, horseback riding and mountain biking. This 1.04 mile trail loops visitors through the native prairie, buffaloberry and snowberry shrublands and green ash woodlands. The trail goes to the furthest reaches of the state park. 🍂Bloody Knife Trail is a 1.97-mile loop trail starting just south of the Post Cemetery running south to the horse corrals. A portion of this trail is designated for horse and hiking use only. The trail is close to the reconstructed Cavalry Post. Bikes are not allowed within the Cavalry Square. The scenic trail offers excellent bird watching opportunities. 🍂Mato-tope Trail is a 1.37 miles trail that allows hiking, snowshoeing and mountain biking. Beginning at the confluence of the Missouri and Heart Rivers, the trail loops the campground by running along the rivers and next to the old Northern Pacific Railroad line. The trail is named in honor of Mato-tope (Four Bears). He grew up in On-a-Slant and was the son of Chief Good Boy. Mato-tope was the second Mandan Chief named Four Bears. 🍂Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park is home to two seasonal camping cabins. The Goodboy and Sheheke cabin are all situated next to one another along the Missouri River. The cabins are located in the main campground. The Goodboy Cabin is the only handicap accessible cabin in the park. During the summer, our camping cabins are a great choice. Open seasonally, these cabins are air-conditioned and come with a small refrigerator. The cabins sleep five with one queen bed and 3 single beds, set up bunkbed style. It you could go Native! There are 18' Cheyenne tipis set up along the banks of the Missouri River. You are greeted by a spectacular view of the Mighty Missouri as you walk out the front door of these tipis. Call for prices and reservation. 1️⃣7️⃣Plains Art Museum is a fine arts and the largest art museum in North Dakota, located in a turn-of-the-century International Harvester renovated historic warehouse in Fargo. The Plains Art Museum acquired the old International Harvester warehouse building in 1994. The American Alliance of Museums granted accreditation to Plains Art Museum in 2003. This made the Plains Art Museum one of two museums in North Dakota which has received this distinction. The Museum features national and regional exhibitions of 20th and 21st century art. The museum's permanent collection contains approximately three thousand works including national and regional contemporary art, traditional American Indian art, and traditional folk art. Artists whose work is represented include Andy Warhol, James Rosenquist, Salvador Dalí, Ellsworth Kelly, Helen Frankenthaler, and Sol LeWitt. In 1993, the Plains Art Museum began the Rolling Plains Art Gallery, a climate-controlled semi-trailer which traveled to communities in North Dakota and Minnesota. The semi-trailer not only transported the artwork, but also served as the gallery itself. To create a richer experience, an art educator travelled along with the select pieces from the permanent collection. However the Rolling Plains Art Gallery is not currently touring. 1️⃣8️⃣Fort Mandan was the name of the encampment which the Lewis and Clark Expedition built for wintering over in 1804-1805. The encampment was located on the Missouri River approximately twelve miles from the site of present-day Washburn, North Dakota. The precise location is not known for certain and is believed now to be under the water of the river. The fort was built of cottonwood lumber cut from the riverbanks. It was triangular in shape, with high walls on all sides, an interior open space between structures, and a gate facing the Missouri River, by which the party would normally travel. Storage rooms provided a safe place to keep supplies. Lewis and Clark shared a room. According to the journals, they built the fort slightly downriver from the five villages of the Mandan and Hidatsa nations. The winter was very cold, with temperatures sometimes dipping to minus 45 degrees Fahrenheit (-43°C), but the fort provided some protection from the elements. In addition to seeking protection during the winter, Captains Meriwether Lewis and William Clark spent much of this period on diplomatic efforts with the several Native American tribes who lived near the fort. President Thomas Jefferson had directed the captains to pursue these diplomatic goals of preparing the Native American tribes for the arrival of United States traders to the region and also to claim United States territorial sovereignty over the land. All diplomatic efforts failed. During the winter not knowing if they would returned from their further travels, Lewis and Clark compiled their descriptions of tributaries of the Missouri River, their observations about the Native nations encountered, and their descriptions of plant and mineral specimens which they had collected, into a manuscript called the Mandan Miscellany and sent it to government officials in St. Louis. When the expedition returned incAugust they found Fort Mandan burnt to the ground. Since that time, the Missouri River has slowly eroded the bank and shifted course to the east, putting the former site of the fort underwater. The Lewis and Clark Fort Mandan Foundation built a replica of the fort along the river, 2.5 miles from the intersection of ND 200A and US 83. Made according to materials and design as described in the expedition's journals, it is located near the North Dakota Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center. The fort replica holds reproduction items, such as "Meriwether Lewis' field desk, William Clark's map-making tools, bunks the men slept in, equipment they carried in the field, clothes they wore, and the blacksmith's forge." In addition, the site has personnel for tours and interpretive programs about the Lewis and Clark Expedition and its significance in United States, state and regional history. Walking trails go along the property and the river. 1️⃣9️⃣Garrison Dam is an earth-fill embankment dam on the Missouri River in central North Dakota. Constructed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers from 1947 to 1953, at over 2 miles (3.2 km) in length, the dam is the fifth-largest earthen dam in the world. The reservoir impounded by the dam is Lake Sakakawea, which extends to Williston and the confluence with the Yellowstone River, near the Montana border. Garrison Dam is named after the town of Garrison, directly north of the dam, across the reservoir. The dam was part of a flood control and hydroelectric power generation project named the Pick-Sloan Project along the river. In order to construct the dam the US government needed to purchase 152,360 acres (616.6 km2) in the Fort Berthold Reservation that would be flooded by the creation of Lake Sakakawea but this land was owned by the Three Affiliated Tribes. Threatened by confiscation under eminent domain, the tribes protested. A complete block of Garrison Dam power was denied because it would violate the 1935 Rural Electrification Act. The tribes achieved remuneration, but lost 94% of their agricultural land and were forced to accept $7.5 million. The final settlement legislation denied tribes' right to use the reservoir shoreline for grazing, hunting, fishing or other purposes, including irrigation development and royalty rights on all subsurface minerals within the reservoir area. About 1,700 residents were forcibly relocated. Thus Garrison Dam almost totally destroyed the traditional way of life for the Three Affiliated Tribes. Construction on the $300-million dam project began in 1947, and its embankment was enclosed in April 1953. The dam was dedicated by President Eisenhower two months later. The Corps of Engineers completed earthwork in the fall of 1954. Garrison Dam is one of six Missouri River Main stem dams operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District. The dam upstream of Garrison Dam is Fort Peck Dam (near Fort Peck, Montana). The dams downstream of Garrison Dam are: Oahe Dam (near Pierre, South Dakota), Big Bend Dam (near Fort Thompson, South Dakota), Fort Randall Dam (near Pickstown, South Dakota), and Gavins Point Dam (near Yankton, South Dakota). These six mainstem dams impound these Missouri River reservoirs with a total combined water storage capacity of approximately 73,129,000 acre⋅ft (90.203 km3) and approximately 1,111,884 acres (449,963 ha) of water surface area. In June 2011, in response to the 2011 Missouri River Floods, the dam was releasing over 140,000 cubic feet per second (4,000 m3/s), which greatly exceeded its previous record release of 65,000 cu ft/s (1,800 m3/s) set in 1997. The first use of the emergency spillway due to flooding started on June 1, 2011 at 8:00am. The Garrison Dam National Fish Hatchery is the world's largest walleye and northern pike producing facility and also works to restore endangered species, such as the pallid sturgeon. 2️⃣0️⃣Fort Abercrombie is known historically as "the Gateway to the Dakotas." It was the first permanent United States military fort established in what was to become North Dakota. It was also the only post in the area to be besieged by Dakota (Sioux) warriors, for more than six weeks during the Dakota conflict of 1862. The "regular" U.S. Army soldiers had been withdrawn during the Civil War and had been replaced by the Minnesota Volunteer Infantry who defended the fort. The fort was not protected by blockhouses or a palisade during the siege, but these defensive structures were constructed soon afterward. The fort guarded the oxcart trails of the later fur trade era, military supply wagon trains, stagecoach routes, and steamboat traffic on the Red River. It also was a supply base for two major gold-seeking expeditions across Dakota into Montana. Fort Abercrombie served as a hub for several major transportation routes through the northern plains. After the fort was abandoned in 1877, fort buildings were sold and removed from the site. A Works Progress Administration (WPA) project in 1939-1940 reconstructed three blockhouses and the stockade and returned the original military guardhouse to the site. Beginning in the summer of 2001, a project to refurbish major portions of the WPA project and to reinterpret the site was initiated. Today, the site features a small museum, one original and two reconstructed blockhouses, original guardhouse, and the palisade wall. Self-guided tours of the outdoor facilities are open year-round at no charge. The museum is open Thursday through Monday from May 16 through September 15 with a small admission charge. 2️⃣1️⃣Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site: Where the Knife River flows into the Missouri River in North Dakota, a diverse mix of rich wetlands, hardwood forest, and river bluffs stands in stark contrast to the endless miles of rolling prairie. The Upper Missouri River Valley was a lifeline winding through a harsh land. The Knife River region has been home to people for perhaps 11,000 years. Though very few objects remain to interpret the cultures of the people who lived here, early written records and large quantities of cultural material document how the Hidatsa lived in earth lodge villages overlooking the Knife and Missouri Rivers for 500 years. They developed a prosperous way of life in harmony with nature and the cycle of the seasons. In years past, this diverse environment supported a sedentary agricultural lifestyle. Hidatsa women grew corn, beans, squash, and sunflowers in the river bottom lands while they built earth lodges on the high terraces overlooking the river. Hidatsa men hunted bison on the vast open prairie and collected fish from the rivers. The center of Hidatsa life was the village. With clusters of earth lodges, so close they almost touched, each village supported a distinct community with its own dialect and customs. Their earth lodges, called “awahte”, were made of earth and wood. Built by the women in the village, each finished lodge would be 30-60 feet in diameter and 10-15 feet high. It would take approximately 7-10 days to complete an earth lodge from start to finish, and it would last around 10 years. After the lodge was completed, a feast was given to thank all who had assisted. An earth lodge housed 10-20 people, usually sisters and their families. The beds were located around the outer ring, in the areas between the support poles. Personal items were kept under one’s bed. General use items for the lodge occupants were kept on raised platforms similar to the bed frames. If more room was needed and it was not time to construct a new earth lodge; a smaller lodge could be built adjacent to the main lodge and connected with a short passage. This was called a twinning lodge. At the back of the lodge could be found a shrine for the very spiritual Hidatsa people. The shrines varied in size, depending on what space was needed to care for the sacred objects it would house. The area between the shrine and the fire was sacred and not to be passed through. Corrals for horses were built inside each earth lodge, but these housed only the best and most prized war and hunting ponies, which were brought in at night to protect them from theft and harsh weather. Stallions and mares were kept outside on opposite sides of the door. A small sweat lodge, an important part of Hidatsa life, was also built inside the lodge, usually to the right of the entrance near the corral. The sweat lodge was used for both ceremonial and practical purposes. Villages of up to 120 earth lodges were constructed on the terrace above the Missouri and Knife Rivers. These permanent dwellings were owned and maintained by the women of the tribe. Because of their successful mastery of agriculture, these people were able to maintain a relatively non-migratory village life. At some point, the Mandan and Arikara joined the Hidatsa in settled villages south along the Missouri River. Together, these three groups pioneered agriculture on the Northern Plains while still hunting bison and gathering wild edibles. Despite their links as earth lodge peoples, conflict and competition were not unknown between these three communities. The site was a major Native American trade center for hundreds of years prior to becoming an important marketplace for fur traders after 1750. Tribes from across the Northern Plains journeyed to these permanent villages to trade, socialize, and make war. The Sioux, Cheyenne, Crow, Assiniboin, and Ojibwe, along with white traders, explorers, and artists made the Knife River Indian Villages an exciting and cosmopolitan place. Foreign visitors also brought new diseases that dramatically altered communities and cultures which would eventually lead to the end of the traditional lifestyle in the Knife River region. Log and frame houses began to replace the earthlodge in the late 1800’s and today the descendants of the earthlodge-dwellers live in modern- style homes on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation. Today, the Knife River National Historic Site protects the remains of three large Hidatsa villages – Awatixa Xi’e Village, Awatixa Village, and Hidatsa Village. Awatixa Xi’e Village, also known as the Lower Hidatsa Village, was established as early as 1525 and was continuously occupied until about 1780-1785. Home to the Awatixa Hidatsa subgroup, the village covered an area of about 10 acres and contained at least 50 earth lodges. The village was abandoned after a smallpox epidemic swept through it. The survivors moved away to other locations and established the short-lived Rock Village before returning to the area to establish the Awatixa or Sakakawea Village. Today, the village site is accessible to visitors from a short quarter-mile trail that extends from the Visitor Center. This Village Trail leads to the Awatixa or Sakakawea Village a half-mile later. The Awatixa Village, also known as Sakakawea Village, was occupied from about 1790-1834. The Awatixa Hidatsa subgroup established the village after a smallpox epidemic forced them away from the Awatixa Xi’e or Lower Hidatsa Village. It originally contained as many as 60 earth lodges. In 1834, a Sioux raid burned the village to the ground. The survivors are thought to have established the short-lived Taylor Bluff Village on the opposite bank of the Knife River. Today, the Awatixa Village is the most threatened among the Knife River Indian Villages. The Knife River has eroded away part of the village, leaving only 31 visible earth lodge depressions. This cut-bank erosion does, however, allow visitors to view many cultural features and artifacts in cross-section from a trail that extends along the Knife River below the village. The Hidatsa Village, also known as Big Hidatsa Village, was the farthest north of the Knife River Indian Villages. The Hidatsa-proper subgroup established the village sometime around the year 1600. The village covered roughly 15.5 acres and contained over 100 earth lodges. The Hidatsa abandoned the village in 1845, moving upriver 40 miles to establish Like-a-Fishhook Village, their last traditional earth lodge village. In 1974, the site was designated a National Historic Landmark to protect and preserve one of the best remaining earth lodge village sites in the Northern Plains. Today, the Hidatsa Village remains a site of profound spiritual, cultural, and archeological importance. Visitors can access the village site from a short quarter-mile trail located at the north end of the park. A museum exhibits artifacts recovered from the village sites, decorative arts of Northern Plains Indians, and provides information about the history and culture of the Hidatsa people. Outside the museum is a full scale reconstructed Earthlodge, Hidatsa garden, and drying racks. Several trails lead from the museum to the three village sites. 2️⃣2️⃣North Dakota's ONLY registered waterfall. Mineral Springs Waterfall it drops 8 to 12 feet in the Sheyenne State Forest. It has been one of the best kept secrets among adventure seekers that are from or have come to North Dakota. It is one of the sacred attractions of the state and a great hiking adventure for all! There is a marked trail that will lead you to the hidden treasure, but along the way, keep your eyes open for some great wildlife. It comes from an underground spring that runs into the Sheyenne River. The Mineral Springs Falls is located about 10 miles west of Lisbon. Sheyenne State Forest: North Country Trail to Mineral Springs Waterfall. This grassy/dirt trail starts from the parking area off 122nd Ave SE. From the back of the parking area, this trail heads west through bottomland hardwood forests, oak savannas, open prairie. It crosses a couple drainages before terminating at the state's only waterfall, and a nice backcountry camping site. Hikers will enjoy spectacular vistas up and down the Sheyenne River Valley and the trail also features two designated backcountry campsites (picnic tables, non-potable water, but no restrooms).

Wow, what a trip!

Sending a towel with the hugs! It rain all day today.🐶🐶💕⛈