State Historical Society of North Dakota

09/11/2026

Today marks the 25th Anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, a day that will forever be remembered.

As I'm sitting here trying to find the words to say, I think back to where I was when I heard the horrible news. I was an 8th grader sitting in class like any other day...until it wasn't. Someone came rushing into our room in a panic and told our teacher we'd been attacked and he needed to turn on the news. I will never forget that day, the lives that were lost, or the impact on our country.

We invite you to share your story of where you were when you heard the news as we remember that day 25 years later.

📷 A canvas art print titled "First Pass, Defenders Over Washington" by Rick Herter depicting an F-16 piloted by Captain Dean Eckmann flying over the burning Pentagon on September 11, 2001. SHSND 2025.2.8

08/24/2026

𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝘆 𝗙𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗜𝗻 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝘀𝘁: 𝗔𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗽𝘀 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗚𝗼𝗮𝗹𝘀

"This past May, I graduated from Bemidji State University in Minnesota with a bachelor's in social studies. I began my internship at the State Archives with very little knowledge of North Dakota"

Read the rest of the blog post at https://blog.statemuseum.nd.gov/FindingMyFutureinthePast

08/18/2026

𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗚𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗛𝗼𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲! 𝗜𝘁𝗲𝗺𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝘂𝘀𝗲𝘂𝗺 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗧𝗼 𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗞𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗖𝗼𝗼𝗹

"How would I describe this summer? Hot! Days like these make me wonder how people in the past stayed cool..."

Read more about it on the blog at https://blog.statemuseum.nd.gov/Museum-Collections-To-Help-You-Keep-Cool

08/10/2026

𝐆𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈𝐧 𝐓𝐨𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐌𝐲 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐀𝐭 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐞𝐰𝐢𝐬 & 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐆𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐬

"While up to my elbows in weeds working in the gardens at the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center, my mind has ample opportunity to wander." Continue reading Bethany Schatz's blog post at https://blog.statemuseum.nd.gov/Getting-in-Touch-With-My-Heritage-at-LCIC-gardens

08/07/2026

We're excited to announce The Waddington Brothers will be at AgFest 2026! Enjoy at noon and again at 3 pm in the Russell Reid Auditorium 🎼

📢 LAST MINUTE BOOKING!

BISMARCK..... here's you chance to see the Waddington Brothers this summer!

They'll be performing 2 sets during Ag Fest at the North Dakota Heritage Center & State Museum on Saturday, August 15. Hosted by the State Historical Society of North Dakota.

They'll be playing in the Russel Reid Auditorium at 12:00pm & 3:00pm. This event is free to the public, so come enjoy both shows!

Hope to see you there!

08/03/2026

Take a stroll down memory lane and remember Norsk Høstfest.

"As the photo intern this summer at the State Archives, I have had the opportunity to work with photos from the festival that were donated by the association after the event’s conclusion."

Read more on the blog at https://blog.statemuseum.nd.gov/Remembering-Norsk-H%C3%B8stfest

07/23/2026

Learn about how the Chateau De Mores State Historic Site became a state historic site, in this month's "Our Heritage" video. Enjoy!

07/08/2026

𝗔𝘀 𝗔𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮 𝗧𝘂𝗿𝗻𝘀 𝟮𝟱𝟬, 𝗮 𝗟𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗔𝘁 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗔𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀’ 𝗕𝗶𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀.

"I love a good celebration! It’s so fun to create memories, see friends and family, and feel those party vibes—whether for birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, or festivals. A celebration on a national level, such as America’s 250th, adds an extra layer. It’s a mile marker!"

Read the full blog article at https://blog.statemuseum.nd.gov/state-archives-bicentennial-collections

06/29/2026

What a start to America250 week with Governor Kelly Armstrong and State Historical Society of North Dakota Director Bill Peterson giving the replica Liberty Bell its first official ringing inside the North Dakota Heritage Center & State Museum!

On display at the ND Heritage Center & State Museum since September 2024, the replica offers visitors a tangible connection to one of the nation’s most recognizable symbols of freedom and independence.

North Dakota received the bell in 1950 as part of a nationwide U.S. savings bond campaign. Full-size Liberty Bell replicas were presented to every state and territory. The bell toured communities across the state aboard a Ford flatbed truck. The campaign generated $6.5 billion in U.S. savings bond sales nationwide to help offset the costs of World War II.

The bell was displayed at the North Dakota Capitol from 1950 to 1982 and later at Century High School in Bismarck from 2001 to 2015.