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History
When Europeans reached the territory of present-day North Dakota in the mid-1700s, several peoples were already living in the region. The Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara were settled along the Missouri River; the Ojibwa (locally called Chippewa or Anishinaabe) and Cree resided in the northeast; and various Sioux groups (the Assiniboin, Yankton, Wahpeton, and Teton) inhabited areas in the north, southeast, and west.
North Dakota became U.S.territory as part of the Louisiana Purchase of 1803. The region was originally part of the Minnesota and Nebraska territories, until, along with South Dakota, it was organized into the Dakota Territory in 1861. The state was very sparsely populated until the arrival of the railroads in the late 1800s, and finally became the 39th state on 2 November 1889. During the run-up to statehood, there was an intense rivalry between North and South Dakota over which state would be admitted to the union first. When the time came for their formal admission, President Benjamin Harrison selected at random which bill to sign first, and did not record the order in which the bills were signed, though North Dakota is traditionally listed first. The state is renowned for its scenic badlands, which are part of the Theodore Roosevelt National Park.

< Over 100,000 immigrants came to northern Dakota Territory between the years of 1879 and 1886. Another huge influx occurred when more than 250,000 persons came into the state between 1898 and 1915.

Homesteading:
Settlers mostly became farmers, either buying land from the railroad, or homesteading 160 acres. The government gave the land to the settlers free if they lived on it and improved it for a certain number of years. If they were willing to plant and care for trees, they could receive an additional 160 acres as well.

From about 1875 to 1890 in eastern North Dakota, large farms -- from 3,000 to 65,000 acres were abundant, especially around the Red River Valley.

Neighbors:
North Dakota is bordered on the north by Saskatchewan and Manitoba, east by Minnesota, south by South Dakota, and west by Montana.

  Prairie Rose

  State Flower