Dakota Datebook

Accidents at railroad crossings were fairly common in the early days of railroading, and the results were often gruesome. When survivors brought lawsuits, courts frequently ruled in favor of the railroads.

Today is the birthday of Harriet Lake, who was born in 1909 in Valley City. Her mother was an opera singer and her father, a traveling thespian.

President Theodore Roosevelt called the first Governor's Conference in 1908. Roosevelt was concerned about the state of the environment and invited all the governors to the White House to discuss conservation. The governors found the gathering so useful that they went on to establish the National Governors Association. The organization is made up of the governors of all states and territories.

Invented in the 1870s, the power binder cut grain and tied the stalks into bundles using twine. One person and a team of horses could accomplish work that had formerly taken six workers to do.

They called him “Satchmo”, or “Mr. Jazz.” His given name was Louis Armstrong, and this world-famous jazz trumpeter and singer came to Fargo in September of 1957, performing at NDSU's fieldhouse for an “enthusiastic” audience of 3,200 fans.

In this episode of Dakota Datebook, we'll hear Alex DeCoteau, educator and enrolled Member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, share his insight into exactly what it is that Native Americans have contributed to the United States.

In 1861, President Abraham Lincoln appointed Dr. William Jayne as territorial governor. Jayne recognized that the territory needed some form of defense. The legislature passed "An Act to Organize and Discipline the Militia of the Territory of Dakota."

The Alien Enemies Act of 1798 was intended to prevent foreign espionage and sabotage during wartime. It allows the president to detain or deport natives and citizens of an enemy nation. The act has been invoked three times: during the War of 1812, World War I, and World War II.

William Geimer was born in Jamestown, North Dakota in 1925. After graduating from Jamestown High School, Bill entered the U.S. Navy in March of 1943 during World War II.

On this day in 1907, staff of the State Historical Society dined out at a new restaurant in town, The International. Owned and operated by Wong Woo, a local restaurateur, The International specialized in Chinese food for hungry residents and visitors in downtown Bismarck.

Kate Richards O'Hare was one of the leading speakers within the Socialist Party in 1916. She spoke at Bowman, North Dakota, on July 11, 1917, on behalf of the Non-Partisan League.

The rosy, "Leave It to Beaver" portrayal of the American economy in the 1950s and '60s was not reality for many Americans. By the 1960s, fully 20 percent of the population was living in poverty. President Kennedy's advisor, Walter Heller, prepared a report warning that some Americans would remain trapped in poverty even with full employment.

On this date in 1797, fur trader J. B. Chaboillez of the Northwest Company noted the arrival of Net-no-kwa and her sons at the Pembina post.

North Dakota's old Capitol building in Bismarck, built in 1884, was home to state officials, including the governor, the secretary of state, and the attorney general. It was also where the two houses of the state legislature met. By the early 1900s, the building was showing its age.

John James Audubon is famed as an ornithologist, largely because of his detailed illustrations of North American birds. He became famous after the publication of his meticulous and accurate paintings.

Dakota Territory had to begin the process of statehood by applying to Congress. Many people thought it would be admitted as the state of Dakota instead of being split into North and South. Many factors led to the division including an increase in population of both sections of the territory and political disputes about the location of a capital.

It was originally called the Home Economics Practice House. Today, the house, located at 1260 University Drive North on the NDSU campus in Fargo is known as the Alba Bales House.

John Gabriel Halland had a tumultuous end of the century in the years leading up to 1900. Originally the head of the History Department at Fargo's Agricultural College, he ran for Superintendent of Public Instruction in 1898. As often happens in campaigns, every detail of his personal life was dragged into the spotlight.

The Civil War was not going well for the Union in 1862. A victory at Shiloh in April was followed by defeat in the Seven Days Battles, an inconclusive result at Antietam, and a disastrous loss at Fredericksburg.

On this date in 1917, former Attorney General of North Dakota, Henry J. Linde, died. He had suffered a stroke three months earlier, after many years of illness. He was only 37 years old.

The morning after Christmas is usually reserved for sitting with a warm cup of coffee while perusing newspaper ads for major sales. However, on this day in 1994, many North Dakotans likely stopped leafing through the paper in shock to reread a story about a man from California.

After the original Capitol building burned down in 1930, a great deal of thought and effort went into constructing the new Capitol. Very different from the domed buildings most states were accustomed to, North Dakota wanted to rebuild something great and ultra-usable.

Elders who were children in the 1930s at Turtle Mountain remembered Midnight Mass as the main celebration of Christmas.

While Ben Eielson is North Dakota's most famous aviator, others came before him, though their names are less well known. On June 9, 1911, Fargo banks and stores closed as more than 12,000 people flocked to the fairgrounds to watch Robert St. Henry take to the air in his Glenn Curtiss biplane. St. Henry was working for Curtiss, the New York airplane designer based in Hammondsport.

On this date in 1934, the Minot Daily News reported on the appropriation request from the North Dakota School for the Deaf. The school was asking the Legislature for funds to complete a building that had been left unfinished for 26 years. Superintendent Burton W. Driggs requested $75,000 to finally complete the long-standing project.

As the year turns and the season grows colder and quiet under snow… We want to say thank you for all the unseen work that makes this region home.

It's a tale as old as time: two young men in love with the same girl. Tom Allen lived on the farm next to the Lockhart place and spent much of his spare time courting Laura Lockhart, even though he was quite a bit older. But Allen had two obstacles. He often got drunk, which did not appeal to Laura. And he had a rival: Brownie Emery. Emery was closer to Laura's age, she seemed more attracted to him, and, unlike Allen, he never arrived at the Lockhart home drunk.

In 1893, Clint Nickells, a Kansas City druggist, came to Wahpeton and rented a house with Mrs. Maude Graham and her three children. The pair intended to establish Dakota residency so they could divorce their spouses. Mr. Graham soon arrived from Minneapolis; he had hired detectives to trace his wife after learning of several large trunks she'd checked into the baggage car.

On this date in 1919, North Dakota finally brought the notorious Guyer gang to justice.

In November 1896, Reverend Schemerhorn arrived in Wahpeton, leaving his pastorate in New Jersey. After correspondence with eastern contacts who praised his work, local leaders secured his services. He came highly recommended by well-known Baptists and was offered the pastorate of the local Baptist church. The congregation was pleased with him.

On this date in 1911, the Wahpeton–Breckenridge community was still reeling from the events of the previous week. Word-of-mouth versions of the story circulated until the weekly newspapers came out.

It was 1902, and President Theodore Roosevelt was deep in the woods on a hunting trip when something felt off.

In this episode of Dakota Datebook, we'll hear Oliver Gourd, elder, educator and enrolled member of the Spirit Lake Dakota Nation, talk about the importance of generosity among the Dakota people.

The Pure Foods Movement was a grass roots effort that called attention to the presence of unhealthy additives in processed food. Prior to 1906, there was no governmental oversight of processed foods and pharmaceutical drugs.

On this date in 1906, Teddy Roosevelt became the first American to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his role in ending the Russo-Japanese War.

There was a time when just about everyone in North Dakota knew the name and fame of Arnold Oss, the greatest athlete ever to grow up in Lidgerwood. From 1917 to 1921, Oss made sports headlines across North Dakota and Minnesota. He played football, basketball, baseball, ran track and was a star in them all.

Sledding is a pastime for many during the long North Dakota winters, especially once sufficient snow blankets the region. While residents did their best to occupy themselves with winter activities, Bismarck's children benefited from compassionate residents and an attentive city government to gain additional space to have fun.

Long before weather alerts or five-day forecasts, people watched the animals, listened to the winds, took note of the moon and stars, and told tales to predict the weather.

In the late 1800s, workers averaged ten to sixteen hours a day, six days a week. Workers in Great Britain and the United States began to push for a reduction in work hours.

On the morning of July 30, 1916, New York City was jarred awake by a huge explosion. Four people were killed, thousands of windows were blown out, and the Statue of Liberty was hit with debris.

Old Wild Rice is the “George Washington” of the Pembina Band of Chippewa. He was frequently mentioned in the Northwest Company fur trade journals of Charles Jean-Baptiste Chaboillez and his successor, Alexander Henry.

As Secretary of State for President James Monroe, John Quincy Adams advocated for the expansion of the United States. He was responsible for establishing the northern boundary of the country from the Lake of the Woods to the Rocky Mountains, and eventually to the Pacific Ocean. More than any other man, Adams was responsible for putting the Monroe Doctrine into action.