Early History
Prior to formal organization by the United States Government, the region including and surrounding what is today Bismarck-Mandan was home to several dominant native tribes, most notably the Mandan, Hidatsa, Arikara, Sioux, and Chippewa. La Vérendrye was one of the first explorers to the area, around 1738.
Most of the land of present-day North Dakota was acquired by the United States in the Louisiana Purchase in 1803; however, the region remained largely unsettled throughout most of the 19th century. Upon establishment in 1861, Dakota Territory included what is now present-day North Dakota and South Dakota in addition to parts of Montana and Wyoming.
Explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark spent the winter of 1804-1805 at a camp established near present-day Washburn, located about 40 miles north of present-day Bismarck. During their stay in the region, Lewis and Clark were introduced to Sakakawea, a Shoshone woman who acted as a translator and guide. Due to their iconic and historic relevance, Lewis, Clark, and Sakakawea are all well celebrated figures in the region.
Bismarck Founded
The Northern Pacific Railroad helped to bring the first settlers to the region. The company was organized to construct the northern transcontinental railroad. By 1872, the railroad had pushed into Dakota Territory and was approaching the Missouri River. As the railroad approached the river, the town of Edwinton (renamed Bismarck one year later) was established near the point where Northern Pacific planned to span the Missouri River. “Edwinton” was named for Edwin Johnson, Chief Engineer for the Northern Pacific Railroad.
Commissioned by Doctor Walter Burleigh, the first buildings for the town were constructed in 1872, which included the establishment of Camp Greeley (later renamed Camp Hancock). The camp served as a supply depot and military post to ensure expansion of the railroad. The military also established Fort McKeen at this time, later renamed Fort Abraham Lincoln, to ensure protection for the railroad and settlers. Fort Abraham Lincoln, which was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel George A. Custer, would later gain recognition for Custer’s Land Stand at Little Bighorn in 1876.
Upon the founding of Edwinton, the first business was established by John Yegen, which was a bakery and restaurant he operated out of a tent.
1873
The railroad reached Edwinton in June 1873. The town was renamed Bismarck the following month in an attempt to attract German settlers and investors to the region. Burleigh County was also organized in 1873 and Bismarck was named as its county seat.
The Bismarck Tribune published its first edition on July 11, 1873 and Linda Slaughter, wife of surgeon Dr. B.F. “Frank” Slaughter, opened the first school in September of that year inside the Congressional Church.
Despite its promising future, the fate of Bismarck seemed doomed when the Panic of 1873 caused Northern Pacific to file for bankruptcy and forced construction of the railroad to cease, leaving the railroad reaching an abrupt end at Bismarck for nearly ten years. At the time construction halted, most of the railroad had been completed except for the bridge that was to span the Missouri River. Until funding for a bridge was obtained, trains had to be ferried across the river during the warm months and use temporary tracks built on the frozen river during the winter. Naturally, this made train transportation difficult and Northern Pacific’s bankruptcy added even further limitations on this necessary mode of transportation.
Gold Discovery Brings Boom
Northern Pacific completed its bridge over the Missouri River in 1882.
Perhaps saving the new city from sudden extinction was the discovery of gold in the nearby Black Hills in 1874, which sparked a minor gold rush to the region that lasted until approximately 1878. Most of the prospectors arrived in the area via the railroad to its terminus in Bismarck before setting out on their journey to the Black Hills. Ironically, it was the railroad’s sudden end in Bismarck that mostly contributed to the city’s initial growth.
Bismarck was incorporated as a city in 1875, electing John McLean as its first mayor.
In 1876, the region received national attention when Bismarck Tribune reporter Mark Kellogg was first to report on the massacre at Little Big Horn, popularly known today as “Custer’s Last Stand”. Kellogg himself was killed during the battle.
The first schoolhouse was constructed in 1877 at the southwest corner of Thayer Avenue and Sixth Street. The second bank in Dakota Territory, First National Bank, opened at corner of 4th Street and Main Avenue two years later.
Bismarck Becomes Government, Commerce, and Healthcare Hub
After surviving bankruptcy, Northern Pacific emerged with enough capital to finish construction of the northern transcontinental railroad. The multi-million dollar railroad bridge spanning the Missouri River in Bismarck finally opened in October 1882, officially completing the railroad line.
The original capitol was completed in 1884. Photo Courtesy North Dakota Historical Society.
The following year, in 1883, the capital of Dakota Territory was relocated from Yankton to Bismarck. The city of Jamestown was also being considered as the possible new capital. Alexander McKenzie, a prominent and sometimes controversial political figure with close ties to Northern Pacific executives, is credited for bringing the capital to Bismarck. Construction on the new capitol building commenced immediately; completed the following year.
With the growing city came major business and industry. Webb Brothers opened as a furniture store in 1884, but would eventually expand its merchandise. For years, Webb Brothers was the only dry goods store in Bismarck, and the only furniture store in the region. North Ward School also opened that year, with 364 students, replacing the original 2-room schoolhouse. The first graduating class consisted of just two students in 1887.
The first hospital in Dakota Territory, Saint Alexius, opened in 1885, in addition to the Territorial Prison, now known as the State Penitentiary. Bismarck now had everything necessary to support a thriving city.
Upon entering statehood in 1889, Dakota Territory was divided and Bismarck assumed the role as capital of North Dakota. Even though Bismarck had grown substantially, it still mostly resembled a frontier town. Most of the buildings to this point had been constructed of wood, which would provide endless fuel to a fire that devastated Bismarck in August 1898. The fire spread quickly from one wood structure to the next, and in the end, most of the buildings in Bismarck had been affected in some way from fire. Heavy winds had spread the flames as far north as the capitol. The total loss was estimated at nearly half a million dollars (in 1898 figures).
Following the fire, a large portion of Bismarck had to be rebuilt. New, stricter fire codes were enacted, and rising from the ashes were buildings not made from wood, but from brick and concrete. Many of these new buildings were even labeled as “fire proof”. The Fire of 1898 helped push Bismarck away from its frontier roots and into a modernized city.
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