Bismarck, North Dakota
Encyclopedia
Bismarck is the capital of the U.S. state
of North Dakota
and the county seat
of Burleigh County
. It is the second most populous city in North Dakota after Fargo
. The city's population was 61,272 at the 2010 census, while its metropolitan population was 108,779. Bismarck was founded in 1872 and has been North Dakota's capital since it gained statehood in 1889.
Bismarck is situated on the east bank of the Missouri River
, directly across the river from Mandan
. The two cities make up the core of the Bismarck-Mandan
Metropolitan Statistical Area.
The North Dakota State Capitol, the tallest building in the state, towers over the central part of Bismarck. The state government employs more than 4,000 in the city. As a hub of retail and health care, Bismarck is the economic center of a large portion of south-central North Dakota and north-central South Dakota
.
from June 1866 to November 1870. In 1873 the Northern Pacific Railway changed the city's name to Bismarck, after the German
chancellor Otto von Bismarck
, in an effort to attract German investment. However, the discovery of gold in the nearby Black Hills
in 1874 was the first real impetus for growth: Bismarck becoming a freight-shipping centre at the end of the "Custer Route" from the Black Hills. Bismarck became the capital of the Dakota Territory
in 1883 and of the state of North Dakota
in 1889. Bismarck is also known as the hub city for the well known Lewis and Clark Expedition
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city occupies 27.4 square miles (71 km²), with 26.9 square miles (69.7 km²) land, and 0.5 square miles (1.3 km²) (1.90%) being water.
Downtown Bismarck is near the center of the city, and is distinctive because the city's major shopping center, Kirkwood Mall
, is there rather than in a suburban setting. Several other major retail stores are in the vicinity of Kirkwood Mall, as is the Bismarck Civic Center
. The two Bismarck hospitals, St. Alexius Medical Center
and Medcenter One Health Systems
are both downtown, and the streets are lined with small stores and restaurants.
Much recent commercial and residential growth has happened in the northern section of the city, largely because of expanding retail centers. Among the shopping centers in northern Bismarck are Gateway Fashion Mall
, Northbrook Mall, Arrowhead Plaza, and the new Pinehurst Square "power center" mall.
The North Dakota State Capitol complex is just north of downtown Bismarck. The 19-story Art Deco
capitol is the tallest building in the city, at a height of 241.75 feet (74 m). The capitol building towers over the central part of the city and is easily seen from 20 miles (30 km) away on a clear day. Completed during the Great Depression
in 1934, it replaced an earlier capitol building which burned to the ground in 1930. The capitol grounds house the North Dakota Heritage Center
, the North Dakota State Library
, the North Dakota Governor's Residence
, the State Office Building, and the Liberty Memorial Building
. The North Dakota State Penitentiary
is in eastern Bismarck.
The Cathedral District is a historic neighborhood near downtown Bismarck. The neighborhood gets its name from the art deco
Cathedral of the Holy Spirit which stands in the district. Some homes in this neighborhood date back to the 1880s, although many were built in the first decades of the 20th century. For years, the city has put forth controversial proposals to widen the streets in the neighborhood, but any such project would require the removal of many of the towering American elm
s which line the streets.
The Ruth Meiers Hospitality House
is a 66-bed shelter for the homeless located east of downtown Bismarck.
, between the geographic centers of the United States and North America, Bismarck displays a highly variable four-season humid continental climate
(Koppen
Dfb) with strong semi-arid influences. Bismarck's climate is characterized by long, cold, somewhat snowy and windy winters, and hot summers that are at times humid. Thunderstorm
s occur in spring and summer, but much of the rest of the year is dry.
The warmest month in Bismarck is July, with a daily mean of 70.4 °F (21.3 °C), with typically wide variations between day and night. The coldest month is January, with a 24-hour average of 10.2 °F (-12.1 °C). Precipitation peaks from May to September and is rather sparse in the winter months. Winter snowfall is typically light to moderate, occurring with the passage of frontal systems; major storms are rare.
was 2,065.2 per square mile (797.4/km²). There were 24,217 housing units at an average density of 900.6 per square mile (347.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 94.78% White, 3.39% Native American, 0.89% from two or more races, 0.75% Hispanic or Latino, 0.45% Asian, 0.28% Black or African American
, 0.17% from other races
and 0.03% Pacific Islander.
The top six ancestries in the city are: German
(57.9%), Norwegian
(18.2%), Russian
(7.7%), Irish
(7.2%), English
(5.0%), Swedish
(4.3%).
There were 23,185 households, of which 30.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.1% were married couples
living together, 9.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.7% were non-families. 31.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.5% were someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.94.
In the city, the population was spread out with 23.5% under the age of 18, 11.1% from 18 to 24, 29.1% from 25 to 44, 22.4% from 45 to 64, and 13.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 93.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.8 males.
The median income per household in the city was $39,422, and the median income per family was $51,477. Males had a median income of $33,804 versus $22,647 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $20,789. About 5.7% of families and 8.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.5% of those under age 18 and 7.4% of those age 65 or over.
style of municipal government. Citizens elect five at-large
city commissioners. The president of the city commission fills the office of mayor of the city. The current mayor of Bismarck is John Warford
. The city commission meets every second and fourth Tuesday of each month.
is the largest employer in Bismarck. Bismarck's two major health care providers, St. Alexius Medical Center
and Medcenter One Health Systems
, together employ about 4,100 people. Other major employers in Bismarck include Basin Electric Power Cooperative
, Coventry Health Care
, Bismarck Public Schools
, Midwest Motor Express
, and the United States Federal Government
.
Bismarck is the home of MDU Resources Group
, which in 2009 was ranked number 473 on the Fortune 500
list.
system operates sixteen elementary school
s, three middle school
s (Simle, Wachter, Horizon), two public high schools (Century High
and Bismarck High
) and one alternative high school (South Central High School). The system educates 10,400 students and employs 1,500 people.
Three Bismarck Catholic parishes operate primary schools (kindergarten
through eighth grade): St. Mary's Grade School, St. Anne's Grade School, and Cathedral Grade School. St. Mary's Grade School, founded in 1878, is the oldest continuously operating elementary school in North Dakota.
The city has two private high schools, St. Mary's Central High School
and Shiloh Christian School.
is a four-year university, operated by the Benedictine Sisters of Annunciation Monastery. Bismarck State College
is a two-year public college, largest degree-granting institution in the city, and a member of the North Dakota University System
. United Tribes Technical College
is a two-year tribal college. Rasmussen College
, a two to four-year private college, has a campus location in Bismarck.
, a historic building in downtown Bismarck dating to 1914, is a center for the arts in the area. Performances of Northern Plains Dance and the Bismarck-Mandan Symphony Orchestra
are held there.
Theater companies in Bismarck include Sleepy Hollow Summer Theatre, the Shade Tree Players children's theater group, Dakota Stage Ltd, University of Mary, Bismarck State College, and various high school groups. The Gannon and Elsa Forde Art Galleries are at Bismarck State College. The Missouri Valley Chamber Orchestra, founded in 2000, is the community's newest orchestra and performs a variety of musical genres.
Sertoma Park stretches more than three miles (five kilometers) along the banks of the Missouri River
and within the park are several miles of biking trails, the Dakota Zoo
, and Super Slide Amusement Park
.
In total, the Parks and Recreation District operates roughly 2,300 acres (930 hectares) of public parkland.
There are five golf courses in Bismarck: four 18-hole courses (Apple Creek Country Club, Hawktree Golf Club, Riverwood Golf Course, and Tom O'Leary Golf Course), and one 9-hole course (Pebble Creek Golf Course).
One of the main tourism attractions of the Bismarck area is Fort Abraham Lincoln
State Park, located 7 miles (11 kilometers) south of neighboring Mandan, North Dakota. It contains the partial reconstruction of Fort Abraham Lincoln, the headquarters of the 7th Cavalry and last command of George Armstrong Custer
before the Battle of the Little Bighorn. It also holds On-a-Slant Village, a partially-rebuilt earthlodge village that was once a home to the Mandan tribe. Guided tours of both sites are offered in the summertime. There are also a museum on park history, nature trails, and a campground.
Hunting and fishing are popular with hunting seasons for deer, pheasant, and waterfowl. Fishing is a year-round sport on the Missouri River bordering Bismarck. There are public docks on the river. From north to south, there is a dock at the Port of Bismarck, from which the Lewis and Clark passenger riverboat plies the Missouri; Fox Island Landing, about a half mile southwest of Riverwood Golf Course; and the Bismarck Dock at General Sibley Park, where there is a boat ramp and picnic facilities.
Near Bismarck are several dammed lakes, including McDowell Dam Lake, six miles (ten kilometers) east of the city, and two lakes a few miles west of the city. The extensive Lake Sakakawea
is seventy miles (110 kilometers) north of Bismarck, upstream of Garrison Dam.
In February 2007, Bismarck broke the record for most snow angel
s made in one place. A total of 8,962 participants came to the capitol grounds for the event.
(285-bed) and Medcenter One Health Systems
(238-bed). When it was opened in 1885, St. Alexius was the first hospital in Dakota Territory
and is the oldest health care provider in the state of North Dakota
. St. Alexius and Medcenter One have joined forces to form the Bismarck Cancer Center. Medcenter One was founded in 1908 as Bismarck Evangelical Hospital, was renamed in 1955 to Bismarck Hospital, then renamed again in 1984 to its present designation, MedCenter One.
The only daily newspaper in Bismarck is the Bismarck Tribune
. The paper was established in 1873 and is the oldest continuously operating business in the city. The Tribune is the official newspaper of the city of Bismarck, Burleigh County
, and the state of North Dakota
. The daily newspapers of other major cities in North Dakota are also available at area newsstands.
Television
There are six television stations based in Bismarck, and all of them have rebroadcasters in Minot
, Williston
, and Dickinson
. The stations are:
Bismarck also carries KWMK
, an affiliate of The CW, on cable channel 14, as well as Public-access television
channels, on cable TV channels 2 and 12.
Radio
Bismarck supports some twenty-seven radio stations. Most of the commercial stations are owned by either Clear Channel Communications
, Cumulus Media
. Many of the lower frequency stations are broadcasters of national Christian radio
networks. The local stations are:
FM Frequencies
AM Frequencies
, Bismarck has become a major transportation hub.
Bismarck Municipal Airport
is south of the city and has the largest passenger volume in western North Dakota and the second highest within the state. The airport is served by United Express
, Allegiant Air
and Delta Air Lines
. A new $15 million terminal opened in May 2005. The previous terminal was built in the mid-1960s and expanded in the mid-1970s. A windstorm collapsed part of the roof connecting the expanded terminal to the original building, and eventually it was decided to demolish the entire complex and build the new terminal.
The BNSF Railway
runs east-west through the city. There has not been Amtrak
service in Bismarck since the North Coast Hiawatha
service ended in 1979. The closest Amtrak station is in Minot
, north of Bismarck, where the Empire Builder
line runs.
Two federal highways pass through Bismarck. Interstate 94
runs east and west through the city and connects Bismarck and Mandan
. The north-south U.S. Route 83
merges in north Bismarck with Interstate 94 to run east for roughly twenty-five miles (forty kilometers) beyond which it again runs north-south.
The Capital Area Transit System (CAT) began operations in May 2004. This public bus system is operated by the Bis-Man Transit Board and has eleven routes throughout Bismarck and Mandan
. Bis-Man Transit also operates a taxi service for senior citizens and people with disabilities.
and Century High School
, are known as The Demons and The Patriots, respectively. The athletic teams at St. Mary's Central High School
, Bismarck's Catholic high school, are known as The Saints. The teams at Bismarck State College
and United Tribes Technical College
are known as The Mystics and Thunderbirds, and both compete in the National Junior College Athletic Association
. The teams at the University of Mary
are The Marauders and compete in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference
. Bismarck has an American Legion
baseball team called the Governors.
In the Fall, the accent is on high school and college football and there are spirited rivalries among the several high schools in the area. The University of Mary added the sport in 1988. Most University of Mary football games are played in the Community Bowl. Popular sports during the winter months include ice hockey, wrestling and basketball. In Spring, baseball is one of the top amateur sports in the city with each high school, Bismarck State College, and The University of Mary providing teams. The University of Mary also has a softball team. Another popular high school and college sport during the Spring months is track and field. Summer months see no high school or college athletics, but in the Summer Bismarck has American Legion baseball and auto racing. The Fourth of July holiday is the height of rodeo time with rodeos being held in Mandan and Bismarck. The Summer months also see another popular sport in Bismarck, slow-pitch softball. Bismarck is the host city of the world's largest charity softball tournament, the Sam McQuade Charity Softball tournament in which more than four hundred teams from all over the United States and Canada compete.
of the National Basketball Association Development League. The Wizards first season was 1995 in the International Basketball Association. The Wizards won titles during their International Basketball Association and Continental Basketball Association days and the 2007 champions of the National Basketball Association Development League. Bismarck has also been the home of two indoor professional football teams, but both teams left the city soon after they were formed. Bismarck once had a professional baseball team, the Dakota Rattlers, but the team relocated to Minot after several seasons in Bismarck.
The Bismarck Bobcats
hockey team of the North American Hockey League
is made up of Junior players (age twenty and younger, sometimes age twenty-one if waivered). The Bobcats won back-to-back Borne Cup championships as members of the AWHL
before merging into the NAHL in 2003. Recently the Bobcats have made two trips to the NAHL's national tournament, claiming their first-ever Robertson Cup title in 2010, defeating the Fairbanks Ice Dogs
3-0 on May 9, 2010. The Bobcats play at the VFW Sports Center on Washington Street, on the north side of Bismarck.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
and the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Burleigh County
Burleigh County, North Dakota
-National protected areas:*Canfield Lake National Wildlife Refuge*Florence Lake National Wildlife Refuge*Long Lake National Wildlife Refuge -Demographics:...
. It is the second most populous city in North Dakota after Fargo
Fargo, North Dakota
Fargo is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Dakota and the county seat of Cass County. In 2010, its population was 105,549, and it had an estimated metropolitan population of 208,777...
. The city's population was 61,272 at the 2010 census, while its metropolitan population was 108,779. Bismarck was founded in 1872 and has been North Dakota's capital since it gained statehood in 1889.
Bismarck is situated on the east bank of the Missouri River
Missouri River
The Missouri River flows through the central United States, and is a tributary of the Mississippi River. It is the longest river in North America and drains the third largest area, though only the thirteenth largest by discharge. The Missouri's watershed encompasses most of the American Great...
, directly across the river from Mandan
Mandan, North Dakota
As of the census of 2000, there were 16,718 people, 6,647 households, and 4,553 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,642.8 per square mile . There were 6,958 housing units at an average density of 683.7 per square mile...
. The two cities make up the core of the Bismarck-Mandan
Bismarck-Mandan
Bismarck-Mandan refers to the metropolitan area composed of Burleigh and Morton counties in the U.S. state of North Dakota. It's sometimes called the Bis-Man Metro Area or The Sisters Cities of North Dakota...
Metropolitan Statistical Area.
The North Dakota State Capitol, the tallest building in the state, towers over the central part of Bismarck. The state government employs more than 4,000 in the city. As a hub of retail and health care, Bismarck is the economic center of a large portion of south-central North Dakota and north-central South Dakota
South Dakota
South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
.
History
Before the arrival of white settlers, the region that is present-day central North Dakota was inhabited by the Mandan people. At a place once known as Missouri Crossing, the city that would become Bismarck was founded in 1872 and given the name Edwinton, in honor of Edwin Ferry Johnson (1803–1872), a distinguished civil engineer who was engineer-in-chief for the Northern Pacific RailwayNorthern Pacific Railway
The Northern Pacific Railway was a railway that operated in the west along the Canadian border of the United States. Construction began in 1870 and the main line opened all the way from the Great Lakes to the Pacific when former president Ulysses S. Grant drove in the final "golden spike" in...
from June 1866 to November 1870. In 1873 the Northern Pacific Railway changed the city's name to Bismarck, after the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
chancellor Otto von Bismarck
Otto von Bismarck
Otto Eduard Leopold, Prince of Bismarck, Duke of Lauenburg , simply known as Otto von Bismarck, was a Prussian-German statesman whose actions unified Germany, made it a major player in world affairs, and created a balance of power that kept Europe at peace after 1871.As Minister President of...
, in an effort to attract German investment. However, the discovery of gold in the nearby Black Hills
Black Hills
The Black Hills are a small, isolated mountain range rising from the Great Plains of North America in western South Dakota and extending into Wyoming, USA. Set off from the main body of the Rocky Mountains, the region is something of a geological anomaly—accurately described as an "island of...
in 1874 was the first real impetus for growth: Bismarck becoming a freight-shipping centre at the end of the "Custer Route" from the Black Hills. Bismarck became the capital of the Dakota Territory
Dakota Territory
The Territory of Dakota was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 2, 1861, until November 2, 1889, when the final extent of the reduced territory was split and admitted to the Union as the states of North and South Dakota.The Dakota Territory consisted of...
in 1883 and of the state of North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
in 1889. Bismarck is also known as the hub city for the well known Lewis and Clark Expedition
Lewis and Clark Expedition
The Lewis and Clark Expedition, or ″Corps of Discovery Expedition" was the first transcontinental expedition to the Pacific Coast by the United States. Commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson and led by two Virginia-born veterans of Indian wars in the Ohio Valley, Meriwether Lewis and William...
.
Geography
Bismarck is located at 46°48′48"N 100°46′44"W (46.813343, -100.779004).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city occupies 27.4 square miles (71 km²), with 26.9 square miles (69.7 km²) land, and 0.5 square miles (1.3 km²) (1.90%) being water.
Cityscape
Kirkwood Mall
Kirkwood Mall is an enclosed regional shopping mall in the city of Bismarck, North Dakota. At 850,000 square feet, Kirkwood Mall is the second biggest mall in North Dakota, boasting over 90 shops. Opened in 1970, it is also the largest shopping center in the city. Its anchor stores are JCPenney,...
, is there rather than in a suburban setting. Several other major retail stores are in the vicinity of Kirkwood Mall, as is the Bismarck Civic Center
Bismarck Civic Center
The Bismarck Civic Center is a 10,100 seat multi-purpose facility, in Bismarck, North Dakota.It is the home of the Dakota Wizards.For several years, the PBR has hosted a Touring Pro Division event at the Civic Center; in 2004, it was voted as the top PBR Challenger Tour venue.-External links:*...
. The two Bismarck hospitals, St. Alexius Medical Center
St. Alexius Medical Center
St. Alexius Medical Center is an American healthcare provider headquartered in Bismarck, North Dakota. St. Alexius is the oldest healthcare provider in the state of North Dakota....
and Medcenter One Health Systems
Medcenter One Health Systems
Medcenter One Health Systems, an American healthcare provider located in Bismarck, North Dakota, is a not-for-profit, multi-specialty medical center that integrates clinic and hospital care. Medcenter One Q&R Clinic was founded in 1902 by two renowned physicians, Dr. Eric P. Quain and Dr. Niles O....
are both downtown, and the streets are lined with small stores and restaurants.
Much recent commercial and residential growth has happened in the northern section of the city, largely because of expanding retail centers. Among the shopping centers in northern Bismarck are Gateway Fashion Mall
Gateway Mall (Bismarck)
Gateway Fashion Mall is an enclosed shopping mall in Bismarck, North Dakota. Opened in 1979, the mall currently features more than 30 stores, with Conlin's Furniture, Hancock Fabrics and Sears as anchor stores.-History:...
, Northbrook Mall, Arrowhead Plaza, and the new Pinehurst Square "power center" mall.
The North Dakota State Capitol complex is just north of downtown Bismarck. The 19-story Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
capitol is the tallest building in the city, at a height of 241.75 feet (74 m). The capitol building towers over the central part of the city and is easily seen from 20 miles (30 km) away on a clear day. Completed during the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
in 1934, it replaced an earlier capitol building which burned to the ground in 1930. The capitol grounds house the North Dakota Heritage Center
North Dakota Heritage Center
The North Dakota Heritage Center, located on the North Dakota State Capitol grounds in Bismarck, is the state of North Dakota's official history museum. The museum, which was opened in 1967 by the Heritage Center Commission, is operated by the State Historical Society of North Dakota and features...
, the North Dakota State Library
North Dakota State Library
The North Dakota State Library is a government operated library in the U.S. state of North Dakota. Located in the state's capital city of Bismarck on the capital grounds, the library has been in operation since 1907.-History:...
, the North Dakota Governor's Residence
North Dakota Governor's Residence
The North Dakota Governor's Residence is the home of the Governor of North Dakota. The current residence is located on the southwest corner of the North Dakota State Capitol grounds in Bismarck, and is the second official residence that has been built for North Dakota's governors.-Former Governors'...
, the State Office Building, and the Liberty Memorial Building
Liberty Memorial Building
The Liberty Memorial Building is a building located on the North Dakota State Capitol grounds in Bismarck, North Dakota. The Liberty Memorial Building was completed in 1924, and is the oldest building still standing on the capitol grounds.-History:...
. The North Dakota State Penitentiary
North Dakota State Penitentiary
The North Dakota State Penitentiary is a part of the North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and is located in Bismarck, North Dakota.-External links:*...
is in eastern Bismarck.
The Cathedral District is a historic neighborhood near downtown Bismarck. The neighborhood gets its name from the art deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
Cathedral of the Holy Spirit which stands in the district. Some homes in this neighborhood date back to the 1880s, although many were built in the first decades of the 20th century. For years, the city has put forth controversial proposals to widen the streets in the neighborhood, but any such project would require the removal of many of the towering American elm
American Elm
Ulmus americana, generally known as the American Elm or, less commonly, as the White Elm or Water Elm, is a species native to eastern North America, occurring from Nova Scotia west to Alberta and Montana, and south to Florida and central Texas. The American elm is an extremely hardy tree that can...
s which line the streets.
The Ruth Meiers Hospitality House
Ruth Meiers Hospitality House
The Ruth Meiers Hospitality House, Inc. is a shelter for the homeless located in Bismarck, North Dakota. It was founded in 1987 and is named after Ruth Meiers, the first woman Lieutenant Governor of North Dakota...
is a 66-bed shelter for the homeless located east of downtown Bismarck.
Climate
Situated in the middle of the Great PlainsGreat Plains
The Great Plains are a broad expanse of flat land, much of it covered in prairie, steppe and grassland, which lies west of the Mississippi River and east of the Rocky Mountains in the United States and Canada. This area covers parts of the U.S...
, between the geographic centers of the United States and North America, Bismarck displays a highly variable four-season humid continental climate
Humid continental climate
A humid continental climate is a climatic region typified by large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot summers and cold winters....
(Koppen
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
Dfb) with strong semi-arid influences. Bismarck's climate is characterized by long, cold, somewhat snowy and windy winters, and hot summers that are at times humid. Thunderstorm
Thunderstorm
A thunderstorm, also known as an electrical storm, a lightning storm, thundershower or simply a storm is a form of weather characterized by the presence of lightning and its acoustic effect on the Earth's atmosphere known as thunder. The meteorologically assigned cloud type associated with the...
s occur in spring and summer, but much of the rest of the year is dry.
The warmest month in Bismarck is July, with a daily mean of 70.4 °F (21.3 °C), with typically wide variations between day and night. The coldest month is January, with a 24-hour average of 10.2 °F (-12.1 °C). Precipitation peaks from May to September and is rather sparse in the winter months. Winter snowfall is typically light to moderate, occurring with the passage of frontal systems; major storms are rare.
Demographics
At the time of the 2000 U.S. Census, there were 55,532 people, 23,185 households, and 14,444 families residing in the city. The population densityPopulation density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 2,065.2 per square mile (797.4/km²). There were 24,217 housing units at an average density of 900.6 per square mile (347.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 94.78% White, 3.39% Native American, 0.89% from two or more races, 0.75% Hispanic or Latino, 0.45% Asian, 0.28% Black or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.17% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
and 0.03% Pacific Islander.
The top six ancestries in the city are: German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
(57.9%), Norwegian
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
(18.2%), Russian
Russians
The Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....
(7.7%), Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
(7.2%), English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
(5.0%), Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
(4.3%).
There were 23,185 households, of which 30.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.1% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 9.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.7% were non-families. 31.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.5% were someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.94.
In the city, the population was spread out with 23.5% under the age of 18, 11.1% from 18 to 24, 29.1% from 25 to 44, 22.4% from 45 to 64, and 13.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 93.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.8 males.
The median income per household in the city was $39,422, and the median income per family was $51,477. Males had a median income of $33,804 versus $22,647 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $20,789. About 5.7% of families and 8.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.5% of those under age 18 and 7.4% of those age 65 or over.
Law and government
Bismarck operates under the city commissionCity commission government
City commission government is a form of municipal government which once was common in the United States, but many cities which were formerly governed by commission have since switched to the council-manager form of government...
style of municipal government. Citizens elect five at-large
At-Large
At-large is a designation for representative members of a governing body who are elected or appointed to represent the whole membership of the body , rather than a subset of that membership...
city commissioners. The president of the city commission fills the office of mayor of the city. The current mayor of Bismarck is John Warford
John Warford
John Warford is the current mayor of Bismarck, North Dakota. He was elected to office in 2002, was re-elected in 2006 and again in 2010. Although the mayor's office is officially non-partisan, Warford identifies himself as Republican.-Biography:...
. The city commission meets every second and fourth Tuesday of each month.
Economy
With over 4,300 employees, the state government of North DakotaNorth Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
is the largest employer in Bismarck. Bismarck's two major health care providers, St. Alexius Medical Center
St. Alexius Medical Center
St. Alexius Medical Center is an American healthcare provider headquartered in Bismarck, North Dakota. St. Alexius is the oldest healthcare provider in the state of North Dakota....
and Medcenter One Health Systems
Medcenter One Health Systems
Medcenter One Health Systems, an American healthcare provider located in Bismarck, North Dakota, is a not-for-profit, multi-specialty medical center that integrates clinic and hospital care. Medcenter One Q&R Clinic was founded in 1902 by two renowned physicians, Dr. Eric P. Quain and Dr. Niles O....
, together employ about 4,100 people. Other major employers in Bismarck include Basin Electric Power Cooperative
Basin Electric Power Cooperative
Basin Electric Power Cooperative is a wholesale electric generation and transmission cooperative based in North Dakota that provides electricity to 2.8 million customers in nine U.S. states. The roots of the cooperative go back to 1960 when Leland Olds and ten power suppliers created Giant Power...
, Coventry Health Care
Coventry Health Care
Coventry Health Care, Inc. is a diversified national insurer in the United States.Based in Bethesda, Maryland, Coventry operates health plans, insurance companies, network rental and workers’ compensation services companies...
, Bismarck Public Schools
Bismarck Public Schools
Bismarck Public Schools is a system of publicly-funded K-12 schools in Bismarck, North Dakota. There are fifteen elementary schools, three middle schools, and two high schools. BPS also operates an alternative high school, a , and an...
, Midwest Motor Express
Midwest Motor Express
Midwest Motor Express, popularly known as MME, is a Bismarck, North Dakota-based corporation providing LTL service in the central and northwestern United States and southeastern Alaska, as well as LCL and FCL service from Asia and Europe....
, and the United States Federal Government
Federal government of the United States
The federal government of the United States is the national government of the constitutional republic of fifty states that is the United States of America. The federal government comprises three distinct branches of government: a legislative, an executive and a judiciary. These branches and...
.
Bismarck is the home of MDU Resources Group
MDU Resources Group, Inc.
MDU Resources Group is a U.S. diversified energy company, with electric and natural gas utility distribution operations in North Dakota, Montana, South Dakota, Wyoming, Minnesota, Washington, and Oregon.-Background:...
, which in 2009 was ranked number 473 on the Fortune 500
Fortune 500
The Fortune 500 is an annual list compiled and published by Fortune magazine that ranks the top 500 U.S. closely held and public corporations as ranked by their gross revenue after adjustments made by Fortune to exclude the impact of excise taxes companies collect. The list includes publicly and...
list.
Elementary, middle and high schools
The Bismarck Public SchoolsBismarck Public Schools
Bismarck Public Schools is a system of publicly-funded K-12 schools in Bismarck, North Dakota. There are fifteen elementary schools, three middle schools, and two high schools. BPS also operates an alternative high school, a , and an...
system operates sixteen elementary school
Elementary school
An elementary school or primary school is an institution where children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as elementary or primary education. Elementary school is the preferred term in some countries, particularly those in North America, where the terms grade school and grammar...
s, three middle school
Middle school
Middle School and Junior High School are levels of schooling between elementary and high schools. Most school systems use one term or the other, not both. The terms are not interchangeable...
s (Simle, Wachter, Horizon), two public high schools (Century High
Century High School (Bismarck, North Dakota)
Century High School is a public high school located in Bismarck, North Dakota. It currently serves 1,103 students and is part of the Bismarck Public Schools system. The current principal is Steve Madler. The school colors are red, white, and blue...
and Bismarck High
Bismarck High School
Bismarck High School is a public high school located in Bismarck, North Dakota. It currently serves 1,457 students and is a part of the Bismarck Public Schools system...
) and one alternative high school (South Central High School). The system educates 10,400 students and employs 1,500 people.
Three Bismarck Catholic parishes operate primary schools (kindergarten
Kindergarten
A kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school...
through eighth grade): St. Mary's Grade School, St. Anne's Grade School, and Cathedral Grade School. St. Mary's Grade School, founded in 1878, is the oldest continuously operating elementary school in North Dakota.
The city has two private high schools, St. Mary's Central High School
St. Mary's Central High School
St. Mary's Central High School is an accredited Catholic high school located in Bismarck, North Dakota. It is located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bismarck. It currently serves about 367 students an is a member of the Bismarck Catholic Schools. The athletic teams are known as the "The Saints"...
and Shiloh Christian School.
Higher education
There are five colleges and a university in Bismarck. The University of MaryUniversity of Mary
The University of Mary is a four year Catholic university near Bismarck, North Dakota.The university is the largest degree granting institution in Bismarck...
is a four-year university, operated by the Benedictine Sisters of Annunciation Monastery. Bismarck State College
Bismarck State College
Bismark State College is the third largest college in the North Dakota University System with approximately 4200 students. It is a comprehensive community college that offers two-year and four-year degree plans. BSC offers the first two years of education toward a bachelor's degree in most fields...
is a two-year public college, largest degree-granting institution in the city, and a member of the North Dakota University System
North Dakota University System
The North Dakota University System is the group of public colleges and universities in the U.S. state of North Dakota. The NDUS's policy making body is the North Dakota State Board of Higher Education...
. United Tribes Technical College
United Tribes Technical College
United Tribes Technical College is a tribal college in Bismarck, North Dakota. Founded in 1969 by an association of North Dakota's native tribes, the college offers certificate programs and two-year degrees in over 20 programs of study.-External links:*...
is a two-year tribal college. Rasmussen College
Rasmussen College
Rasmussen College is a 110-year old for-profit private college offering Bachelor's and Associate's degrees at multiple campuses in Minnesota including Blaine, Brooklyn Park, Eagan, Bloomington, Lake Elmo, Mankato, Moorhead and St...
, a two to four-year private college, has a campus location in Bismarck.
Culture
The Belle Mehus AuditoriumAuditorium
An auditorium is a room built to enable an audience to hear and watch performances at venues such as theatres. For movie theaters, the number of auditoriums is expressed as the number of screens.- Etymology :...
, a historic building in downtown Bismarck dating to 1914, is a center for the arts in the area. Performances of Northern Plains Dance and the Bismarck-Mandan Symphony Orchestra
Bismarck-Mandan Symphony Orchestra
The Bismarck-Mandan Symphony Orchestra is a community orchestra based out of Bismarck, North Dakota. The symphony employs local and regional musicians in performances of classical and modern symphonic music.-External links:*...
are held there.
Theater companies in Bismarck include Sleepy Hollow Summer Theatre, the Shade Tree Players children's theater group, Dakota Stage Ltd, University of Mary, Bismarck State College, and various high school groups. The Gannon and Elsa Forde Art Galleries are at Bismarck State College. The Missouri Valley Chamber Orchestra, founded in 2000, is the community's newest orchestra and performs a variety of musical genres.
Recreation
Bismarck has a large park system and an extensive network of exercise trails. The Bismarck Parks and Recreation District, established in 1927, operates many parks, swimming pools, and several golf courses within the city.Sertoma Park stretches more than three miles (five kilometers) along the banks of the Missouri River
Missouri River
The Missouri River flows through the central United States, and is a tributary of the Mississippi River. It is the longest river in North America and drains the third largest area, though only the thirteenth largest by discharge. The Missouri's watershed encompasses most of the American Great...
and within the park are several miles of biking trails, the Dakota Zoo
Dakota Zoo
The 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 is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums .-History:...
, and Super Slide Amusement Park
Super Slide
Super Slide is the name of an amusement park in Bismarck, North Dakota. It is located along the Missouri River by the Dakota Zoo.The park features go carts, bumper cars, a batting cage, a large slide, North Dakota's largest Roller coaster and many other attractions. It is owned by Richard, David...
.
In total, the Parks and Recreation District operates roughly 2,300 acres (930 hectares) of public parkland.
There are five golf courses in Bismarck: four 18-hole courses (Apple Creek Country Club, Hawktree Golf Club, Riverwood Golf Course, and Tom O'Leary Golf Course), and one 9-hole course (Pebble Creek Golf Course).
One of the main tourism attractions of the Bismarck area is Fort Abraham Lincoln
Fort Abraham Lincoln
Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park is located seven miles south of Mandan, North Dakota. The park is home to On-A-Slant Indian Village, the blockhouses and the Custer house...
State Park, located 7 miles (11 kilometers) south of neighboring Mandan, North Dakota. It contains the partial reconstruction of Fort Abraham Lincoln, the headquarters of the 7th Cavalry and last command of George Armstrong Custer
George Armstrong Custer
George Armstrong Custer was a United States Army officer and cavalry commander in the American Civil War and the Indian Wars. Raised in Michigan and Ohio, Custer was admitted to West Point in 1858, where he graduated last in his class...
before the Battle of the Little Bighorn. It also holds On-a-Slant Village, a partially-rebuilt earthlodge village that was once a home to the Mandan tribe. Guided tours of both sites are offered in the summertime. There are also a museum on park history, nature trails, and a campground.
Hunting and fishing are popular with hunting seasons for deer, pheasant, and waterfowl. Fishing is a year-round sport on the Missouri River bordering Bismarck. There are public docks on the river. From north to south, there is a dock at the Port of Bismarck, from which the Lewis and Clark passenger riverboat plies the Missouri; Fox Island Landing, about a half mile southwest of Riverwood Golf Course; and the Bismarck Dock at General Sibley Park, where there is a boat ramp and picnic facilities.
Near Bismarck are several dammed lakes, including McDowell Dam Lake, six miles (ten kilometers) east of the city, and two lakes a few miles west of the city. The extensive Lake Sakakawea
Lake Sakakawea
Lake Sakakawea is a reservoir in the Missouri River basin in central North Dakota. Named for the Shoshone-Hidatsa woman Sakakawea, it is the third largest man-made lake in the United States, after Lake Mead and Lake Powell. The lake lies in parts of six counties in western North Dakota: Dunn,...
is seventy miles (110 kilometers) north of Bismarck, upstream of Garrison Dam.
In February 2007, Bismarck broke the record for most snow angel
Snow angel
A snow angel is a human-made depression formed in an area of snow in the shape of an angel. Making snow angels is a common childhood game.-Technique:...
s made in one place. A total of 8,962 participants came to the capitol grounds for the event.
Health care
Bismarck is a regional center for health care. The city has two hospitals: St. Alexius Medical CenterSt. Alexius Medical Center
St. Alexius Medical Center is an American healthcare provider headquartered in Bismarck, North Dakota. St. Alexius is the oldest healthcare provider in the state of North Dakota....
(285-bed) and Medcenter One Health Systems
Medcenter One Health Systems
Medcenter One Health Systems, an American healthcare provider located in Bismarck, North Dakota, is a not-for-profit, multi-specialty medical center that integrates clinic and hospital care. Medcenter One Q&R Clinic was founded in 1902 by two renowned physicians, Dr. Eric P. Quain and Dr. Niles O....
(238-bed). When it was opened in 1885, St. Alexius was the first hospital in Dakota Territory
Dakota Territory
The Territory of Dakota was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 2, 1861, until November 2, 1889, when the final extent of the reduced territory was split and admitted to the Union as the states of North and South Dakota.The Dakota Territory consisted of...
and is the oldest health care provider in the state of North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
. St. Alexius and Medcenter One have joined forces to form the Bismarck Cancer Center. Medcenter One was founded in 1908 as Bismarck Evangelical Hospital, was renamed in 1955 to Bismarck Hospital, then renamed again in 1984 to its present designation, MedCenter One.
Media
PrintThe only daily newspaper in Bismarck is the Bismarck Tribune
Bismarck Tribune
The Bismarck Tribune is a daily newspaper printed in Bismarck, North Dakota. The Tribune is the primary daily newspaper for south-central and southwest North Dakota. Its average daily circulation is 31,081 on Sundays and 27,620 on weekdays. One notable reporter for the paper was Mark H...
. The paper was established in 1873 and is the oldest continuously operating business in the city. The Tribune is the official newspaper of the city of Bismarck, Burleigh County
Burleigh County, North Dakota
-National protected areas:*Canfield Lake National Wildlife Refuge*Florence Lake National Wildlife Refuge*Long Lake National Wildlife Refuge -Demographics:...
, and the state of North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
. The daily newspapers of other major cities in North Dakota are also available at area newsstands.
Television
There are six television stations based in Bismarck, and all of them have rebroadcasters in Minot
Minot, North Dakota
Minot is a city located in north central North Dakota in the United States. It is most widely known for the Air Force base located approximately 15 miles north of the city. With a population of 40,888 at the 2010 census, Minot is the fourth largest city in the state...
, Williston
Williston, North Dakota
-Demographics:Preliminary data from a 2010 housing study indicates that population has grown by nearly 22 percent over the past decade; the actual increase might be much higher. Williston is in western North Dakota's booming oil patch, and adequate, affordable housing has become a concern. The...
, and Dickinson
Dickinson, North Dakota
As of the census of 2000, there were 16,010 people, 6,517 households, and 4,020 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,690.7 inhabitants per square mile . There were 7,033 housing units at an average density of 742.7 per square mile...
. The stations are:
- KBMEPrairie Public TelevisionPrairie Public Television is the Public Broadcasting Service member state network for the U.S. state of North Dakota. Along with its state radio network Prairie Public, the state network currently has nine digital stations covering all of North Dakota, plus portions of Minnesota, Montana, South...
virtual channelProgram and System Information ProtocolThe Program and System Information Protocol is the protocol used in the ATSC digital television system for carrying metadata about each channel in the broadcast MPEG transport stream of a TV station and for publishing information about television programs so that viewers can select what to watch...
3/ATSC RFRadio frequencyRadio frequency is a rate of oscillation in the range of about 3 kHz to 300 GHz, which corresponds to the frequency of radio waves, and the alternating currents which carry radio signals...
channel 22 (PBSPublic Broadcasting ServiceThe Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
) - KFYRKFYR-TVKFYR-TV, ATSC channel 31 , is the NBC affiliated television station for Bismarck, North Dakota. KFYR-TV is the flagship station of NBC North Dakota, a network of four stations that serve most of central and western North Dakota, along with parts of South Dakota and Montana.The station serves the...
virtual channel 5/ATSC RF ch. 31 (NBCNBCThe National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
) - KXMB virtual & ATSC RF channel 12 (CBSCBSCBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
) - KBMYABC WestKBMY digital channel 17 is the ABC affiliate for western North Dakota. It is owned by Forum Communications, owners of eastern North Dakota's ABC affiliates, WDAY-TV in Fargo and WDAZ-TV in Grand Forks. However, it is operated by Reiten Television, owners of the KX Television network of CBS...
virtual channel 17/ATSC RF ch. 16 (ABCAmerican Broadcasting CompanyThe American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
) - KNDXKNDXKNDX channel 26 and KXND channel 24 are television stations in western North Dakota, owned by Prime Cities Broadcasting, and are affiliated with Fox...
virtual & ATSC RF channel 26 (FoxFox Broadcasting CompanyFox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
) - K46DYK46DYK46DY is a low-power television station licensed to Bismarck, North Dakota. It is currently a translator that broadcasts programming from the Trinity Broadcasting Network, via satellite. The station broadcasts on UHF channel 46, with no digital signal currently on-the-air....
analogAnalog televisionAnalog television is the analog transmission that involves the broadcasting of encoded analog audio and analog video signal: one in which the message conveyed by the broadcast signal is a function of deliberate variations in the amplitude and/or frequency of the signal...
NTSCNTSCNTSC, named for the National Television System Committee, is the analog television system that is used in most of North America, most of South America , Burma, South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, the Philippines, and some Pacific island nations and territories .Most countries using the NTSC standard, as...
channel 46 (TBNTrinity Broadcasting NetworkThe Trinity Broadcasting Network is a major American Christian television network. TBN is based in Costa Mesa, California, with auxiliary studio facilities in Irving, Texas; Hendersonville, Tennessee; Gadsden, Alabama; Decatur, Georgia; Miami, Florida; Tulsa, Oklahoma; Orlando, Florida; and New...
)
Bismarck also carries KWMK
KWMK
KWMK is a local cable channel affiliated with The CW. The channel is on cable channel 14 on the Midcontinent Communications cable system in Bismarck, and is offered on other Midcontinent lineups throughout western North Dakota...
, an affiliate of The CW, on cable channel 14, as well as Public-access television
Public-access television
Public-access television is a form of non-commercial mass media where ordinary people can create content television programming which is cablecast through cable TV specialty channels...
channels, on cable TV channels 2 and 12.
Radio
Bismarck supports some twenty-seven radio stations. Most of the commercial stations are owned by either Clear Channel Communications
Clear Channel Communications
Clear Channel Communications, Inc. is an American media conglomerate company headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. It was founded in 1972 by Lowry Mays and Red McCombs, and was taken private by Bain Capital LLC and Thomas H. Lee Partners LP in a leveraged buyout in 2008...
, Cumulus Media
Cumulus Media
Cumulus Media, Inc. is the second largest Owner and Operator of AM and FM radio stations in the United States, behind Clear Channel Communications, operating 570 stations in 150 markets as of September 16, 2011. The company also owns Cumulus Media Networks...
. Many of the lower frequency stations are broadcasters of national Christian radio
Christian radio
Christian radio is a category of radio formats that focus on transmitting programming with a Christian message. In the United States, where it is more established, many such broadcasters play popular music of Christian influence, though many programs have talk or news programming covering...
networks. The local stations are:
FM Frequencies
- KBMK 88.3 FM (Contemporary Christian musicContemporary Christian musicContemporary Christian music is a genre of modern popular music which is lyrically focused on matters concerned with the Christian faith...
) K-LoveK-LOVEK-LOVE is a Contemporary Christian music radio programming service in the United States operated by the Educational Media Foundation. As of January 2011, K-LOVE's programming is carried on over 440 FM stations and translators in 45 states. K-LOVE claims an audience of 250,000 people each week via...
network affiliate - K204FG 88.7 FM (ChristianChristian radioChristian radio is a category of radio formats that focus on transmitting programming with a Christian message. In the United States, where it is more established, many such broadcasters play popular music of Christian influence, though many programs have talk or news programming covering...
) BBNBible Broadcasting NetworkThe Bible Broadcasting Network is a listener-supported global Christian radio network staffed and headquartered in Charlotte, NC. The programming consists of 50% outside ministries, 30% music and 20% BBN produced programs...
translator - KLBF 89.1 FM (Contemporary Christian musicContemporary Christian musicContemporary Christian music is a genre of modern popular music which is lyrically focused on matters concerned with the Christian faith...
) K-LoveK-LOVEK-LOVE is a Contemporary Christian music radio programming service in the United States operated by the Educational Media Foundation. As of January 2011, K-LOVE's programming is carried on over 440 FM stations and translators in 45 states. K-LOVE claims an audience of 250,000 people each week via...
affiliate for nearby LincolnLincoln, North DakotaAs of the census of 2000, there were 1,730 people, 527 households, and 452 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,700.3 people per square mile . There were 541 housing units at an average density of 531.7 per square mile... - KNRI 89.7 FM (Christian rockChristian radioChristian radio is a category of radio formats that focus on transmitting programming with a Christian message. In the United States, where it is more established, many such broadcasters play popular music of Christian influence, though many programs have talk or news programming covering...
) Air 1Air 1Air1 is a Christian music radio network in the United States, operated by the non-profit organization EMF Broadcasting. Air 1 is essentially a Top-40 station with Christian Music - so many of the rules that commercial Top-40 stations use for musical rotation apply.-History:In 1986, KLRD began...
affiliate - K211EG 90.1 FM (ChristianChristian radioChristian radio is a category of radio formats that focus on transmitting programming with a Christian message. In the United States, where it is more established, many such broadcasters play popular music of Christian influence, though many programs have talk or news programming covering...
) Rejoice Radio translator - KCNDKCNDKCND is a radio station licensed to Bismarck. It signed on the air in 1981 as Prairie Public Radio, which later became part of the similarly named Prairie Public Radio radio service, formerly North Dakota Public Radio. It currently broadcasts with an effective radiated power of 50 kW on 90.5...
90.5 FM (Public Radio) Prairie Public Radio - KPHA 91.3 FM (CatholicChristian radioChristian radio is a category of radio formats that focus on transmitting programming with a Christian message. In the United States, where it is more established, many such broadcasters play popular music of Christian influence, though many programs have talk or news programming covering...
) Real Presence RadioKWTLKWTL is a radio station airing EWTN, a Catholic TV and radio network. KWTL airs EWTN National programming and produces local shows like "KWTL LIVE" and "Catholic Coach with Tim Mosser"... - KBFRKBFRKBFR is a radio station in Bismarck, North Dakota, broadcasting American Family Radio, a Christian radio network.-Other stations:KBFR was also an internationally known underground/unlicensed radio station based in Boulder, CO. called KBFR...
91.7 FM (ChristianChristian radioChristian radio is a category of radio formats that focus on transmitting programming with a Christian message. In the United States, where it is more established, many such broadcasters play popular music of Christian influence, though many programs have talk or news programming covering...
) Family RadioFamily RadioFamily Radio, also known by its licensee name Family Stations Inc., is a Christian radio network based in Oakland, California, USA, founded by Lloyd Lindquist, Richard H. Palmquist and Harold Camping...
affiliate - KYYYKYYYKYYY , known as Y-93, is a radio station in Bismarck, North Dakota, owned by Clear Channel Communications with an Adult Contemporary format...
92.9 FM (Adult Contemporary) "Y93" - KBEP-LPKBEP-LPKBEP-LP is a low-power FM radio station licensed to Bismarck, North Dakota, USA. The station is currently owned by Bismarck Educationaayer Association....
93.7 FM (ChristianChristian radioChristian radio is a category of radio formats that focus on transmitting programming with a Christian message. In the United States, where it is more established, many such broadcasters play popular music of Christian influence, though many programs have talk or news programming covering...
) 3ABN3ABNThree Angels Broadcasting Network, or 3ABN for short, is a nonprofit, 24-hour television and radio network that primarily focuses on Christian and health-oriented programming...
affiliate - KQDYKQDYKQDY , known as "KQ 94.5", is a radio station located in Bismarck, North Dakota, USA, owned by Clear Channel Communications. The stations airs a country music format competing with Cumulus Media's KUSB "US 103.3"....
94.5 FM (CountryCountry musicCountry music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
) "KQ 94.5" - KBYZKBYZKBYZ , known as "96.5 The Fox", is a radio station located in Bismarck, North Dakota, owned by Cumulus Media. It is the only station in the city with a classic rock format, although The Fox has begun a format tweak toward mainstream rock in 2006...
96.5 FM (Classic rockClassic rockClassic rock is a radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format features music ranging generally from the late 1960s to the late 1980s, primarily focusing on the hard rock genre that peaked in popularity in the...
) "The Fox" - KKCTKKCTKKCT, known as Hot 97.5, is a Top 40 radio station licensed to Bismarck, North Dakota. The station airs the syndicated "Kidd Kraddick in the Morning" show...
97.5 FM (Top 40/CHRContemporary hit radioContemporary hit radio is a radio format that is common in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by the Top 40 music charts...
) "Hot 97-5" - KACLKACLKACL is a radio station in Bismarck, North Dakota, owned by Cumulus Media airing an Classic Hits format. The station signed on in 1997 and has never changed its format, although it shifted from 60s and 70s based oldies to 70s and 80s based classic hits in 2009.Cumulus Media also owns KLXX 1270 ,...
98.7 FM (Classic hitsClassic hitsClassic hits is a radio format which generally includes rock and pop music from 1964 to 1989. The term is sometimes erroneously used as a synonym for the adult hits format, but is more accurately characterized as a contemporary style of the oldies format...
) "Cool 98.7" - K259AF 99.7 FM Translator simulcasting KFYR-AM
- KLBE-LPKLBE-LPKLBE-LP is a low-power FM Christian radio station located in Bismarck, North Dakota. The station is owned by the New Song Church located in the northern section of the city. Local teens that are members of the church serve as DJs for the station, and can play any music that is in the station's...
100.7 FM (Christian rockChristian radioChristian radio is a category of radio formats that focus on transmitting programming with a Christian message. In the United States, where it is more established, many such broadcasters play popular music of Christian influence, though many programs have talk or news programming covering...
) "Club Radio" - KSSSKSSSCan also refers to Kungliga Svenska SegelsällskapetKSSS , known as "Rock 101", is a radio station in Bismarck, North Dakota, owned by Clear Channel Communications...
101.5 FM (Active rockActive rockActive rock is a radio format used by many commercial radio stations across the United States and Canada. Active rock plays contemporary rock artists with a mix of songs common in the classic rock radio format.-Format background:...
) "Rock 101" - KUSBKUSBKUSB , known as "103.3 US Country", is a radio station located in Bismarck, North Dakota, owned by Cumulus Media that signed on September 25, 2006 with a Country music format, directly competing with Clear Channel Communications' KQDY 94.5....
103.3 FM (CountryCountry musicCountry music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
) "US 103.3" - KNDRKNDRKNDR is a Christian radio station in Bismarck, North Dakota. Before KLBE-LP signed on, it was the only local source in Bismarck-Mandan for contemporary Christian music, along with Bible-based talk and teaching programming....
104.7 FM (Contemporary Christian musicChristian radioChristian radio is a category of radio formats that focus on transmitting programming with a Christian message. In the United States, where it is more established, many such broadcasters play popular music of Christian influence, though many programs have talk or news programming covering...
) - KKBOKKBOKKBO is a "Bob FM"-branded radio station with an Adult hits format. Licensed to Flasher, North Dakota, it serves the Bismarck-Mandan metropolitan area. The station is owned by Connoisseur Media.-External links:*...
105.9 FM (Adult HitsAdult hitsAdult hits is a radio format, popular in the early 2000s, that does not adhere to a specific music genre, but instead draws from a wider playlist...
) "105.9 BOB-FM" - KJIT-LP 106.7 FM (Contemporary Christian musicContemporary Christian musicContemporary Christian music is a genre of modern popular music which is lyrically focused on matters concerned with the Christian faith...
) Radio 74 affiliate - KXRVKXRVKXRV is a radio station in Cannon Ball, North Dakota, serving the Bismarck, North Dakota area with an classic hits music format branded as "Mojo 107.5."-History:...
107.5 FM (Adult Contemporary) "The River 107.5"
AM Frequencies
- KFYRKFYR (AM)KFYR is a radio station located in Bismarck, North Dakota, owned by Clear Channel Communications. It transmits on a 5,000 Watt signal that can be heard in seven U.S. states and three Canadian provinces. KFYR also broadcasts on translator K259AF in Bismarck...
550 AM (News/Talk/SportsTalk radioTalk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues. Most shows are regularly hosted by a single individual, and often feature interviews with a number of different guests. Talk radio typically includes an element of listener participation, usually by broadcasting live...
) "K-Fire" - KXMRKXMRKXMR is a radio station located in Bismarck, North Dakota, airing ESPN Radio, and is owned by Clear Channel Communications. ESPN 710 broadcasts Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Vikings games....
710 AM (SportsSports radioSports radio is a radio format devoted entirely to discussion and broadcasting of sporting events. A popular format with an almost exclusively male demographic in most areas, sports radio is characterized by an often-boisterous on-air style and extensive debate and analysis by both hosts and...
) "ESPNESPN RadioESPN Radio is an American sports radio network. It was launched on January 1, 1992 under the original banner of "SportsRadio ESPN." ESPN Radio is located at ESPN headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut...
710" - KBMRKBMRKBMR , known as "Country 1130", is a radio station located in Bismarck, North Dakota, owned by Clear Channel Communications. The station runs a classic country format...
1130 AM (Classic countryClassic countryClassic country is a music radio format that specializes in playing mainstream country hits from past decades.This genre generally follows one of two formats: those specializing in hits from the 1920s through the early 1970s, and focus primarily on innovators and artists from country music's Golden...
) - KLXXKLXXKLXX , known as "Super Talk 1270", is a radio station located midway between Mandan and Bismarck, North Dakota, USA. It has always been licensed to Mandan, although most of its audience is in neighboring Bismarck....
1270 AM (TalkTalk radioTalk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues. Most shows are regularly hosted by a single individual, and often feature interviews with a number of different guests. Talk radio typically includes an element of listener participation, usually by broadcasting live...
) - KDKTKDKTKDKT is a radio station that serves as West-Central North Dakota's Fox Sports Radio outlet, as "Fox Sports Radio 1410." KDKT's former call letters were KHOL, which carried an Adult Contemporary format...
1410 AM (SportsSports radioSports radio is a radio format devoted entirely to discussion and broadcasting of sporting events. A popular format with an almost exclusively male demographic in most areas, sports radio is characterized by an often-boisterous on-air style and extensive debate and analysis by both hosts and...
) "Fox Sports RadioFox Sports RadioFox Sports Radio, abbreviated FSR, is an international radio network consisting of sports talk programming. The network is a service of Premiere Networks...
1410" - WQDL503 1610 AM (Traveler's Information Station), North Dakota Department of TransportationNorth Dakota Department of TransportationThe North Dakota Department of Transportation is a part of the government of the U.S. state of North Dakota. NDDOT oversees the state's transportation system. This includes planning both new construction and reconstruction projects on roads and highways throughout the state...
Transportation
Because it is nearly in the center of North DakotaNorth Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
, Bismarck has become a major transportation hub.
Bismarck Municipal Airport
Bismarck Municipal Airport
-Top Destinations:...
is south of the city and has the largest passenger volume in western North Dakota and the second highest within the state. The airport is served by United Express
United Express
United Express is a brand name under which eight regional airlines operate feeder flights for United Airlines. They primarily connect smaller cities with United's domestic hub airports and “focus cities,” although they offer some point-to-point service such as Sacramento to Eureka.As of Sept...
, Allegiant Air
Allegiant Air
Allegiant Air is an American low-cost airline owned by Allegiant Travel Co. that operates scheduled and charter flights. Allegiant Travel Company is a publicly traded company with 1,300 employees and one billion USD market capitalization...
and Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines, Inc. is a major airline based in the United States and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline operates an extensive domestic and international network serving all continents except Antarctica. Delta and its subsidiaries operate over 4,000 flights every day...
. A new $15 million terminal opened in May 2005. The previous terminal was built in the mid-1960s and expanded in the mid-1970s. A windstorm collapsed part of the roof connecting the expanded terminal to the original building, and eventually it was decided to demolish the entire complex and build the new terminal.
The BNSF Railway
BNSF Railway
The BNSF Railway is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. It is one of seven North American Class I railroads and the second largest freight railroad network in North America, second only to the Union Pacific Railroad, its primary...
runs east-west through the city. There has not been Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
service in Bismarck since the North Coast Hiawatha
North coast hiawatha (Amtrak)
The North Coast Hiawatha was a United States passenger train service operated by Amtrak between Chicago, Illinois and Seattle, Washington. Before the coming of Amtrak the Northern Pacific's North Coast Limited and Mainstreeter served the route. The name combined the North Coast Limited and the...
service ended in 1979. The closest Amtrak station is in Minot
Minot, North Dakota
Minot is a city located in north central North Dakota in the United States. It is most widely known for the Air Force base located approximately 15 miles north of the city. With a population of 40,888 at the 2010 census, Minot is the fourth largest city in the state...
, north of Bismarck, where the Empire Builder
Empire Builder
The Empire Builder is a passenger train route operated by Amtrak in the Midwestern and Northwestern United States. It is Amtrak's busiest long-distance route and busiest daily train, carrying more than 500,000 travelers annually since 2007. Overall, it is the railroad's 10th-busiest line. Before...
line runs.
Two federal highways pass through Bismarck. Interstate 94
Interstate 94
Interstate 94 is the northernmost east–west Interstate Highway, connecting the Great Lakes and Intermountain regions of the United States. I-94's western terminus is in Billings, Montana at a junction with Interstate 90; its eastern terminus is the U.S...
runs east and west through the city and connects Bismarck and Mandan
Mandan, North Dakota
As of the census of 2000, there were 16,718 people, 6,647 households, and 4,553 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,642.8 per square mile . There were 6,958 housing units at an average density of 683.7 per square mile...
. The north-south U.S. Route 83
U.S. Route 83
U.S. Route 83 is one of the longest north–south U.S. Highways in the United States, at . Only four other north–south routes are longer: U.S. Routes 1, 41, 59 and 87. The highway's northern terminus is north of Westhope, North Dakota, at the Canadian border, where it continues as...
merges in north Bismarck with Interstate 94 to run east for roughly twenty-five miles (forty kilometers) beyond which it again runs north-south.
The Capital Area Transit System (CAT) began operations in May 2004. This public bus system is operated by the Bis-Man Transit Board and has eleven routes throughout Bismarck and Mandan
Mandan, North Dakota
As of the census of 2000, there were 16,718 people, 6,647 households, and 4,553 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,642.8 per square mile . There were 6,958 housing units at an average density of 683.7 per square mile...
. Bis-Man Transit also operates a taxi service for senior citizens and people with disabilities.
Amateur
High school and college sports are the main feature of the local athletics landscape. The athletic teams at the two public Bismarck high schools, Bismarck High SchoolBismarck High School
Bismarck High School is a public high school located in Bismarck, North Dakota. It currently serves 1,457 students and is a part of the Bismarck Public Schools system...
and Century High School
Century High School (Bismarck, North Dakota)
Century High School is a public high school located in Bismarck, North Dakota. It currently serves 1,103 students and is part of the Bismarck Public Schools system. The current principal is Steve Madler. The school colors are red, white, and blue...
, are known as The Demons and The Patriots, respectively. The athletic teams at St. Mary's Central High School
St. Mary's Central High School
St. Mary's Central High School is an accredited Catholic high school located in Bismarck, North Dakota. It is located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bismarck. It currently serves about 367 students an is a member of the Bismarck Catholic Schools. The athletic teams are known as the "The Saints"...
, Bismarck's Catholic high school, are known as The Saints. The teams at Bismarck State College
Bismarck State College
Bismark State College is the third largest college in the North Dakota University System with approximately 4200 students. It is a comprehensive community college that offers two-year and four-year degree plans. BSC offers the first two years of education toward a bachelor's degree in most fields...
and United Tribes Technical College
United Tribes Technical College
United Tribes Technical College is a tribal college in Bismarck, North Dakota. Founded in 1969 by an association of North Dakota's native tribes, the college offers certificate programs and two-year degrees in over 20 programs of study.-External links:*...
are known as The Mystics and Thunderbirds, and both compete in the National Junior College Athletic Association
National Junior College Athletic Association
The National Junior College Athletic Association , founded in 1938, is an association of community college and junior college athletic departments throughout the United States. It is held as Divisions and Regions. The current NJCAA holds 24 separate regions.-History:The idea for the NJCAA was...
. The teams at the University of Mary
University of Mary
The University of Mary is a four year Catholic university near Bismarck, North Dakota.The university is the largest degree granting institution in Bismarck...
are The Marauders and compete in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference
Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference
The Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference is a college athletic conference which operates in the Midwestern United States. Nine of its members are in Minnesota, with two members in South Dakota and one member each in the states of Iowa, Nebraska and North Dakota. It participates in the NCAA's...
. Bismarck has an American Legion
American Legion
The American Legion is a mutual-aid organization of veterans of the United States armed forces chartered by the United States Congress. It was founded to benefit those veterans who served during a wartime period as defined by Congress...
baseball team called the Governors.
In the Fall, the accent is on high school and college football and there are spirited rivalries among the several high schools in the area. The University of Mary added the sport in 1988. Most University of Mary football games are played in the Community Bowl. Popular sports during the winter months include ice hockey, wrestling and basketball. In Spring, baseball is one of the top amateur sports in the city with each high school, Bismarck State College, and The University of Mary providing teams. The University of Mary also has a softball team. Another popular high school and college sport during the Spring months is track and field. Summer months see no high school or college athletics, but in the Summer Bismarck has American Legion baseball and auto racing. The Fourth of July holiday is the height of rodeo time with rodeos being held in Mandan and Bismarck. The Summer months also see another popular sport in Bismarck, slow-pitch softball. Bismarck is the host city of the world's largest charity softball tournament, the Sam McQuade Charity Softball tournament in which more than four hundred teams from all over the United States and Canada compete.
Professional
One professional basketball team is based in Bismarck, the Dakota WizardsDakota Wizards
The Dakota Wizards are an American basketball team in the NBA Development League, based in Bismarck, North Dakota. Home games are played at the Bismarck Civic Center.-Beginnings in IBA:...
of the National Basketball Association Development League. The Wizards first season was 1995 in the International Basketball Association. The Wizards won titles during their International Basketball Association and Continental Basketball Association days and the 2007 champions of the National Basketball Association Development League. Bismarck has also been the home of two indoor professional football teams, but both teams left the city soon after they were formed. Bismarck once had a professional baseball team, the Dakota Rattlers, but the team relocated to Minot after several seasons in Bismarck.
The Bismarck Bobcats
Bismarck Bobcats
The Bismarck Bobcats are a Junior A ice hockey team in the North American Hockey League's Central Division, and play out of Bismarck, North Dakota, in the V.F.W. Sports Center. Originally a part of the America West Hockey League, the Bobcats joined the NAHL in a merger of the two leagues in 2003...
hockey team of the North American Hockey League
North American Hockey League
The North American Hockey League is one of the top junior hockey leagues in the United States and is enterting its 36th season in 2011-12. It is currently the only Junior A Tier II league, sanctioned by USA Hockey. The NAHL currently acts as an alternative to the United States Hockey League...
is made up of Junior players (age twenty and younger, sometimes age twenty-one if waivered). The Bobcats won back-to-back Borne Cup championships as members of the AWHL
AWHL
The America West Hockey League was a junior ice hockey league. The AWHL was formed in 1992 to offer junior ice hockey to the Rocky Mountain region of USA Hockey. It originally was called the American Frontier Hockey League , and the name change to AWHL came in 1998...
before merging into the NAHL in 2003. Recently the Bobcats have made two trips to the NAHL's national tournament, claiming their first-ever Robertson Cup title in 2010, defeating the Fairbanks Ice Dogs
Fairbanks Ice Dogs
The Fairbanks Ice Dogs is a Tier II Junior A ice hockey team in the North American Hockey League's West Division. The Ice Dogs play home games at the 2,200-seat Big Dipper Ice Arena in Fairbanks, Alaska...
3-0 on May 9, 2010. The Bobcats play at the VFW Sports Center on Washington Street, on the north side of Bismarck.
Notable people
- Leslie BibbLeslie BibbLeslie Louise Bibb is an American actress and former fashion model. She transitioned into film and television in late 1990s. She appeared in television shows such as Home Improvement , before she appeared in her first film, the comedy Private Parts , which was followed by her first show The Big Easy...
, supermodel and Hollywood actress, discovered by Oprah WinfreyOprah WinfreyOprah Winfrey is an American media proprietor, talk show host, actress, producer and philanthropist. Winfrey is best known for her self-titled, multi-award-winning talk show, which has become the highest-rated program of its kind in history and was nationally syndicated from 1986 to 2011...
in 1990. - John Burke, state Supreme Court Justice, 10th governor of North Dakota, 24th Treasurer of the United StatesTreasurer of the United StatesThe Treasurer of the United States is an official in the United States Department of the Treasury that was originally charged with the receipt and custody of government funds, though many of these functions have been taken over by different bureaus of the Department of the Treasury...
. - Neil ChurchillNeil ChurchillNeil O. Churchill was a car dealer in Bismarck, North Dakota who funded an integrated baseball team in the mid-thirties more than a decade before Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in Major League Baseball....
, Bismarck mayor, supported an early integrated baseball team with his car dealership. - Kent ConradKent ConradKent Conrad is the senior United States Senator from North Dakota. He is a member of the North Dakota Democratic-NPL Party, the North Dakota affiliate of the Democratic Party...
, senator. - Ronnie CramerRonnie CramerRonnie Cramer is an American artist, composer and filmmaker.Born in Bismarck, North Dakota, Cramer currently lives and works in Denver, Colorado. During the 1980s he produced watercolor paintings, video installations and played guitar in several rock bands, most notably Alarming Trends, the...
, artist, filmmaker. - Jack DunhamJack DunhamJack Dunham was an American animator and television producer who worked for Walt Disney Animation Studios and Walter Lantz Productions during his career. Dunham was born in Bismarck, North Dakota, on September 19, 1910....
, animator, television producer. - Alec BrownsteinAlec BrownsteinAlec Brownstein is an award winning advertising copywriter, the co-author of several humor books, and a film director. He attended The Haverford School in Haverford, Pennsylvania, and Tufts University.-Books:...
, author, director, creator of The Google Job Experiment. - Clay Jenkinson, columnist, author, actor.
- Thomas S. Kleppe, former Bismarck mayor, 41st U.S. Secretary of the InteriorUnited States Secretary of the InteriorThe United States Secretary of the Interior is the head of the United States Department of the Interior.The US Department of the Interior should not be confused with the concept of Ministries of the Interior as used in other countries...
. - John Andrew ReaJohn Andrew ReaJohn Andrew Rea was an American journalist and politician. A native of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, he was one of the eight members of Cornell University's first graduating class...
, newspaper editor, helped draft the state constitution. - Ed Schafer, 30th Governor of North Dakota, 29th U.S. Secretary of AgricultureUnited States Secretary of AgricultureThe United States Secretary of Agriculture is the head of the United States Department of Agriculture. The current secretary is Tom Vilsack, who was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on 20 January 2009. The position carries similar responsibilities to those of agriculture ministers in other...
. - Mitch SchockMitch SchockMitch Schock is an American professional poker player. He won his first World Series of Poker bracelet at the 2011 World Series of Poker where he made three final tables and has had at least five in the money finishes in each of the last three World Series of Pokers...
, professional poker player and World Series of PokerWorld Series of PokerThe World Series of Poker is a world-renowned series of poker tournaments held annually in Las Vegas and, since 2005, sponsored by Harrah's Entertainment...
bracelet winner. - Weston DresslerWeston DresslerWeston Dressler is a professional Canadian football slotback for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League. He was signed by the Roughriders as a street free agent in 2008. He played college football for the North Dakota Fighting Sioux.-Early years:Dressler was born in Bismarck,...
,a Canadian Football slotback for the Saskatchewan RoughridersSaskatchewan RoughridersThe Saskatchewan Roughriders are a Canadian Football League team based in Regina, Saskatchewan. They were founded in 1910. They play their home games at 2940 10th Avenue in Regina, which has been the team's home base for its entire history, even prior to the construction of Mosaic Stadium at Taylor...
. - Mike PelusoMike PelusoMike Peluso may refer to:*Mike David Peluso , American ice hockey forward with 458 NHL games*Mike Peluso , American ice hockey right winger with 38 NHL games...
, Professional Hockey Player/ Chicago BlackhawksChicago BlackhawksThe Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10...
and Philadelphia FlyersPhiladelphia FlyersThe Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
of the NHL
External links
- WikitravelWikitravel-External links:* *...
has a travel guide about Bismarck, North Dakota - City of Bismarck official website
- Bismarck-Mandan Convention and Visitors Bureau website
- Bismarck Municipal Airport website