North Dakota, the Peace Garden State


Land area: 68,994 sq. mi. (17)
Population (2000): 642,200 (47)
Population density: 9.31 per sq. mi. (47)
U.S. Representatives (2003-12): 1
Entered Union: 2-Nov-1889 (39)

I’ve had people tell me North Dakota's the ugliest state in the Union. So when I finally got there in the summer of ’95, I was pleasantly surprised. Those rows of sunflowers are great to see as you ride through. Blanchard is home to the KTHI-TV tower, stretching a record 2063 feet above the ground. Strasburg, near the Missouri River, is where Lawrence Welk grew up (as well as hundreds of other Germans from Russia). And Hoople, a town of 310, calls itself Tater Town U.S.A. Is that a challenge to Idaho?

No. of Counties I’ve Visited: 33 of 53

County Pop. (2000)     Latest Visit   County Seat Visited?
Adams 2,593 Hettinger
Barnes 11,775 9-Aug-1995 Valley City yes
Benson 6,964 8-Aug-2005 Minnewaukan yes
Billings 888 Medora
Bottineau 7,149 9-Aug-2005 Bottineau yes
Bowman 3,242 Bowman
Burke 2,242 Bowbells
Burleigh 69,416 9-Aug-2005 Bismarck yes
Cass 123,138 8-Aug-2005 Fargo yes
Cavalier 4,831 Langdon
Dickey 5,757 Ellendale
Divide 2,283 Crosby
Dunn 3,600 Manning
Eddy 2,757 8-Aug-2005 New Rockford yes
Emmons 4,331 9-Aug-1995 Linton yes
Foster 3,759 8-Aug-2005 Carrington yes
Golden Valley 1,924 Beach
Grand Forks 66,109 9-Aug-1995 Grand Forks
Grant 2,841 Carson
Griggs 2,754 8-Aug-2005 Cooperstown yes
Hettinger 2,715 Mott
Kidder 2,753 8-Aug-2005 Steele yes
LaMoure 4,701 9-Aug-1995 LaMoure
Logan 2,308 9-Aug-1995 Napoleon
McHenry 5,987 9-Aug-2005 Towner yes
McIntosh 3,390 9-Aug-1995 Ashley
McKenzie 5,737 Watford City
McLean 9,311 9-Aug-2005 Washburn yes
Mercer 8,644 Stanton
Morton 25,303 9-Aug-2005 Mandan yes
Mountrail 6,631 Stanley
Nelson 3,715 8-Aug-2005 Lakota yes
Oliver 2,065 9-Aug-2005 Center
Pembina 8,585 9-Aug-1995 Cavalier yes
Pierce 4,675 9-Aug-2005 Rugby yes
Ramsey 12,066 8-Aug-2005 Devils Lake yes
Ransom 5,890 9-Aug-1995 Lisbon
Renville 2,610 9-Aug-2005 Mohall yes
Richland 17,998 8-Aug-2005 Wahpeton
Rolette 13,674 9-Aug-2005 Rolla yes
Sargent 4,366 Forman
Sheridan 1,710 9-Aug-2005 McClusky yes
Sioux 4,044 Fort Yates
Slope 767 Amidon
Stark 22,636 Dickinson
Steele 2,258 8-Aug-2005 Finley yes
Stutsman 21,908 8-Aug-2005 Jamestown yes
Towner 2,876 Cando
Traill 8,477 8-Aug-2005 Hillsboro yes
Walsh 12,389 9-Aug-1995 Grafton
Ward 58,795 9-Aug-2005 Minot yes
Wells 5,102 9-Aug-2005 Fessenden
Williams 19,761 Williston

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