Bismarck is the capital of the State of North
Dakota, the county seat of Burleigh
County, and the second most populous city in North Dakota after Fargo. Its
population is 58,333 (July 2006 est.).[1] Bismarck was
founded in 1872.
Bismarck sits on the Missouri Plateau directly across the Missouri River from Mandan, North Dakota. The two cities
make up the core urban area of the Bismarck-Mandan Metropolitan Statistical Area.
The North Dakota State Capitol, the tallest building in the city, towers
over the central part of Bismarck. The state government employs many people within the city. As a hub of manufacturing, retail
trade, and health care, Bismarck is the economic center of a large portion of south-central North Dakota.
History
The city that would become present day Bismarck was founded in 1872 under the name "Edwinton."
This original name was in honor of Edwin M. Johnson, a chief engineer for the Northern Pacific Railway company. In 1873, the city's name was
changed to "Bismarck" in honor of the German chancellor Otto
von Bismarck. The new name was introduced by the Northern Pacific Railway company in an effort to attract German
immigrants to settle in the city. However, the discovery of gold in the nearby Black Hills
in 1874 was the first real impetus for growth. In 1883, Bismarck
became the capital of the Dakota Territory and, in 1889,
of the state of North Dakota.
Geography
Bismarck is located at 46°48′48″N, 100°46′44″W (46.813343,
-100.779004)1.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area
of 71.0 km² (27.4 mi²). 69.6 km² (26.9 mi²) of it
is land and 1.3 km² (0.5 mi²) of it (1.90%) is water.
Cityscape
North Dakota State Capitol
The North Dakota State Capitol complex is located just north of downtown
Bismarck. The 19-story Art Deco Capitol building is the tallest building in the city at 241.75
ft (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 also 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 located in eastern Bismarck. Bismarck is also the home of the Ruth Meiers Hospitality House, a 66 bed house for the homeless.
Downtown Bismarck is located near the center of the city. The downtown area is rather unique because the city's major shopping
center, Kirkwood Mall, is located there instead of in a suburban setting. Several other
major retail stores are located in the vicinity of Kirkwood Mall as is the Bismarck Civic
Center. Downtown is also home to both Medcenter One Health Systems
and St. Alexius Medical Center. The streets of downtown Bismarck are lined
with small stores and restaurants.
The Cathedral District is a historic neighborhood located near downtown Bismarck. The neighborhood gets its name from the Art
Deco Cathedral of the Holy Spirit located within 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 Elms which line the
streets.
Much of the recent commercial and residentual growth in the city of Bismarck has taken place on the northern side of the city
due in large part to expanding retail shops. Shopping centers in this area include the Gateway Mall, Northbrook Mall, Arrowhead Plaza and the new Pinehurst Square "power center" mall.
Climate
-
Located in the Great Plains between the Rocky
Mountains and the Great Lakes, Bismarck possesses a climate similar to both
locations. The climate is characterized by long, cold winters with average snowfall. Summers are warm, and frequently hot and
humid. Thunderstorms occur in spring and summer, but in general, the Bismarck climate is
quite dry.
The warmest month in Bismarck is July, where high and low temperatures average 85 °F (29 °C) and 56 °F (14 °C) respectively.
The coldest month is January, at 21 °F (-6 °C) and -1 °F (-18 °C). The wettest month is June, with 65.8 mm (2.59 in) of
precipitation, and the driest month is December, averaging just 11 mm (0.44 in). The city receives an average of around 17 inches
of rain per year, and 41 inches of snow per season.
| Monthly Normal and Record High and Low Temperatures |
| Month |
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
| Rec High °F |
63 |
69 |
81 |
93 |
98 |
111 |
109 |
109 |
105 |
95 |
79 |
65 |
| Norm High °F |
21.1 |
28.5 |
40.2 |
55.9 |
69.1 |
77.8 |
84.5 |
83.3 |
71.6 |
58.2 |
38.2 |
25.7 |
| Norm Low °F |
-0.6 |
7.8 |
19.1 |
30.6 |
42.8 |
51.6 |
56.4 |
54.7 |
43.7 |
32.1 |
17.8 |
4.8 |
| Rec Low °F |
-44 |
-43 |
-31 |
-12 |
15 |
30 |
35 |
33 |
11 |
-10 |
-30 |
-43 |
| Precip (in) |
0.45 |
0.51 |
0.85 |
1.46 |
2.22 |
2.59 |
2.58 |
2.15 |
1.61 |
1.28 |
0.7 |
0.44 |
| Source: USTravelWeather.com [1] |
Demographics
As of the census2 of 2000, there were 55,532 people, 23,185 households, and 14,444 families
residing in the city. The population density was 797.4/km² (2,065.2/mi²). There were
24,217 housing units at an average density of 347.7/km² (900.6/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 94.78% White, 0.28% Black or African American, 3.39% Native American, 0.45% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.17% from other races, and 0.89% from two or more races. 0.75% of the population
were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
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 out 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% had 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.
Law and government
Bismarck uses the city commission style of municipal government. Citizens
elect five at-large city commissioners. The president of the city commission also 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.
Economy
With over 4,300 employees, the state government of North Dakota is the largest employer
in Bismarck. Bismarck's two major health care providers, Medcenter One Health
Systems and St. Alexius Medical Center, together employ about 4,100
people. Other major employers in Bismarck include Bobcat/Ingersoll Rand, Basin Electric Power
Cooperative, Bismarck Public Schools, Midwest Motor Express, and the United
States Federal Government.[2]
Bismarck is also the home of MDU Resources Group. As of 2007, the company was ranked as number
519 on the Fortune 1000 list. It is believed that the company will enter the
Fortune 500 list in the near future which would make it the only such company based in North
Dakota.
Education
K-12
The Bismarck Public Schools system has 15 elementary schools, three middle
schools, two high schools (Century High and
Bismarck High), and an alternative high school. The system educates 10,400 students
and employs 1,500 people.
There are also a number of private schools in the city: Shiloh Christian School[3], Dakota Adventist Academy[4],
and St. Mary's Central High School.
Higher education
Bismarck is home to several colleges and a university. The University of Mary is
the largest degree-granting institution in the city of Bismarck. It is a four-year university affiliated with the
Roman Catholic Church. Bismarck State
College, a two-year public college, is a member of the North Dakota
University System. Bismarck is also home to United Tribes Technical
College (a two-year tribal college) and a satellite campus of Aakers
College (a two-year private college).
Culture
The Belle Mehus Auditorium, a historic building dating back to 1914 and located in downtown
Bismarck, is a center for the arts in the metropolitan area. The Bismarck-Mandan Symphony Orchestra holds their performances there. Theatre companies
in Bismarck include Sleepy Hollow Summer Theatre, the Shade Tree Players children's theater group, Dakota Stage Ltd, University
of Mary, and Bismarck State College. The Gannon and Elsa Forde Art Galleries are located at Bismarck State College.
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 is one of the best known parks in Bismarck and spans
over three miles (5 km) on the banks of the Missouri River. Along with four miles (6 km)
of biking trails, Sertoma Park is also home to the Dakota Zoo, and Super Slide Amusement Park. In total, the Parks and Recreation District operates approximately 2,300 acres (9 km²) of public park land.[5]
Bismarck is also home to five golf courses. These include 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).
Hunting and fishing are also common activities in the area. Hunting seasons for deer, pheasant, and waterfowl are popular.
Meanwhile, fishing is a year-around sport with the Missouri River running through the Bismarck-Mandan community. There are public
docks on the Missouri. The north location is at the "Port of Bismarck" which is also home to the Lewis and Clark Riverboat. The
next location is the Fox Island landing and is located about a half-mile southwest of Riverwood Golf Course. Further south is the
Bismarck Parks and Recreation-operated General Sibley Park which includes a boat ramp and picnic area.
The Bismarck area is also home to several dammed lakes including McDowell Dam Lake located six
miles (10 km) east of the city, two dammed lakes located west of Mandan on I-94, and the man-made Lake Sakakawea located 70 miles (110 km) north of
Bismarck which was formed by the Garrison Dam project.
Health care
Bismarck is a regional center for health care. The city has two hospitals: Medcenter One Health Systems (238-bed) and St.
Alexius Medical Center (285-bed). 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. Both St. Alexius and Medcenter One have joined forces to form the Bismarck Cancer
Center.[6]
Media
Print
The only daily newspaper in Bismarck is the Bismarck Tribune. The paper was
established in 1873 and is the oldest continuing business in the area. The Tribune is the official newspaper of the city
of Bismarck, Burleigh County, and the state of North Dakota.[7] 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 include:
Bismarck also carries KWMK, an affiliate of The
CW, on cable channel 14, as well as a public access channel,
Community Access Television, on cable channel 12.
Radio
Bismarck is home to a number of radio stations. All of the commercial stations are owned by either Clear Channel Communications or Cumulus Media. Many
of the lower frequency stations are broadcasters of national Christian radio networks.
The local stations include:
FM Radio
AM Radio
Transportation
Because of its central location within North Dakota, Bismarck has become a major
transportation hub for the central part of the state.
Bismarck Municipal Airport is located south of the city and has the
largest passenger volume in western North Dakota and the second highest within the state. The airport's main airline is
Northwest, although it is also served by United
Express and Allegiant Air. A new $15 million dollar terminal opened in May 2005.
The previous terminal had been in use for over 40 years.
The BNSF Railway runs east-west through the city. There is no Amtrak service in Bismarck. 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 metropolitan area and connects Bismarck and Mandan. U.S. Route 83 runs north and south through the northern half of Bismarck until merging with Interstate 94.
U.S. Route 83 doesn't split away from Interstate 94 again until roughly 25 miles (40 km) east of the Bismarck.
In May 2004, "Capital Area Transit" System (or "CAT") was launched.[8] This public bus system is operated by the Bis-Man Transit Board and includes eleven routes throughout
the Bismarck-Mandan metropolitan area. Bis-Man Transit also offers a taxi service for
senior citizens and people with disabilities.
Sports
Like in many other cities, athletics (both non-professional and professional) are popular activities in the Bismarck
community.
Non-professional
High school and college sports dominate the local athletics landscape. The athletic teams at the two public Bismarck high
schools, Bismarck High School and Century High School, are known as "The Demons" and "The Patriots"
respectively. The athletic teams at St. Mary's Central High School, a
local Catholic high school, are known as "The Saints." The teams at Bismarck State
College are called "The Mystics" and compete in the National Junior College Athletic Association. The teams at the
University of Mary are called "The Marauders" and compete in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. Bismarck has an American Legion baseball team called the Governors.
The fall season is dominated by football, both high school and college. Several high schools in the area have a football
rivalry with each other. The University of Mary added the sport in 1988. Most games are played in the Community Bowl. Popular
sports during the winter months include ice hockey, wrestling and basketball. During the spring season, baseball is one of the
top non-professional sports in the city with all high schools, BSC, and U-Mary providing teams. U-Mary also has a softball team.
Another popular high school and college sport during the spring months is track and field. The summer months see no high school
or college athletics, but the city is home to American Legion baseball and auto racing. The July 4th holiday is the also the
height of rodeo time with rodeos held in both Mandan and Bismarck during the period.
Professional
Professional teams in Bismarck include the Dakota Wizards of the NBA Development League and the Bismarck Bobcats of the
North American Hockey League. Pro sports are a recent development in the
area. Both the semi-pro Bobcats and pro Wizards took root in the mid to late 1990s. The Wizards won titles during their IBA and
CBA days and are the current champions of the NBA Development League. Bismarck has also been the home of two indoor pro football
teams, but both teams quickly left the city after start-up. Bismarck also had a pro baseball team, the Dakota Rattlers that
relocated after several seasons in Bismarck.
Notable residents
Trivia
- In February 2007, Bismarck broke the U.S. world record for most snow angels made in one
place. A total of 8,962 participants showed up at the capitol grounds for the event.
Notes
External links
Coordinates:
48.813343° N 100.779004°
W
