Bismark, ND - State Capitol
I woke to the sound of geese over the Missouri River. I hadn’t slept well thanks to the espresso I had way to late in the evening. The silence was broken by the slam of a door and the starting of a truck engine. It sat idealing for five minutes. The muffler was way too loud. As it pulled away, I wondered if this person cared how much noise they were making. It was time to get my morning started and I headed for the showers. After breakfast, I took time to do some writing, photo sorting, and online work.
North Dakota Capitol - Bismark
I walked the grounds of the Capitol to get a feel for the building and it surroundings. I only saw one statue on the grounds, The Prairie Family. I didn’t find the states Liberty Bell either, which I later learned is housed in the State Historical Society Building around the corner.
I joined a tour of the North Dakota State Capitol around 1 p.m., and it kicked off in the basement. Down there I got my first look at the Theodore Roosevelt Rough Rider Award. It’s the state’s highest honor, given to people who were either born in North Dakota or have a strong tie to it, and who’ve brought recognition to the state through their achievements. The name ties back to Teddy Roosevelt’s famous Rough Riders cavalry unit, which cemented his legend long before he became president. The award has been around since 1961, and it’s a pretty exclusive club—fewer than 50 people have ever received it.
Some of the names on the list are instantly recognizable: Lawrence Welk (yes, the “champagne music” guy), baseball legend Roger Maris, author Louis L’Amour, actress Angie Dickinson, and news anchor Eric Sevareid. More recent honorees include NBA coach Phil Jackson, musician Peggy Lee, and Gen. David C. Jones, who served as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. It’s basically a who’s-who of folks who put North Dakota on the map in their own way. Tucked away in the basement, it was a very North Dakota way to start the tour—quiet, understated, but packed with pride.
On the first floor, the guide pointed out the chandeliers overhead—each weighing more than a ton and designed to evoke sheaves of wheat. The columns aren’t just for show; they also conceal the building’s heating and cooling ducts—very 1930s, very functional Art Deco. This is one of only four “tower” capitols in the U.S. (the others are in Florida, Louisiana, and Nebraska), which makes North Dakota stand out in a country where most states went with domes to mimic Washington, D.C. Another reason for the tower concept, was that money was tight during the great depression.
From there, we visited the Senate chamber. It struck me as small—almost cozy compared to others I’ve toured—but it fit the scale of the state. Across the hall, the House of Representatives chamber was a different story altogether. It was the largest legislative room I’ve seen yet, with a high, bright ceiling that seemed to amplify the space. The modern lines and Art Deco details gave it a unique character, and I found myself liking the feel of the room more than I expected.
What Do You See?
We were also shown a smaller side area paneled in unusual wood. The story goes that the wood had been shipped in by mistake from California, and rather than send it back, the builders decided to use it. The guide encouraged us to look for Rorschach-like patterns in the panels—inkblot shapes that could be animals, faces, or whatever your imagination conjured up. I saw a few, but to be honest, my mind went in a different direction than what she was suggesting.
At the far end of the building, we stepped into the Supreme Court chamber. North Dakota has only five justices, each elected to a ten-year term. Since the state doesn’t have a separate appeals court, every case that comes up from the lower courts lands here, which means those five justices are busier than most of their counterparts elsewhere. The room itself was straightforward, practical, and built for function over show.
Finally, we took the elevator up to the 18th-floor observation deck. You can’t go outside anymore—apparently back in the 1950s someone tossed a glass bottle from the top, and it shattered the windshield of a car below. So, the windows are as far as you get. From up there, you can see the new Governor’s Residence on the corner of the grounds. I asked if it was funded by oil money, and the guide just smiled and said, “The gas and oil boom has been good for the state.” Considering farming brings in about $6 billion a year and oil and gas now account for roughly $32 billion, that seems like an understatement.
It was a fairly clear day, so the views stretched for miles across the prairie. Along the walls of the observation deck were photos of the big fire that destroyed the original capitol building in 1930, plus construction shots of the current tower as it rose during the Depression. There were also quirky bits of state pride on display—like photos from the day North Dakota set the Guinness World Record for the largest snow-angel gathering, with 8,962 people making angels at once.
That wrapped up the tour. It was quick—maybe too quick—and not the best Capitol tour I’ve taken. It lacked the depth of history and storytelling that usually make these tours stick with you. Still, the building itself has a presence, and the view from the 18th floor was worth the ride up. Before leaving, I wandered through the hall a bit longer and found walls lined with paintings and photographs. I couldn’t find any credits for the artwork, but there were quite a few pieces, adding another layer of character to the space.
Governor’s Residence
The Governor’s Residence sits on the Capitol grounds in Bismarck and was completed in 2018. In 2015, the legislature approved up to $5 million for its construction, with $4 million allocated from the state’s oil-and-gas-funded improvement fund and the remaining $1 million to come from private donations. The new residence replaced the 1960s governor’s home on the same site, which had developed significant structural and maintenance issues that made replacement more practical than repair.
I had mentioned to our guide of the Capitol that the building reminded me of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Prairie School style, with its horizontal lines and modern low profile. I’m sure she knew who Wright was, but it didn’t seem like she was familiar with his work or why I saw the likeness. Later I found out the house was actually designed by JLG Architects, a firm based in North Dakota and Minnesota. They don’t have any direct ties to Wright or his apprentices, but Wright’s influence on Midwestern architecture is so widespread that the resemblance made sense to me.
The Custer House
I stayed at the campground in Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park and on my return from the Capitol I decided to visit the Custer House which had just closed. The reconstructed home stands on the original foundation where George Armstrong Custer and his wife Libbie lived in the 1870s. It was from here, in the summer of 1876, that Custer left with the 7th Cavalry on the campaign that ended at the Battle of the Little Bighorn. Inside, the house is furnished in Victorian style, giving a strong sense of how the couple lived and how Libbie worked to bring refinement and social life to what was otherwise a rugged frontier outpost.
The grounds surrounding the Custer House add even more context. Out front, a tall flagpole marks the heart of the area, and the ridge offers sweeping views of the Missouri River valley below. The placement makes it clear why this row of homes was both symbolic and strategic—families lived here, but the officer’s presence also overlooked the fort and the surrounding land. It’s not hard to imagine Libbie standing on the porch, watching the soldiers drill on the parade ground or entertaining guests inside while the daily rhythm of the post went on around her.
On either side of the Custer House, the other officers’ quarters are no longer standing, but their original stone foundations still outline where they once stood. Seeing those foundations helps you picture the full “Officer’s Row,” with several large homes side by side, each housing a family tied to the leadership of the fort. Today, with only the Custer House reconstructed, the stone remains and open lawns frame it as the centerpiece. Together they create the impression of a small community perched above the river, a place where military duty and domestic life intersected in a way that still resonates through the history tied to this ground.
