1876 artwork by Henry Mitchell, via Wikipedia Commons
North Dakota ranks 51st among states and provinces with markers in this database. North Dakota is a state in the United States of America located in the American Midwest. It is also in the Upper Plains region. North Dakota is some 71 thousand square miles in size with a population of around 762 thousand people. The state is divided into 53 counties and all of them have entries in this database. In North Dakota we have discovered historical markers in 99 cities and towns lying in 103 different ZIP Codes.
There are at least 580 historical markers in North Dakota, by our count. We have cataloged 576 historical markers and 39 war memorials—each individually presented on 598 illustrated, annotated, and searchable pages of the Historical Marker Database. In addition, we are reasonably certain of another four historical markers in North Dakota that we don’t yet have, and instead show on our Want List. Our correspondents have been finding and adding hundreds of markers a month to the database from all over the world, so next time you visit this page you will probably find that the numbers here have changed.
Click or scan to see this page online.
The first North Dakota marker in the database, North Dakota Badlands, was added January 19, 2008. It was photographed in Medora in Billings County. The last one added was submitted on March 11, 2024, and titled The Lake “Mníwakháŋ”. It is in Devils Lake in Ramsey County. Keeping in mind that the erection date of many markers in the database is not known, the earliest historical marker we know of in North Dakota was erected in 1907. It was this one: Alton Klaus, and one of our correspondents found it in Jamestown in Stutsman County on January 14, 2018.
North Dakotans don’t want to forget their Industry and Commerce history. How do we know? Because there are more historical markers in the database from North Dakota about Industry and Commerce—110 of them—than about any other historical topic. It is followed by Architecture with 92 markers.
The first marker added to the database with the Industry and Commerce topic was 'The Next Great City', added June 27, 2011. It had been erected in 2004 in Fargo in Cass County. The last one submitted was submitted on March 11, 2024, and titled Historic Devils Lake Commercial District. It had been erected in Devils Lake in Ramsey County. The earliest marker erected with the Industry and Commerce topic that we have listed was erected in 1957. It is Wadeson Cabin Historic Site, was found near Kathryn in Barnes County on June 19, 2021.
What is the most interesting historical marker in North Dakota? What we know is that North Dakota Badlands is the most viewed entry in the database from North Dakota since it was added in 2008. This year so far, the most viewed North Dakotan entry is located near Fort Ransom in Ransom County. It is Pyramid Hill / Fort Ransom’s Remarkable Survival.
Counties, Cities and Towns
The North Dakota county with the most historical markers listed in this database is Billings County, with 50 of them. It is followed closely by Ramsey County with 47 markers. The Medora area of Billings County has the highest number of markers within its limits, 49. In Ramsey County the area with the most markers, 47, is Devils Lake.
Checking the database for the city or town in North Dakota with the most markers we again find Medora at the top of the list with 49 markers in or near it. And Devils Lake also shows up again in next place, just missing out with 47 markers. For the ZIP Code with the most markers it’s 58645 at the top of the list with 49 markers in its delivery area. (ZIP Code 58645 is assigned to Medora ND.) It is followed closely by ZIP Code 58301 with 47 markers. (58301 is assigned to Devils Lake ND including the Devils Lk delivery area.)
Historical Markers Near These North Dakota Cities and Towns
Getting back to Billings County, the first marker added to the database from there, North Dakota Badlands, was added January 19, 2008, and was also the first one submitted in all of North Dakota. in Medora. The last one submitted was uploaded on August 18, 2020, and is titled Historic Medora—Boom and Bust, in Medora. The earliest marker erected in Billings County that we have listed was erected in 1974. It was Ukrainian Immigrants, found near Belfield on July 22, 2015.
By Cosmos Mariner, September 2, 2023
Latest Entry from North Dakota “The Lake “Mníwakháŋ””
The State Historical Society of North Dakota is currently in charge of official historical markers found all over the state and the North Dakota Department of Transportation typically installs and maintains those that are roadside. They erected their first marker in 2016, and we have 117 of their markers in the database. Also, a number of counties have erected historical markers on their streets and roads and within their public areas, as have some cities and towns.
By Jerry Klinger, May 21, 2017
A State Historical Society of North Dakota Historical Marker
Then there are federal government agencies that put up historical markers, especially in national parks and other areas under their jurisdiction. And finally, there are the numerous public and private organizations and individuals that erect markers. Some do this as a continual endeavor, and others once in a while, to mark something, someone, or someplace they find important or interesting. When one of our correspondents comes across one that satisfies our criteria, we add it to the database.
Off the Beaten Path
You’ll find that even the smallest, least populated, or most rural areas of North Dakota have been marked with history. Check out Divide County, Burke County and Benson County. We've only found one historical marker in each. Visiting one or more of these parts of North Dakota might make for a pleasant road trip, and maybe you’ll discover more historical markers while you’re there. If you do, perhaps you’ll take the time to photograph them and, when you get home, become an HMdb correspondent by adding them to the database. Happy Hunting!
North Dakota ranks 51st among states and provinces with markers in this database. North Dakota is a state in the United States of America located in the American Midwest. It is also in the Upper Plains region. North Dakota is some 71 thousand square miles in size with a population of around 762 thousand people. The state is divided into 53 counties and all of them have entries in this database. In North Dakota we have discovered historical markers in 99 cities and towns lying in 103 different ZIP Codes.
There are at least 580 historical markers in North Dakota, by our count. We have cataloged 576 historical markers and 39 war memorials, each individually presented on 598 illustrated, annotated, and searchable pages of the Historical Marker Database. In addition, we are reasonably certain of another four historical markers in North Dakota that we don’t yet have, and instead show on our Want List. Our correspondents have been finding and adding hundreds of markers a month to the database from all over the world, so next time you visit this page you will probably find that the numbers here have changed.
Click or scan to see this page online.
The first North Dakota marker in the database, North Dakota Badlands, was added January 19, 2008. It was photographed in Medora in Billings County. The last one added was submitted on March 11, 2024, and titled The Lake “Mníwakháŋ”. It is in Devils Lake in Ramsey County. Keeping in mind that the erection date of many markers in the database is not known, the earliest historical marker we know of in North Dakota was erected in 1907. It was this one: Alton Klaus, and one of our correspondents found it in Jamestown in Stutsman County on January 14, 2018.
North Dakotans don’t want to forget their Industry and Commerce history. How do we know? Because there are more historical markers in the database from North Dakota about Industry and Commerce, 110 of them, than about any other historical topic. It is followed by Architecture with 92 markers.
The first marker added to the database with the Industry and Commerce topic was 'The Next Great City', added June 27, 2011. It had been erected in 2004 in Fargo in Cass County. The last one submitted was submitted on March 11, 2024, and titled Historic Devils Lake Commercial District. It had been erected in Devils Lake in Ramsey County. The earliest marker erected with the Industry and Commerce topic that we have listed was erected in 1957. It is Wadeson Cabin Historic Site, was found near Kathryn in Barnes County on June 19, 2021.
What is the most interesting historical marker in North Dakota? What we know is that North Dakota Badlands is the most viewed entry in the database from North Dakota since it was added in 2008. This year so far, the most viewed North Dakotan entry is located near Fort Ransom in Ransom County. It is Pyramid Hill / Fort Ransom’s Remarkable Survival.
Counties, Cities and Towns.
The North Dakota county with the most historical markers listed in this database is Billings County, with 50 of them. It is followed closely by Ramsey County with 47 markers. The Medora area of Billings County has the highest number of markers within its limits, 49. In Ramsey County the area with the most markers, 47, is Devils Lake.
Checking the database for the city or town in North Dakota with the most markers we again find Medora at the top of the list with 49 markers in or near it. And Devils Lake also shows up again in next place, just missing out with 47 markers. For the ZIP Code with the most markers it’s 5 8 6 4 5 at the top of the list with 49 markers in its delivery area. (ZIP Code 5 8 6 4 5 is assigned to Medora ND.) It is followed closely by ZIP Code 5 8 3 0 1 with 47 markers. (5 8 3 0 1 is assigned to Devils Lake ND including the Devils Lk delivery area.)
Getting back to Billings County, the first marker added to the database from there, North Dakota Badlands, was added January 19, 2008, and was also the first one submitted in all of North Dakota. in Medora. The last one submitted was uploaded on August 18, 2020, and is titled Historic Medora, Boom and Bust, in Medora. The earliest marker erected in Billings County that we have listed was erected in 1974. It was Ukrainian Immigrants, found near Belfield on July 22, 2015.
The State Historical Society of North Dakota is currently in charge of official historical markers found all over the state and the North Dakota Department of Transportation typically installs and maintains those that are roadside. They erected their first marker in 2016, and we have 117 of their markers in the database. Also, a number of counties have erected historical markers on their streets and roads and within their public areas, as have some cities and towns.
Then there are federal government agencies that put up historical markers, especially in national parks and other areas under their jurisdiction. And finally, there are the numerous public and private organizations and individuals that erect markers. Some do this as a continual endeavor, and others once in a while, to mark something, someone, or someplace they find important or interesting. When one of our correspondents comes across one that satisfies our criteria, we add it to the database.
Off the Beaten Path.
You’ll find that even the smallest, least populated, or most rural areas of North Dakota have been marked with history. Check out Divide County, Burke County and Benson County. We've only found one historical marker in each. Visiting one or more of these parts of North Dakota might make for a pleasant road trip, and maybe you’ll discover more historical markers while you’re there. If you do, perhaps you’ll take the time to photograph them and, when you get home, become an HMdb correspondent by adding them to the database. Happy Hunting!
North Dakota ranks 51st among states and provinces with markers in this database. North Dakota is a state in the United States of America located in the American Midwest. It is also in the Upper Plains region. North Dakota is some 71 thousand square miles in size with a population of around 762 thousand people. The state is divided into 53 counties and all of them have entries in this database. In North Dakota we have discovered historical markers in 99 cities and towns lying in 103 different ZIP Codes. 
