Bismarck
A riverboat port and railway terminal, Bismarck was a brawling boomtown. The city entered another period of prosperity after the discovery of gold in the Black Hills in 1874. This event, and the resulting displeasure of the Sioux over invasion of lands they considered sacred, led to the Bismarck Tribune's greatest scoop 2 years later, when the paper wired the first news of the Battle of the Little Bighorn to the New York Herald.
Nearby Double Ditch Indian Village is evidence of the region's Native American heritage. In 1781 and 1782 the village was devastated by a smallpox epidemic; only raised mounds now remain where a Mandan Indian community once thrived.
Approximately 70 tribes assemble in Bismarck in early September for the United Tribes International Powwow , one of North Dakota's outstanding cultural events.
The Missouri River offers fishing, boating, water skiing and canoeing; hikers, bicyclists and horseback riders take advantage of its banks. Public parks offer walking trails, tennis, volleyball and archery in summer and cross-country skiing in winter.
Visitor Centers
Bismarck-Mandan Convention and Visitors Bureau 1600 Burnt Boat Dr. Bismarck, ND 58503. Phone:(701)222-4308 or (800)767-3555
Shopping
Kirkwood Mall, at I-94 exit 159, features JCPenney and Scheels .
Things to Do
Bismarck Art and Galleries AssociationCamp Hancock State Historic Site
Lewis and Clark Riverboat Cruises