Camp Hancock was established in 1872, and contains the oldest remaining building in Bismarck.
Most of the land in present-day North Dakota was acquired in the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, however it remained largely unsettled throughout most of the 19th century. Dakota Territory, consisting of present-day North and South Dakota, in addition to parts of Montana and Wyoming, was organized in 1861.
Prior to formal organization by the United States Government, the region was home to several dominant native tribes, most notably the Mandan, Hidatsa, Arikara, Sioux, and Chippewa. La Vérendrye was one of the first explorers to the area, around 1738.
Explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark spent the winter of 1804-1805 at a camp established near present-day Washburn, located about 40 miles north of present-day Bismarck. During their stay in the region, Lewis and Clark were introduced to Sakakawea, a Shoshone woman who acted as a translator and guide.
The Northern Pacific Railroad helped to bring the first settlers to the region. The company was organized to construct the northern transcontinental railroad. By 1872, the railroad had pushed into Dakota Territory and was approaching the Missouri River. Northern Pacific selected the point at which the railroad would cross the river, and established a town near the site.
Commissioned by Doctor Walter Burleigh, the first buildings for the town were constructed in 1872, which included the establishment of Camp Greeley (later renamed Camp Hancock). Around this time, John Yegen opened Bismarck’s first business, a restaurant and bakery operated out of a tent.
Originally named “Edwinton” after Edwin Johnson, Chief Engineer for the Northern Pacific Railroad, the town was renamed in July 1873 to honor German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck in an attempt to attract German settlers.
Bismarck was named the county seat of Burleigh County upon its organization in 1873.
The Bismarck Tribune published its first edition on July 11, 1873. The military also established Fort McKeen at this time, later renamed Fort Abraham Lincoln, to ensure protection for the railroad and settlers.
Linda Slaughter, wife of surgeon Dr. B.F. “Frank” Slaughter, opened the first school in September 1873, inside the Congressional Church.
Northern Pacific completed its bridge over the Missouri River in 1882.
The railroad reached Bismarck in June 1873, however, the fate of Bismarck seemed doomed when the Panic of 1873 forced construction to cease, and the railroad reached an abrupt end at Bismarck for nearly ten years.
Perhaps saving the new city from extinction was the discovery of gold in the nearby Black Hills in 1874, which sparked a minor gold rush to the region that lasted until approximately 1878. Most of the prospectors arrived in the area via the railroad to its terminus in Bismarck, before setting out on their journey to the Black Hills. Ironically, it was the railroad’s sudden end in Bismarck that mostly contributed to the city’s initial growth.
Bismarck was incorporated as a city in 1875, electing John McLean as its first mayor.
In 1876, the region received national attention when Bismarck Tribune reporter Mark Kellogg was first to report on the massacre at Little Big Horn, popularly known today as “Custer’s Last Stand”. Kellogg himself was killed during the battle.
The first schoolhouse was constructed in 1877 at the southwest corner of Thayer Avenue and Sixth Street. The second bank in Dakota Territory, First National Bank, opened at corner of 4th Street and Main Avenue two years later.
After surviving bankruptcy, Northern Pacific emerged with enough capital to finish construction of the northern transcontinental railroad. The multi-million dollar railroad bridge finally opened in October 1882, officially completing the railroad line.
The original capitol was completed in 1884. Photo Courtesy North Dakota Historical Society.
The following year, in 1883, the capital of Dakota Territory was relocated from Yankton to Bismarck. Alexander McKenzie, a prominent and sometimes infamous political figure with close connections Northern Pacific executives, is credited for bringing the capital to Bismarck. Construction on the new capitol building commenced immediately; completed the following year.
With the growing city came major business and industry. Webb Brothers opened as a furniture store in 1884, but would eventually expand its merchandise. For years, Webb Brothers was the only dry goods store in Bismarck, and the only furniture store in the region. North Ward School also opened that year, with 364 students, replacing the original 2-room schoolhouse. The first graduating class consisted of just two students in 1887.
The first hospital in Dakota Territory, Saint Alexius, opened in 1885, in addition to the Territorial Prison, now known as the State Penitentiary. Bismarck now had everything necessary to support a thriving city.
Upon entering statehood in 1889, Dakota Territory was divided and Bismarck assumed the role as capital of North Dakota. Even though Bismarck had grown substantially, it still mostly resembled a frontier town. Most of the buildings to this point had been constructed of wood, which would provide endless fuel to a fire that devastated Bismarck in August 1898. The fire spread quickly from one wood structure to the next, and in the end, most of the buildings in Bismarck had been affected in some way from fire. Heavy winds had spread the flames as far north as the capitol. The total loss was estimated at nearly half a million dollars (in 1898 figures).
Following the fire, a large portion of Bismarck had to be rebuilt. New, stricter fire codes were enacted, and rising from the ashes were buildings not made from wood, but from brick and concrete. Many of these new buildings were even labeled as “fire proof”. The Fire of 1898 helped push Bismarck away from its frontier roots and into a modernized city.
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