North Dakota capital city since 1883, first as capital of the Dakota Territory, and then as state capital since 1889. Minot is a city in northern North Dakota and is home of the North Dakota State Fair and Norsk Høstfest. A few miles west of Bismarck on the west side of the Missouri River, the city of Mandan was named for the Mandan Indians who inhabited the area at the time of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. New Salem is the site of the world's largest statue of a holstein cow; the world's largest statue of a bison is in Jamestown. Grand
Politics of North Dakota the early 21st century, Republicans control nearly all of the statewide officials. The government of the state was modeled on that of the United States, whereby the Governor of North Dakota is executive head of state and head of government. Legislative power is vested in both chambers of the North Dakota Legislature; the House of Representatives and the Senate. Judicial power is vested in the North Dakota Supreme Court, which is independent of the executive and the legislative branches. The North Dakota Constitution was approved in 1889. North Dakota began as a Republican Party stronghold upon its foundation in 1889,