History of Bismarck, North Dakota real impetus for growth. In 1883, Bismarck became the capital of the Dakota Territory and, in 1889, of the state of North Dakota. The first well-documented inhabitants of what is now Bismarck were the Mandan Nation. The remains of Chief Looking's Village, one of the Mandan towns, is now a park within the city limits, while another six to eight town sites, including On-a-Slant Village, Large-and-Scattered Village, and Double Ditch Village, made up the homeland of the Mandan Nation from about the mid-1500s to the late 1700s and surround present-day Bismarck for a few miles to the north and south.
North Dakota Sports Hall of Fame in 2016 were American football coach Hank Biesiot; ice hockey players and twin sisters Monique and Jocelyne Lamoureux; and former Major League Baseball player Travis Hafner. North Dakota Sports Hall of Fame The North Dakota Sports Hall of Fame is a hall of fame in the US state of North Dakota honoring individuals for athletic achievements. According to the Hall, its purpose is "to honor and recognize those individuals who have played a major role in the growth and development of sports in the state of North Dakota, and to further promote sports and sportsmanship to the public of North