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.
U.S. Route 12 in North Dakota run concurrently for a short distance through the city. U.S. Route 12 in North Dakota U.S. Route 12 (US 12) is a part of the U.S. Highway System that travels from Aberdeen, Washington, to Detroit, Michigan. In the state of North Dakota, US 12 extends from the Montana border east to the South Dakota border. Throughout the state, US 12 is a two-lane undivided highway that runs through Adams, Bowman and Slope counties in southwest North Dakota. The speed limit is on rural segments, with slower posted speeds within the cities of Marmarth, Rhame, Bowman, Scranton and Hettinger. US 12