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.
State Bar Association of North Dakota State Bar Association of North Dakota The State Bar Association of North Dakota (SBAND) is the integrated (mandatory) bar association of the U.S. state of North Dakota. Founded in 1899, SBAND is the oldest integrated bar association in the United States. The SBAND is governed by a Board of Governors, consisting of 6 member and 4 officers. The Association provides a wide range of services including Association committees actively address issues involving judicial qualifications, public information programs, and law-related education in the public school system. Association staff also administer programs sponsored by the North Dakota Bar Foundation, the philanthropic arm