History of Bismarck, North Dakota History of Bismarck, North Dakota Bismarck is the capital of the state of North Dakota, the county seat of Burleigh County, and the second most populous city in North Dakota after Fargo. The city was formed in 1872 as "Edwinton" after Edwin Ferry Johnson, a chief engineer for the Northern Pacific Railway company, when the railroad reached the eastern banks of the Missouri River. The name was changed less than one year later, honoring German chancellor Otto von Bismarck, in an effort to attract German immigrants. The discovery of gold in the nearby Black Hills in 1874 was the first
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