Bismarck, North Dakota the capital of the Dakota Territory, and in 1889 as the state capital of the new state of North Dakota. Bismarck is at (46.813343, −100.779004). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of , of which, is land and is water. The city has developed around downtown Bismarck, the center of historic development. It is distinctive because the city's major shopping center, Kirkwood Mall, is in the center city rather than in the suburbs. Several other major retail stores are in the vicinity of Kirkwood Mall, which was developed near the Bismarck Civic Center. The
North Dakota State Auditor with the state's constitution in 1889, the state has seen a total of 16 State Auditors. The first eight State Auditors all served within the first 25 years of the office's creation, but since then Auditors such as Robert W. Peterson, who served for 24 years, have served for longer spans of time. The office has been held by the state's Democratic Party only two years; that was from 1893 to 1894 when Arthur W. Porter was elected. All other auditors have been from the North Dakota Republican Party. It is the only statewide office in North Dakota to have