History of Bismarck, North Dakota flooding evacuated 1700 citizens in or near the Fox Island and South Port. Much of south Bismarck or south of Bismarck Expressway was flooded or flooding. A similar occurrence also happened in 2011. 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
North Dakota State Library that point, the library moved this time to the Randal Building north of the city. The agency's name was changed to the North Dakota State Library in 1979, which is still its name today. In 1982, the State Library returned to the Liberty Memorial Building, its present location. The State Library specializes in information services to state agencies and to the general public. North Dakota State Library's departments include: Administration, Digital Initiatives, Field Services, Interlibrary Loan, Information Technology, Public Awareness, Public Services, State Document Depository, Statewide Catalog Development, Talking Books, Technical Services, and Training. North Dakota State Library staff produce