Julie Largo, age 13, of Fargo, N.D., for her question:
WHO NAMED NORTH DAKOTA?
North Dakota is a Midwestern state in the center of the North American continent. The geographic center of North America is near the town of Rugby, N.D. The state was named for the Sioux Indians who once roamed the territory. The Sioux called themselves Dakota or Lakota, meaning "friends" or "allies."
North Dakota is mainly a farm state. It's economy is based more heavily on farming than that of any other state except South Dakota. North Dakota has a larger percentage of workers in agriculture than any other state in the union. About 56 out of every 100 North Dakotans live on farms or in farming areas.
Few settlers came to the North Dakota region before the 1870s. Transportation was poor and newcomers feared attacks by Indians.
During the 1870s, the Northern Pacific Railroad began to push across the territory. Large scale farming also began during this time. Eastern corporations and some families established huge wheat farms covering thousands of acres in the Red River Valley.
The farms made such enormous profits that they were called bonanza farms. Settlers then flocked to North Dakota, attracted by the success of the bonanza farms.
In 1870, North Dakota had 2,405 persons. By 1890, just 20 years later, the population had grown to 190,983.
Today, farms and ranches cover nearly all North Dakota. They stretch from the flat Red River in the east, across rolling plains, to the rugged Badlands in the west.
Thge state's chief crop is wheat, which is grown in every county. Only Kansas raises more wheat. North Dakota harvests about half the nation's flaxseed. It also is a top orudcer of barley and a leader in rye production.
Fargo is the state's largest city. Bismarck is the capital.
The rich soil of North Dakota helps to bring about the state's agricultural wealth. But the soil also is rich in mineral resources.
The nation's largest lignite coal reserves about 16 billion tons are in North Dakota. The state also has large oil reserves. Petroleum was not discovered in North Dakota until 1951, but it quickly became the state's most valuable mineral.
In February, 1889, Congress established the present boundary between North Dakota and South Dakota. It also passed an enabling act, allowing the two regions to set up the machinery to become states.
On November 2, 1889, North Dakota became the 39th state, and South Dakota became the 40th state.
North Dakota has eight universities and colleges accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.