Bismarck, ND
Capital of North Dakota
Overview
Bismarck is the capital city of North Dakota, located in the Midwest region of the United States. Founded in 1872, the city has grown to a population of approximately 73,529 residents within a state of 779,094 people. As the seat of North Dakota's state government, Bismarck serves as the political and administrative center of the state.
The city is home to the North Dakota State Capitol, a Art Deco structure that has been a landmark since its completion in 1934. Designed by Holabird & Root with Joseph Bell DeRemer, the capitol building stands as a testament to the state's history and governance, attracting visitors from across the country and around the world.
Bismarck has served as the capital of North Dakota since 1883. Before Bismarck, the state's capital was located in Yankton.
North Dakota State Capitol
The North Dakota State Capitol in Bismarck is a 19-story Art Deco tower that earned the nickname 'Skyscraper on the Prairie' for its striking presence on the flat Great Plains landscape. Built to replace the original capitol that was destroyed by fire in 1930, the building was one of the first government skyscrapers in the country. Its clean, modernist lines and limestone facade stand in dramatic contrast to the surrounding plains.
Art Deco skyscraper design
Notable Features
- 19-story Art Deco tower, the tallest building in North Dakota
- Known as the 'Skyscraper on the Prairie'
- Observation deck on the 18th floor
- Limestone and Indiana Bedford stone exterior
- Memorial Hall honoring North Dakota veterans
- Surrounding Capitol Grounds with heritage center and governor's mansion
Media Gallery
Original footage coming soon! User-submitted photos welcome.
Fun Facts & Trivia
- ★The North Dakota State Capitol is nicknamed the 'Skyscraper on the Prairie' and is the tallest building in the state at 19 stories.
- ★The original capitol building burned down in 1930, and the current Art Deco tower was built as a replacement during the Great Depression.
- ★Bismarck was named after German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck in the 1870s, partly to attract German immigrant settlers and investment.
- ★North Dakota and South Dakota were admitted to the Union on the same day, November 2, 1889, and President Benjamin Harrison shuffled the signing papers so no one would know which was admitted first.
- ★The capitol grounds include the North Dakota Heritage Center, one of the best free museums in the country.
- ★North Dakota's capitol is one of only four state capitols that are skyscrapers rather than traditional domed buildings.