North Dakota, set on the American Plains and against the US border with Canada, conjures multiple images at once. It has welcomed strivers and romantics — not least. A young Theodore Roosevelt, whose North Dakota sojourn formed the foundation of his legend and legacy.
Admitted to the Union in 1889, following the US Civil War, the state’s original motto—”Liberty and Union, Now and Forever, One and Inseparable”—recalls a time of national division. That conflict gave way to a long-standing chapter of peace in the country, and today, North Dakota enjoys a reputation as a quiet, safe place to live and visit. As these timeless towns show, North Dakota, also known as the Peace Garden State, has certainly earned its name.
Bottineau
The north-central town of Bottineau, population 2,200, sits just below the Canadian border. Its French name reflects the one-time presence of French fur trappers and other traders, like its namesake, Pierre Bottineau. The town sits near the site of the International Peace Garden, a jointly-managed green space between Canada and the United States, offering attractions such as the Peace Chapel, the 9/11 Memorial, and the Conservatory featuring over 5,000 unique species of cacti and succulents.
Bottineau’s other standout draws include an unusual figure in its Plains landscape: Tommy Turtle, actually a 30-foot statue of a turtle riding a snowmobile, and meant to symbolize the nearby Turtle Mountains. Home to Dakota College home to some 1,100 students, Bottineau features an outsized menu of local dining options, from fine dining at Marie’s to the college-crowd favorite Denny’s Pizza. The award-winning Pride Dairy sells ice cream for sweets fans of all ages.
Mandan
Mandan, a much larger town of 24,600, sits across the Missouri River from Bismarck, North Dakota’s state capital, in the center of the state. Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park beckons the history buff with displays at its Visitor Center Museum that tells of North Dakota life from earlier times. Established in 1907, the park is North Dakota’s first and has provided recreation and education for more than a century so far…