Dakota: The Story of the Northern Plains

I recommend this book to anyone looking for a good background on the history of two almost forgotten states. I've seen plenty of histories on the West, but little dealing specifically with the two Dakotas. Though they appear similar in size and shape, and exist adjacent to each other, they are distinct entities. Many of us lump these two states into some sort of "leftover land" category. About the only difference most of us grasp is that South Dakota has The Black Hills and Mount Rushmore. North Dakota is left with something called the "Peace Garden" along the Canadian border. Until now, locating historical treatises of what used to be the territory of Dakota and eventually became our 39th and 40th states, has been mostly unrewarded. This book helps fill the void. My dad grew up in North Dakota, but fled the state following the end of World War Two. I suppose my curiosity stems from that exposure. Risjord's coverage of the Indian tribes was extremely thorough and very important to the history of both states. This thorough coverage confused me here and there, but that was my weakness, not the author's. Yes, Mount Rushmore is discussed, as is the infamous "aces and eights" episode. And though George Armstrong Custer met his end in what would eventually become Montana, his exploits in South Dakota are well documented. As for North Dakota, Teddy Roosevelt's influence is mentioned, as is the story of the Non Partisan League. In fact, the seemingly convoluted and confusing nature of North Dakota's political history is well documented. There is even an explanation of why we ended up with one territory split into two states. I enjoyed the read.

If you grew up on the northern plains, this is a must read. The written history of this part of the country does not go back that far, yet few know the history. I worked as an Archaeologist in North Dakota in the early 80s, doing a lot of salvage work before sites were lost. How the interaction with the first white settlers has influenced this area is very interesting.

I found this to be very interesting and learned some things I didn't know. There is one error that I found that needs to be corrected if this is reprinted. On page 201 the author says that the ND mill and elevator is in Fargo, this is incorrect as it is actually located in Grand Forks or East Grand Forks

I like reading about the City of Presidents in Rapid City, South Dakota. So I was inspired to buy the book. It's just right for me. Short Paperback.

I was taking a driving trip through this area and I found this an enjoyable way to learn about what I was seeing.

Interesting book

great book