Happy Birthday to the Dakotas!

Today is the anniversary of the day North Dakota AND South Dakota were admitted to our United States of America. Then-President Benjamin Harrison did not note which law he signed first, so there is no way of knowing which state actually joined the Union first. However, they are usually listed alphabetically, so...."North" has come before "South" ever since. I don't know if that's fair, so today I'm mixing them up! 

Date of Admittance: November 2, 1889

Parentage: The word "dakota" comes from the Sioux word for "friend" or "ally." Which is ironic, given what the US government did to the Sioux and Lakota people of this region. The Dakota Territory was part of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803 until white settlers petitioned and received statehood. To make state management easier, the territory was divided into North and South. 

Place in the Family 
Numbers 39 and 40 
The Dakotas were admitted between
Colorado (#38 in 1876)
and Montana (#41 on 11-8-89)

Motto 
South:
"Under God the People Rule"
North:
 "Liberty & Union, Now and Forever,
One and Inseparable"
Meh, they're both kind of hokey if you ask me 


Nick-Name

North:
 The Peace Garden State
What the heck does that even mean?
South:
 The Mount Rushmore State
(Before 1980 it was The Sunshine State.) 
Yeah, that's better. 

On the License Plate

South: 
Mount Rushmore, of course
North: 
 "The Peace Garden State"
and a buffalo and a desert

State Flags
North: 

A blue banner with the US eagle, the original 13 stars, 
sunshine, and the name of the state.! 
One of the busiest state flags I've ever seen. 

No eraser  on that design pencil?

South:
A light blue banner with the state seal in the center,
surrounded by sunshine and the motto.

I give it props for the different color of blue, but 
really, words on flags? Whaddyathinking?! 

First City You Probably Think of

When You Think "North Dakota"

Fargo
Actual State Capital: Bismarck

First City You Probably Think of

When You Think "South Dakota"

Sioux Falls?
Actual State Capital: Pierre

SD State Size (Area) is 17th of 50.
SD Population is closer to 46th of 50.
(per 2000 Census figures)

ND State Size (Area) is 19th of 50.
ND Population is closer to 48th of 50.
(per 2000 Census figures)

Dakota Sports:

None!

Anybody From the Dakotas
Ever Grow Up To Be President? 
Nope.
However, I'm sure we would have been better off

if Senator George McGovern of SD HAD won in 1972....
 

Good vs Evil 
(movie edition)
FARGO

NORTH BY NORTHWEST

Famous People from the Dakotas 
Crazy Horse

Native American activist

Sitting Bull

Native American activist
 

Lawrence Welk

band-leader
 

Peggy Lee

singer
 

Louis L'Amour
author
 

Lynn Anderson 
singer
 

Angie Dickerson
actress
 

Bob Barker
game-show host, activist
 


Gary Owens
announcer, comedian, voice actor
 

Bobby Vee
singer



Cheryl Ladd 
actress,  "Charlie's Angels"

Warren Christopher

US Secretary of State

Tom Brokaw

newscaster

Mary Hart

TV show host
 

Josh Duhamel

actor, "Las Vegas," "TRANSFORMERS"
 

Alan Ritchson
actor, Aquaman on "Smallville" 
 
 

A Song For You.... 
"He's A Tramp" 
Written by  Sonny Burke & Peggy Lee
Sung by Peggy Lee & company