120 years ago today, North Dakota became a state.

On November 2nd, 1889, President Benjamin Harrison signed North Dakota's statehood papers.

But the way our state officially entered the union as the 39th state is an interesting story.

State historians say there was a rivalry in Dakota Territory over who would enter into the union first - North or South Dakota.

To avoid any controversy, President Harrison covered up the documents from North Dakota and South Dakota and signed them without looking.

(Rick Collin/State Historical Society) "That was the way he avoided showing any favoritism about bringing one state in before the other and so noone really knows which one entered union first, alphabetically N is before S so North Dakota is before South Dakota."


So North Dakota was the 39th state and South Dakota the 40th.

Montana and Washington were also admitted to the union in November of 1889.

Montana became the 41st state on November 8th and Washington was the 42nd state as of November 11th, 1889. watch the video | save this article / add to your favorites list