BISMARCK

bismarck, the capital of north dakota, u.s.a., and the county-seat of burleigh county, on the e. bank of the missouri river, in the s. central part of the state. pop. (1890) 2186, (1900) 3319, of whom 746 were foreign-born, (1905) 4913, (1910) 5443. it is on the main line of the northern pacific, and on the minneapolis, st paul & sault ste marie railways; and steamboats run from here to mannhaven, mercer county, and fort yates, morton county. the city is about 1650 ft. above sea-level. it contains the state capitol, the state penitentiary, a u.s. land office, a u.s. surveyor-general's office, a u.s. indian school and a u.s. weather station; about a mile s. of the city is fort lincoln, a united states army post. bismarck is the headquarters for navigation of the upper missouri river, is situated in a good agricultural region, and has a large wholesale trade, shipping grain, hides, furs, wool and coal. it was founded in 1873, and was chartered as a city in 1876; from 1883 to 1889 it was the capital of dakota territory, on the division of which it became the capital of north dakota.