North Dakota Maps

The midwestern state of North Dakota, the top producer of honey in the nation, was the 39th state to join the Union in 1889.

Our historic map archives include many vintage maps of North Dakota and the Dakota Territory (including an old Post Route map) before statehood. We also have maps for Sargent County and the cities of Mandan and Bismarck (the state’s capital).

If you’re looking for a specific North Dakota map and don't see it on this page, contact us, and we’ll check our archives. While we have an extensive collection of vintage maps, there remain many more we still need to restore, and chances are, we'll have what you're looking for.

North Dakota gets its name from the Lakota and Dakota Sioux Indian tribes who, among other tribes, inhabited the area before and after European settlers arrived in the early 18th century. Explorers and traders established the Dakota Territory at that time, despite resistance from the native population.

By the late 1800s, there were large farms across the state’s prairies, and grain became lucrative. In 1872, the city of Bismarck was founded. In 1883 it became the capital of the Dakota Territory, then in 1889, the capital of North Dakota when it became a state (along with its neighboring South Dakota).

Unfortunately, much of the city of Bismarck was destroyed in a fire in 1898 and had to be rebuilt. And in 1930, another fire destroyed the state capitol building amid the Great Depression. An art deco skyscraper nicknamed “The Prairie Palace” was built in its place. It still stands today.

When it comes to the state’s geography, North Dakota has three distinct regions—the Red River Valley (flat, fertile land), the Drift Prairie and Missouri Plateau (with lakes, valleys, and rolling hills), and the Great Plains, which covers about half of the state.

North Dakota is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south, and Montana to the west. An interesting footnote is that Rugby, North Dakota, unofficially holds the honor of being the geographic center of North America. Travelers to the area can stop by a marker for a photo opportunity.

You might be surprised to learn that North Dakota is actually considered the least-visited state even though tourism is its third-largest industry. The state lacks a major attraction, but anglers and hunters are drawn to the state, and Theodore Roosevelt National Park attracts a fair number of visitors annually.

Finally, we have some fun facts to share about North Dakota. For one, did you know that you can fit 46 Rhode Islands in the state? North Dakota also holds the Guinness World Record for the most snow angels made at the same time in one place. On Feb. 17, 2007, 8,962 people created snow angels on the state capitol grounds to break the previous record of 3,784.

And although the cult classic Fargo was filmed in part in North Dakota, no filming took place in the city the movie was named after. However, you can see the movie’s infamous wood chipper if you visit the city. It’s on display at the Fargo-Moorhead Visitors Center.