Discovery Series – North Dakota

I recently reviewed the ornament from The Peace Garden State, where wide skies meet endless possibilities. Discovery Series North Dakota is its big brother.

North Dakota’s story reaches deep into the past, shaped first by the Indigenous nations who lived on these plains for thousands of years, including the Mandan, Hidatsa, Arikara, Lakota, and Dakota peoples. Their agricultural villages, trade networks, and earth-lodge settlements formed the earliest foundations of the region. Europeans arrived in the 18th century, drawn by fur-trade routes stretching along the Missouri River, and the land eventually became part of the United States through the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. North Dakota grew rapidly with the arrival of the railroad, and on November 2, 1889, it entered the Union as one of the two “Dakota” states, beginning its history as an agricultural and frontier powerhouse on the northern plains.

– The mug shows wind turbines and golden fields of wheat and other grains. Agriculture has always been central to North Dakota, and the state is one of the country’s top producers of wheat, barley, and sunflowers.

– A horse runs across the scene, representing the ranching culture that remains part of daily life in rural areas. Horses have long been used for cattle work, transportation, and rodeo traditions.

– The bison appears prominently, and this one is a state symbol — the American bison is North Dakota’s state mammal. Once nearly wiped out, the species has since recovered and is now protected in parks and reserves across the state.

– A beaver sits near a waterway, highlighting the wetlands and rivers that host the state’s diverse wildlife. Beavers were also historically important in early trade on the plains.

– The tall red landmark on the mug represents the North Dakota State Capitol in Bismarck. Completed in 1934, it is the state’s most recognizable building and the tallest habitable structure in North Dakota.

– Sunflowers grow across the design. While not a state symbol, they reflect North Dakota’s leading role as the nation’s top sunflower-producing state.

– The beekeeper, honey jars, and bee reference another major piece of North Dakota’s identity. Honey production is a point of pride here — the state often ranks number one in the entire U.S. The honeybee is also the state insect, making this imagery especially fitting.

– Finally, the weasel resting on a bale of hay adds a touch of prairie wildlife. It’s not a state symbol, but it fits naturally into the landscape and reflects the smaller mammals commonly found across North Dakota.