North Dakota
7 Close-Knit Towns to Visit in North Dakota
Plan your next trip to one of America’s friendliest states, North Dakota. The Sioux word “Dakota” means “friend” or “ally,” a feeling reflected in the International Peace Garden near the US-Canada border. North Dakota’s close-knit towns embody friendliness and hospitality, offering memorable experiences for visitors. These small towns, once called “romantic” by President Theodore Roosevelt, showcase community spirit alongside roaming bison and breathtaking landscapes. Make lasting memories in North Dakota, the nation’s leading honey producer and a land of welcoming communities.
Walhalla
Walhalla, set along the Pembina River, offers natural beauty and rich history. While it may not match the Norsemen’s paradise, Walhalla is a scenic retreat with landmarks like Pembina Gorge, Tetrault Woods State Forest, and the Tetrault State Forest Lookout Point. History enthusiasts can visit the Gingras Trading Post State Historic Site, an 1840s trading post once owned by Métis legislator Antoine Blanc Gingras. Additionally, the Kittson Trading Post functioned as a trading center for Norman Kittson, an agent of the American Fur Company established in the year 1843. Should you wish to see more of Walhalla’s historic and natural bounties, you can always book a room at either the Moose Creek Lodge or the Forestwood Inn.
Jamestown
Jamestown, “The Pride of the Prairie,” is home to Dakota Thunder, a 26-foot-tall buffalo statue. As the world’s largest buffalo statue, Dakota Thunder symbolizes the bison that graze the nearby prairies along the James and Pipestem Rivers. Learn about American bison conservation at the National Buffalo Museum. The best time to visit Jamestown is probably in June, when the Kite Fest fills Jamestown’s skies with paper colors. Additionally, you might want to stay for July when the James River Rodeo is in full swing. Only about midway between the big cities of Bismarck and Fargo can travelers seek accommodations in places like Gladstone Hotel for a happier vacation in Jamestown.
Bottineau
At the foothills of the Turtle Mountains near the Canadian border lies the vibrant town of Bottineau. Nicknamed “The Four Seasons’ Playground,” Bottineau offers year-round attractions and activities. Highlights include Mystical Horizons, known as the “Stonehenge of the Prairie,” with its unique stone formations. Recreational spots like Lake Metigoshe, Lords Lake National Wildlife Refuge, and Pelican Lake attract nature lovers. If you want, you can purchase delicious dairy from the last small-town creamery in North Dakota, the Pride Dairy. Don’t miss snapping a photo with Tommy the Turtle, a giant turtle statue on a snowmobile. Once you feel settled and satisfied in Bottineau, you can settle down in fine lodgings like the Turtle Mountain Inn or Cobblestone Inn & Suites.
Devil’s Lake
Just an hour and a half from Walhalla, Devil’s Lake offers an abundance of outdoor attractions. Despite its ominous name, Devil’s Lake is a top spot for boating, kayaking, and fishing. It is also a grand destination to go trekking, especially through the Grahams Island State Park’s many trails and through the White Horse Hill National Game Preserve, which is teeming with deer, elk, and bison. If you are interested in history, you can head over to Fort Totten to see a number of historic buildings from Lake Region’s past. Elsewhere, the Lake Region Pioneer Daughter’s Museum offers a discernable narrative regarding Devil’s Lake’s military and pioneering history. Those of you interested in seeing more of what Devil’s Lake has to offer should first consider booking a room in establishments like the Devil’s Lake Sportsmans Lodge, Devil’s Lake Inn, or Fort Totten Trail Inn.
Valley City
Around 60 miles away from the city of Fargo, Valley City glimmers in the Sheyenne River Valley. Whether you are reviewing Valley City’s contributions to agriculture at the Barnes County Museum or taking photographs of the town’s mascot, Gundy the Triceratops, you will undoubtedly find more surprises and amenities awaiting in this beautiful town in the Sheyenne River Valley. Destinations such as Camp Sheardown State Historic Site and Fort Ransom State Park give you more insights into Valley City’s complex past, whereas places such as the Sheyenne River Valley National Scenic Byway, Lake Ashtabula, and the Sheyenne River are panoramic landscapes for you to take in the endless sublimity of North Dakota’s geographic features. Those of you who might become exhausted from all the traveling can seek accommodations at either the AmericInn, Grand Stay, or Three Oaks Guest Inn.
Minot
The magnificent though minuscule town of Minot, about an hour away from Devil’s Lake, is a miniaturized version of nearly all the Scandinavian countries in Europe. Travelers can take photographs of a windmill that is similar to those in Denmark; a stabbur (storehouse) akin to the other stabburs in Norway; a Dala horse inspired by the Dala horses in Sweden; and a sauna based on those in Finland. Most of these Nordic attractions can be found in the Scandinavian Heritage Park, but beyond that is the Dakota Territory Air Museum that shelters World War II aircraft the US Air Force utilized to win the war. There are plenty of more attractions to see in Minot, so consider booking a room in one of Minot’s resplendent lodgings like the Sierra Inn, the Hotel Revel, or Hyatt House.
Medora
Medora, on the Little Missouri River, was where President Theodore Roosevelt said ‘the romance of my life began.’ He called the town “the romance of his life” while tending cattle at the Maltese Cross Cabin, now open to visitors. In honor of Roosevelt, you can go exploring at the Theodore Roosevelt National Park, which is home to wild elk, prairie dogs, and bison, all prospering in the badlands. On the other hand, you might feel obliged to challenge your way of perception by exploring Perception, an optical illusion exhibit. At the Von Hoffman House, you can learn more about how Medora came into being. And at welcoming abodes like the Rough Riders Hotel, Hyde House, or Wooly Boys Inn, you can feel safe and satisfied in Roosevelt’s romance of his life, Medora.
Discover the Heart of North Dakota’s Small Towns
North Dakota is the nation’s top honey producer, adding sweetness to its small-town charm. From the unique attractions in Bottineau to the scenic beauty of Valley City, North Dakota’s small towns offer unforgettable experiences. You can take selfies and groupies of statuesque mascots in towns like Jamestown and Bottineau, or you can admire the agricultural landscapes and untamed prairies surrounding small towns like Medora and Minot. In every corner of North Dakota, visitors are met with warmth and hospitality.
GRAND FORKS — A North Dakota composer’s dream is turning into a statewide invitation.
Williston-based musician Emily Black-Driscoll was chosen as the North Dakota Music Teachers Association’s commissioned composer for 2026. She’s preparing an original composition that will premiere in August.
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North Dakota
Challengers declare victory after ND Supreme Court rules against Legislature’s attempt to alter term limits
BISMARCK — A constitutional ballot measure to amend the state’s term limits law as proposed by the Legislature will not appear on November’s ballot, the North Dakota Supreme Court ruled Thursday, siding with petitioners who argued the Legislature exceeded its authority and violated the state constitution in proposing the changes.
“The people’s voice was heard,” Grand Forks County Commissioner Terry Bjerke said in reaction to the news.
Bjerke was a member of the sponsoring committee behind the successful 2022 effort to pass a term limits initiative, which amended the state constitution by capping legislative term limits to eight years in the House and eight years in the Senate. The amendment, which became article XV of the state constitution, also included a clause barring the Legislature from making constitutional changes to term limits.
During the 2025 session, however, lawmakers narrowly approved Senate Concurrent Resolution 4008, in which the legislature proposed Constitutional Measure 1, a ballot measure to amend the term limits language to allow legislators to decide in which chamber they want to serve their 16 years, and to repeal the clause limiting the legislative assembly’s authority to propose an amendment to alter or repeal term limits.
Bjerke and former Minot legislator Oley Larsen brought the lawsuit challenging the validity of the Legislature’s action in January, and the state Supreme Court
heard oral arguments in the case
this spring.
“Those term limits may only be altered by a measure proposed by the people rather than the Legislative Assembly. And yet a few years later, the Legislative Assembly is doing what they are prohibited from doing,” attorney Zachary Wallen argued on Bjerke and Larsen’s behalf.
Tanner Ecker / The Bismarck Tribune
The Legislature’s attorneys argued the clause prohibiting legislative proposals to alter the constitutional term limits language “infringes on our republican form of government” by “limiting the people’s ability to vote on amendments proposed by their elected officials.”
Justice Jon Jensen seemed skeptical of that argument during the April 2 hearing, questioning whether a second vote was appropriate.
“The public did speak on this. The public spoke on it when it passed the original constitutional amendment and they said, ‘Legislature, you don’t even get to propose a change.’ They have already spoken on it,” Jensen said. “You want a second shot, or a second bite at the apple, not a first one, a second.”
In Thursday’s ruling, all five justices sided with Bjerke and Larsen.
“We … conclude the Legislative Assembly’s adoption of S.C.R. 4008 violated N.D. Const. art. XV … and declare S.C.R. 4008 and Constitutional Measure 1 void … We enjoin the Secretary of State from placing Constitutional Measure 1 on the November 2026 general election ballot,” the ruling said.
Bjerke thanked the legal team that worked on behalf of their lawsuit, and said he was grateful the court reached the conclusion it did.
“I’m thrilled that what the people voted on and approved has been validated,” Bjerke said.
He added that the Legislature had “multiple opportunities” to address term limits prior to 2022’s initiated measure and chose not to, and gave a nod to the country’s coming milestone and the process by which voters expressed their support for term limits.
“We’ve lasted 250 years,” Bjerke said. “I have two words for those elected leaders who think they aren’t: everyone’s replaceable.”
North Dakota
Fargo woman convicted in North Dakota fraud case now faces charges in Minnesota: A deeper dive
FARGO, N.D. (Valley News Live) – A North Dakota woman who was sentenced to 180 days in jail in Cass County for defrauding healthcare providers and Medicaid programs is now facing additional fraud charges in Minnesota.
Christine Marie Pryor, 55, pleaded guilty in November 2024 to theft by deception involving more than $50,000. She was sentenced to first serve 180 days with a 3-year sentence suspended. She received credit for 44 days already served.
Pryor was ordered to pay $82,584.78 in restitution to Southeast Human Services in Fargo, where she worked between 2018 and 2019.
How the scheme unfolded
According to court documents, Pryor worked at multiple healthcare facilities in North Dakota and Minnesota between 2018 and 2023, using the identities and credentials of three licensed professionals without their knowledge. She submitted fraudulent Capella University diplomas and transcripts to gain employment.
Investigators say Pryor admitted she searched state licensing websites for therapists who shared her first name, then used those therapists’ last names and license numbers when applying for jobs.
At Southeast Human Services, where she worked as a Licensed Addiction Counselor, Pryor earned $55,584.82 while providing therapy services to approximately 150 patients. She also opened her own counseling center, NIAM Brain Injury Center, in Fargo between 2020 and 2021, and worked at The Lotus Center in Moorhead, Minnesota, from 2021 to 2023.
Court documents say the three licensed professionals whose identities were used told investigators they had no knowledge of Pryor’s actions and did not give her permission to use their information.
Two additional charges against Pryor in North Dakota, unauthorized use of personal identifying information, were dismissed on motion of the state.
Additional charges in Minnesota
Pryor is also facing charges in Minnesota. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced on Tuesday charges against Pryor in Clay County District Court for six theft offenses and six identity theft offenses related to defrauding Minnesota’s Medicaid program of more than $150,000.
According to the Minnesota complaint, Pryor claimed to provide psychotherapy and alcohol and drug counseling services to Medicaid recipients despite having no license or credentials to do so. Prosecutors allege she used the credentials and identities of three licensed professionals while claiming to provide Medicaid-funded services to 169 clients.
The Minnesota charges were filed as part of National Health Care Fraud Takedown Day, a joint effort involving the Department of Justice and more than 40 state Medicaid Fraud Control Units.
Copyright 2026 KVLY. All rights reserved.
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