North Dakota
Stutsman County Courthouse revival planned thanks to historic $5.86 million donation
BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) – Nothing quite beats the views from the Stutsman County Courthouse clock tower.
It’s too rundown to climb right now, but thanks to a charitable gift from a local, that will soon change.
The entire courthouse will be renovated to preserve the structure for years to come.
The Stutsman County Courthouse was built in 1883 and is North Dakota’s oldest surviving courthouse.
It’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places, but thanks to a recent large and mysterious donation, the courthouse will survive well into the future.
In a town with just over 15,000 people, secrets are hard to come by. But walking the grounds of the Stutsman County Courthouse, you might never know the dedication and generosity it takes to keep it all going.
“We’re open three days a week all winter long. This is really where North Dakota became a state. We say it’s the birthplace of North Dakota,” said 1883 Stutsman County Courthouse site supervisor Kyle Nelson.
But even more enchanting than its seemingly everlasting charm is a $5.86 million donation that unexpectedly came through this past September, from a man no one would have expected.
“George Spangler was someone I didn’t know personally. Actually, I’ve never met him,” said Nelson.
“I knew him as an acquaintance,” said former Courthouse Site Supervisor Steven Reidburn.
“He was just a local business owner. He owned the antique shop,” said Nelson.
“I bought some things from George,” said Stutsman County resident Art Todd.
“He was always just kind of around, somebody around the fringes,” said Stutsman County resident Barb Lang.
“He took an interest in the building even though he was not known for getting active in the community,” said Nelson.
“He was quite a character, to say the least,” said Todd.
“None of us knew that he had any money at all, and the fact that he would ever give it to us— he could be a grumpy old codger,” said Lang.
“When he passed on, the State Historical Society got a call from his estate saying, ‘Hey, you know, he’s made a donation. It could be pretty sizeable,’” said Nelson.
That donation turned out to be the biggest the State Historical Society has ever received.
“The foundation has been in existence since 1965, and the George Spangle gift is the largest ever received by the foundation, which is considerable considering we went through a capital expansion project,” said North Dakota State Historical Society Foundation executive director Dale Lennon.
You might miss it, but tucked behind the opulence and ornate fixtures waiting around each corner, a slew of projects is waiting to be addressed.
Lennon said they plan to use the money to renovate the press box, clock tower, staircase, basement, install an HVAC system and other little projects to keep the site thriving.
“There was no funding. So, it is these little things that always chipped away to the point where there was a movement to tear the whole thing down because it seemed like such a huge project,” said Nelson.
So, the next time you stop by the old Clerk of Courts to make an old-fashioned phone call, think of George.
“I guess about all I can say is that George was George,” said Todd.
Thanks to George’s generosity, the courthouse will live on and so will his legacy.
Copyright 2024 KFYR. All rights reserved.
Prison Life in North Dakota
Every time we cross the Expressway overpass in Bismarck, you get a quick glimpse into prison life in North Dakota. Occasionally, you will see inmates in the yard doing various forms of outdoor recreation. The barbed wire that surrounds the North Dakota State Penitentiary is a sobering reminder that this is not where any sane person would ever want to spend any part of their life.
I met one of our listeners recently who works at the State Pen in Bismarck, and I got a chance to ask her some questions I’ve always wondered, mostly what life is like behind bars. “Is it like prison life in the movies?” She didn’t have a bright picture to paint, and that’s probably the way it should be, to help steer individuals away from a life of crime.
Oskari-Kauko Värä
I was surprised to find out that at least some of the inmates have tablets and are allowed to go online; their online experience is very controlled. I was also told prisoners are allowed to listen to the radio, something I already knew, as I have received calls from convicts making requests before. You kind of feel the pressure behind those requests, “play it or else”. Ha!
I plan to request a tour in the future using my media credentials and give you more insight into what it’s like behind bars at the North Dakota State Penitentiary.
Marina Nezhinkay
The 20 Worst Prisions in America
Did the North Dakota State Pen make the list? Nope. According to MoneyInc, these are the worst prisons that even the most hardened criminal would want to avoid.
20. Ely State Prison – Ely, Nevada
19. Folson State Prison – Folson, California
18. Penitentiary of New Mexico – Santa Fe, New Mexico
17. William C. Holman Correctional Facility – Atmore, Alabama
16. Sing Sing Correctional Facility – Ossining, New York
15. San Quentin State Prison – San Rafael, California
14. Louisiana State Pen – Angola, Louisiana
13. Rikers Island – New York, New York
12. Reeves County Detention Complex – Pecos, Texas
11. Julia Tutwiler Prison – Wetumpka, Alabama
10. Pelican Bay State Prison – Crescent City, California
9. United States Pen Marrion – Marion, Illinois
8. Idaho Correctional Center – Kuna, Idaho
7. United States Penitentiary Tucson – Tucson, Arizona
6. Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary – Leavenworth, Kansas
5. Orleans Parish Prison – New Orleans, Louisiana
4. Men’s Central Jail & Twin Towers Correctional Facility – Los Angeles, California
3. Tent City Jail – Phoenix, Arizona
2. Allan B. Polungky Unit – Livingtonston, Texas
1. US Penitentiary Administrative Maximum – Florence, Colorado
States with the most born-and-bred residents
Gallery Credit: Stacker
The 15 BEST Small-Town Cafes In North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota voters to decide single-subject requirement for future constitutional amendments on June 9
BRECKENRIDGE — Coaches, teammates, friends and family gathered in the south parking lot of Breckenridge High School for another state tournament sendoff.
Corbin Abner Lee / Wahpeton Daily News
This year, it was Troy Berndt taking the ceremonial convertible ride. He is headed to St. Michael-Albertville High School for the Minnesota Class A State Track and Field Meet on June 4-6.
Corbin Abner Lee / Wahpeton Daily News
He will be running in the third heat of the 400-meter prelims, scheduled for 4:52 p.m. June 4. There are seven athletes in each heat, 21 total, and nine will advance to the finals at 6:20 p.m. June 5.
The top two finishers in each heat advance, along with the next three best times. Berndt’s personal best time of 50.67 has him seeded 13th, but the 10th-, 11th- and 12th-seeded runners are less than five hundredths of a second ahead of him. The eighth- and ninth-seeded runners are also close, at 50.33 and 50.39, respectively.
Berndt dropped nearly seven-tenths of a second from his previous personal best at the Section 6A West Subsection Meet on May 21, running 51.35, and shaved another 0.68 seconds off at the Section 6A Championships on May 28 with a time of 50.67. If he keeps lowering his time, he will have a shot at reaching the podium against the best runners in Class A.
Corbin Abner Lee / Wahpeton Daily News
Results and photos will be available online immediately following the race June 4 and in the June 10 print edition of the Wahpeton Daily News.
Corbin Lee is a sports reporter for the Wahpeton Daily News and Richland County News-Monitor. Corbin can be reached by calling (701) 291-3551 or emailing corbin.lee@wahpetondailynews.com.
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