If you think that the concept of the cowboy was invented by John Wayne-types, Bismarck's North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame will challenge everything you think you know about cattle rustlers from the past. This attraction is an interpretive center for the history of Native Americans, and you will see the dramatic link between their culture to various “western” traditions like the rodeo, ranching, and the rustic “cowboy” lifestyle that owes much to the tribes that first inhabited the land.
Each fall, the Downtowners produce an arts, craft, and food show called Street Fair. This event was created by the Downtowners in 1973 as “Customer Appreciation Days” then grew into a full blown Street Fair and is now in its 51st year. Arts, craft, and food vendors will once again line the streets of Downtown Bismarck during September.
Learn about how the development of the American railroad system affected the history and progress of Bismarck and its surrounding areas when you experience the North Dakota State Railroad Museum. See various exhibits and attractions that tell the dramatic story of how this then-new method of transportation transformed the way people lived, communicated and did business. The story is vividly accentuated by an impressive collection of artifacts, machinery, pictures, and documents.