Experience Pioneer Life During The Sodbuster Days Event In North Dakota
Have you ever wondered about pioneer life in North Dakota? Before there were the cities, towns, and infrastructure of today in North Dakota, there were eager pioneers settling across the land. They had big dreams of making a life for themselves and their families, and with the vast prairies full of possibilities before them, they began making those dreams a reality. It wasn’t easy – the grasslands were lacking in trees so houses made of wood weren’t very viable. Instead, they used sod blocks made of earth.
Though we are generations away from the “sodbuster days” now, we can still go back in time to the days of the settlers and experience pioneer life through a fun annual event. This state park hosts Sodbuster Days every year, and you won’t want to miss it.
We’re aware that these uncertain times are limiting many aspects of life as we all practice social and physical distancing. While we’re continuing to feature destinations that make our state wonderful, we don’t expect or encourage you to go check them out immediately. We believe that supporting local attractions is important now more than ever and we hope our articles inspire your future adventures! And on that note, please nominate your favorite local business that could use some love right now: https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/nominate/
Travel back in time and see what the lives of North Dakota's pioneers and settlers were like at the annual Sodbuster Days event.
Every year at North Dakota's beautiful Fort Ransom State Park, located south of Valley City, there is a weekend full of demonstrations and experiences of yesteryear.
In 2020, the Sodbuster Days will take place on July 11th and July 12th. Throughout that time you can see up-close and personal what life was like in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
There is a historic farm at Fort Ransom State Park that serves as the backdrop for this event. Watch as horses and farmhands haul hay, load it into the barn, plow fields, and more.
This is a fun and fantastic way to learn about how North Dakota got to where it is today and it's only $10 for the whole weekend, and free for kids 12 and under.
The event also includes old-time music, tasty food (including amazing traditionally-made pies), and so many ways to enjoy a few beautiful summer days out.
The Sodbuster Days will take place July 11-12, 2020, at Fort Ransom State Park. The event begins on Saturday at 10:00 AM and concludes at 5:00 PM, then again on Sunday from 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Learn more about this event and the park by clicking here.
Though we’ll never be able to truly go back in time and see the lives of the pioneers with our own eyes, we can see them through the lens of a camera. Check out these historic photos of North Dakota from the turn of the century.
Leah moved to North Dakota when she was 12 years old and has traveled from the Red River Valley to the badlands and many places in between. She loves small-town life and currently enjoys living on a small farm in the ND prairie. She's always had a passion for writing and has participated in novel writing challenges such as NaNoWriMo multiple times. Her favorite part about this job is recognizing small businesses that deserve a boost and seeing the positive affect her articles can have on their traffic, especially in rural areas that might have otherwise gone overlooked.
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