6 Undeniable Differences Between The Eastern And Western Parts Of North Dakota
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Leah
Author
Depending on which side of the Missouri River you’re on in North Dakota, you might notice some differences. The regions of the state are usually referred to as either the eastern or western halves and each have their specific and unique characteristics. From the landscape to the way people talk, here are 6 undeniable differences between the two halves of the Peace Garden State:
Eastern North Dakota is known primarily for its river valleys that create vast, flat plains. On the other hand, western North Dakota has the badlands and more rugged, hilly areas.
Western North Dakota has a majority of the state's cattle and other livestock ranches. With the hillier terrain, fields of corn or soybeans aren't quite as possible as they are in the flat areas of the east. The river valleys also create a nutrient-rich soil in the east that make it ideal for agriculture.
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The east half is in Central Time, while a good chunk of the western half is in Mountain Time.
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Eastern North Dakota has the state's largest natural lake, Devils Lake, while the other half has the largest man-made lake, Lake Sakakawea.
It's no secret that the biggest cities in North Dakota are mostly in the east half, especially considering that out of its top five, three are in the Red River Valley. However, western North Dakota has had the rise and fall of many boomtowns - most recently seen in Williston - that grow in population quite a bit.
While there's nowhere in North Dakota that has accents quite as extreme as those in the movie Fargo, around Fargo and in eastern ND is more heavily influenced by that kind of accent compared to the western side.
What other differences can you think of in the east and west regions of North Dakota? Regardless of where you live in the state, you probably have some of these unshakable habits that just come from living here.
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