Personal Challenge 2018 - Week 39

This is the 39th week of my personal 50-week States of the Union Challenge. Each week I research one of the 50 United States (in the order they attained statehood). I share tidbits of information about the state here on my blog and I create a card that is inspired by something about that state.

This week's state (the 39th one to attain statehood) is...

North Dakota

Date of Statehood: November 2, 1889

North Dakota became the 39th state in 1889. It was admitted the same day as South Dakota. Because both states wanted to be the first state admitted, President Benjamin Harrison shuffled both statehood papers and signed them without knowing which one was first. However, because North Dakota is alphabetically before South Dakota, its proclamation was published first.

In 2012, North Dakota was the fastest-growing state in the United States. The growth was largely due to an oil boom in the Bakken fields in the western part of the state. The state became the 2nd-highest oil-producing state behind Texas. Despite its oil boom, agriculture or farming is still North Dakota’s top industry.

North Dakota is the least-visited state in America.

Rhode Island, the smallest state in the US, could fit inside North Dakota 46 times.

One of the quirkiest sports in North Dakota is lawn mower racing. By the time mowers are customized, they can reach speeds of 60 mph, compared to the 5 mph they might do in the backyard.

A North Dakotan highway sculpture named “Geese in Flight” holds the Guinness World Record as the largest metal sculpture in the world. Erected in 2001, it is 156 feet long, 100 feet tall, and weighs 75 tons. Retired schoolteacher Gary Greff, who wanted to break up the tedium on the highway, constructed it.

North Dakota produces more honey than any other state.

Less than 1% of North Dakota is forest, the smallest amount of any state.

There are approximately three times more cattle than people in North Dakota and Angus is the most popular variety of cow.

North Dakota produces enough soybeans to make 483 billion crayons each year.

North Dakota is the leading producer of sunflowers in the United States.

North Dakota has the highest percentage of church-going population in the country. It also has more churches per capita than any other state.

At 3.2%, North Dakota has the lowest unemployment rate in the United States.

The smallest city in North Dakota is Maza, with a population of 5 people. North Dakota does not have towns or villages. Each place is officially a city, no matter how small it is.

The world's largest buffalo monument is located at Frontier Village in Jamestown. It's 26ft tall, 46ft long, and weighs a whopping 60 tons!

The world’s largest hamburger was eaten in Rutland, North Dakota. It weighed 3,591 pounds and more than 8,000 people were invited to the meal.

North Dakota ranchers produce enough beef to make 113 million hamburgers each year. 

In 2008, Fargo, North Dakota, hosted the largest pancake feed in the world.

Milk is North Dakota's official state beverage.

North Dakota holds the Guinness World Record for the most snow angels made simultaneously in one place. On February 17, 2007, 8,962 people made snow angels at the state capitol grounds. They beat the earlier record of 3,784 set at Michigan Technological University the previous year.

In 1987, North Dakota passed a bill making English the official state language.

It’s illegal to go dancing in Fargo with a hat on. It is even illegal to wear a hat at a party where other people are dancing. It is also illegal in North Dakota to take a nap with your shoes on. 

In North Dakota, it's illegal to lie down and fall asleep with your shoes on.

Beer and pretzels can't be served together in any North Dakota bar or restaurant.

It's illegal to shoot an Indian on horseback in North Dakota, provided you're in a covered wagon.

In North Dakota, it's illegal to keep an elk in a sandbox in your backyard.

In Waverly North Dakota, horses are forbidden from sleeping in bathtubs.

Operators of underground coal mines in North Dakota must provide an "adequate supply" of toilet paper for each toilet.

I decided to go with this bit of North Dakota information for my card's inspiration... In 1887, North Dakotan David Henderson Houston invented a camera. He named it by scrambling the first four letters of Dakota and adding a “K” to make Kodak. 

Thank you for stopping by my blog today!


Supplies Used

Stamp: Technique Junkies Like a Camera stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink and colored (minimally to focus on the camera) with Copic Markers

Papers: Recollections Black and Red and Staples Ivory CS and DP from the Simple Stories Say Cheese II Paper Pad

Embellishments: Enamel Dots from unknown vendors