North Dakota’s commemorative quarter depicts the American bison, perhaps the quintessential prairie symbol.
South Dakota’s commemorative quarter interestingly focuses on human alterations to the area — the carved presidential busts on Mt. Rushmore, wheat introduced by immigrant farmers, and the Chinese pheasant, an exotic species introduced for hunting.
Residents of North Dakota and South Dakota should fly their U.S. flags today in honor of your states’ being admitted to the union, on November 2, 1889.
Most sites note simply that both states were admitted on the same day; some sites, especially those that lean toward North Dakota, claim that state is Number 39, because President Harrison signed their papers first, after shuffling to avoid playing favorites.
Does anyone really care?
How much do you really know about the Dakotas?
More:
- Nick Estes in Indian Country Today notes the Standing Rock Sioux defense of the Missouri River against an oil pipeline continues a controversy at least as old as Dakota statehoods
- Minot Daily News story about important journalists in North Dakota history
- Minot Daily News story about colorful characters in the history of the Dakotas
- Mike Jacobs, retired publisher of the Grand Forks Herald, argues today’s issues in the Dakotas, especially oil pipeline and Indian lands show a need to resolve old issues, carefully
- Gov. of South Dakota pleads for treating people with respect, despite differences of opinion, gender, ethnicity, in Grand Rapids Argus-Leader
- Yankton Press & Dakotan carried the AP story on the statehood anniversary — Yankton is in South Dakota
- Huge festivities in South Dakota for the 125th anniversary, last year, won’t be repeated
- The Daily Journal in North Dakota claims that North Dakota is the 39th state, and South Dakota the 40th; President Benjamin Harrison is said to have shuffled the papers before he signed them, so as not to play favorites
Posted by Ed Darrell 
Millard Fillmore's Bathtub 