Statehood The 39th state Nov. 2, 1889 Captial Bismarck State Motto Liberty and union now and forever, one and inseparable Origin of State Name The name Dakota is derived from a Sioux term meaning friends or allies. State Nickname The Peace Garden State The nickname is a reference to the International Peace Garden on the border between North Dakota and Manitoba. Interesting Facts Colonel Clement H. Lounsberry, a Bismarck journalist, won fame for his reporting of the route of General George A. Custer at the Battle of the Little Bighorn in 1876. International Peace Garden, which lies partly in North Dakota and partly in Manitoba, Canada, honors the long friendship between the two nations. The restored boyhood home of band leader Lawrence Welk stands in Strasburg.