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Tourist Attractions in North Dakota
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Dakota Zoo
The Dakota Zoo is North Dakota's largest zoo, with 500 reptiles,
birds and mammals representing 125 species. There are prairie
dogs, mountain lions, bison and other animals native to the
region. But that's not all you'll see at this zoo. There are
exotic animals from throughout the world, such as aoudads and
yaks. And you can see it all from a train, should you choose to
purchase a ticket to the zoo's train tour. There's also a
concession stand, complete with popcorn, cotton candy, hot dogs
and soft drinks. And the Zoovenir Gift Shop carries an unusual
selection of gifts and souvenirs, and Dakota Zoo members receive
a 10% discount on all purchases. The Dakota Zoo is located at
Sertoma Park, Riverside Park Road. The zoo is open April 25
through Sept. 30 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. It's open during the
weekends in October from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., weather permitting.
For information call: (701)223-7543
The International Peace Garden
It straddles the longest unfortified border in the world on the
world's longest north/south road, and is centrally placed
halfway between the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. A botanical
memorial to peace, this stunning garden is located on a
carefully chosen, one-of-a-kind point on the globe. Amid the
birch and aspen forests of the Turtle Mountains, the 2300-acre
International Peace Garden blooms on either side of the
U.S./Canadian border, commemorating more than 150 years of peace
between the two nations. The cairn on the exact line of the
border is inscribed, "We two nations dedicate this garden, and
pledge that as long as man shall live we will not take up arms
against one another." Formal gardens bursting with the
variegated colors of 140,000 annuals line the international
boundary. The intricate floral designs, reflecting pools and
native rock pathways invite the visitor to explore and
contemplate. The Garden is the home of the International Music
Camp, where hundreds of high school students gather each year
for intensive training in music and the arts. On summer
weekends, concerts by the students and visiting professionals
fill the Garden with the sound of music. Scenic drives on both
sides of the international line loop around lakes, playgrounds,
and picnic areas. Deer and waterfowl are plentiful here, and you
may even glimpse an occasional elk or moose along the way.
Visitors are invited to stay at the Peace Garden's fine, wooded
campground, or explore the scenic pleasures of the Turtle
Mountains. Nearby Lake Metigoshe has an excellent shoreline
hotel and a lovely state park. Lodging is also available in
Dunseith, Bottineau, Rolla, and Rugby. For information call:
(701)263-4390
Rugby: The Middle of Middle America
Rugby, North Dakota, is the Geographical Center of North
America, with the exact spot marked by a cairn at the junction
of U.S. Highway 2 and North Dakota Highway 3. Here's solid
evidence that you're indeed in America's Heartland. The
Geographical Center Museum features a life-size cut-out of the
"world's tallest man," a local salesman who enjoyed a degree of
celebrity in his time. The Pierce County Courthouse and the
Great Northern Railway Depot are in the National Register. The
Victorian Dress Museum is also open to the public. For
information call: (701)776-5846
Lawrence Welk Homestead
Lawrence Welk, who would grow up to be one of America's favorite
bandleaders, was born on March 11, 1903, in the wood-sided sod
house that still stands on the family farmsite near Strasburg,
North Dakota. The son of Russian immigrants, Lawrence left home
on his birthday in 1924 to pursue his musical career. Thirty-one
years later, on July 2, 1955, he made his debut on national
television, with a program that would be produced for the next
twenty-six years. Today, reruns of the still-popular Lawrence
Welk Show are broadcast weekly throughout the United States and
in foreign countries. Restoration of the six-acre site began in
1990, and is being paid for by private donations; no federal
grant funds have been used. Many of the original furnishings
have been placed in the sod house along with other antiques from
the 1920s. Restored outbuildings, including the summer kitchen,
carriage house and blacksmith shop, are much as they were when
Lawrence Welk was growing up on the farm. For information call:
(701)336-7519
Dickinson Dinosaur Museum
It includes a full-scale Triceratops, ten other full-scale
dinosaurs, and a complete fossil rhino. Located on I-94 in
Dickinson and attached to the Joachim Regional Museum complex,
the Dinosaur Museum is a popular attraction. For information
call: (701)777-2811
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