State Historical Society of North Dakota

The State Historical Society of North Dakota is an agency that preserves and presents history through museums and historic sites in the state of North Dakota. The agency operates the North Dakota Heritage Center in Bismarck, which serves as a history museum for the state, oversees the preservation of the state's historic places, and presents the history of the state to the public in exhibits and branch museums. The Society also operates the Former North Dakota Executive Mansion in Bismarck.

Headquartered in Bismarck, the State Historical Society consists of one governing board of appointees and four divisions, each with a different function.

The State Historical Board consists of twelve members. Seven members are appointed by the governor to staggered three-year terms. The current board president is Chester Nelson, the vice president is Gereld Gerntholz, and the secretary is Richard Kloubec. Nelson's term was scheduled to expire on July 1, 2010, pending reappointment by the governor.

The Historic Preservation Division prepares a statewide historic preservation plan and inventories, evaluates, and nominates sites to be listed on the State and National Register of Historic Places. The division assists in the preservation of North Dakota historic properties at all levels, and also reviews and comments on federally assisted projects to ensure that historic values are considered in project planning and execution.

The State Archives is responsible for the documentary collections of the State Historical Society of North Dakota. It is the official state archives, and acquires and preserves all types of research materials relating to North Dakota and the Northern Great Plains, including manuscript collections, books, periodicals, maps, newspapers, audio and video materials, and photographs.

The Museum and Education Division presents the history of North Dakota through exhibits in the North Dakota Heritage Center as well as in branch museums (such as the Pembina State Museum) and traveling exhibits. The Division staff provide technical assistance on exhibit design and collection care to the public and other museums in the state. The division is responsible for preserving and exhibiting the artifacts in the collection, including approximately 650,000 pieces in the archaeological collection and 43,000 artifacts in the history, ethnology, and natural history collections.

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