They say love makes the world go round, and we believe it here at the Chateau de Morès State Historic Site. This summer we are feeling the love from our partners at North Dakota Tourism as they help us navigate the waters of our brand-new visitor center! That’s right, the Chateau is now home to a flagship effort that matches expert staffers with travelers from across the world.

Thanks to this partnership, ND Tourism provided a new display for informational literature, exclusive merchandise, as well as brand new photo-ops to help commemorate your Western Dakota adventure. Meanwhile, we staff the visitor center with knowledgeable Chateau team members ready to help you discover the jewels of North Dakota.

So what can we do for you?

The Chateau De Morès State Historic Site is home to a brand-new visitor center thanks to a partnership with North Dakota Tourism.

First off, we are here to help you plan a legendary trip. From the moment you walk in the doors of the Chateau Interpretive Center, you have options! You can purchase tickets to the historic Chateau, secure your spot on a wagon ride through the bottomlands, and even browse our one-of-a-kind gift shop.

If you are anything like me, there is no such thing as “too much research” for the perfect road trip. Our brochure wall is a great spot to find information from all over the Peace Garden State outlining tourist destinations, statewide trails, local eateries, regional offerings, and more.

So many brochures, so little time. Where in North Dakota will you go?

Don’t forget the selfie! Strike your prettiest—or funniest, or most daring, or just plain fun—pose in front of the new Maah Daah Hey selfie station, where you can insert yourself into the magnificent Badlands landscape. Then tag us on Facebook, @ChateauDeMores, so we can share your glory with our followers.

Moi, at the Chateau’s Maah Daah Hey selfie station.

Looking for a bit more info? We can also help you maneuver the new North Dakota Tourism website. Here we can help you find specific guides, maps, digital magazines, and suggested routes. We can even print some of these for you. The best part? All of this is free to you!

Come on over and see us some time!

This partnership with North Dakota Tourism has already helped the Chateau offer a more well-rounded experience for our guests, and we are excited to watch this effort grow. In the coming years you will be able to find visitor centers like these in all four corners of our state. But for now, your chance to see this project is exclusively at the Chateau. Come check it out! We are open 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. daily and can’t wait to see you.

The State Historical Society of North Dakota has expanded! On July 1, the number of state museums and historic sites the agency operates became 59. We are excited to welcome the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center and Fort Mandan State Historic Site into our family!

Since 2015 our friends at the North Dakota State Parks and Recreation Department had managed both of these sites in Washburn. However, during the legislative session earlier this year, lawmakers changed the century code and management was transferred to the State Historical Society. For visitors, this change will be imperceptible as hours of operation, tours, and staffing remain the same.

I understand that such a sweeping change can be unnerving to those experiencing it. Leaving the familiar for the not so familiar is hardly everyone’s cup of tea. It was for these reasons that we decided to make the transition as seamless and stress free as possible for the team at Washburn. Working with Parks and Recreation Director Andrea Travnicek, State Historical Society Assistant Director Andrea Wike and the respective teams at each agency, we devised a plan to begin the transition as soon as the Legislature finalized the bill.

We created eight transition groups to work with the various parts of operations that would need to be brought over. These included Historic Sites, Human Resources, Business Office, Concessions, Museum Collections, Technology, Maintenance, and Communications. Kevin Kirkey, then-Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center manager, and Historic Sites Manager Robert Hanna of the State Historical Society, were assigned to each team. Other staff from both agencies were assigned as needed. We began having meetings in the final weeks of May. Some of the questions to be answered included how to bring IT resources over, how to handle shifting security for the sites to our system, and how the gift shops and retail purchasing would change. We discovered and addressed subtle differences between the two state agencies. 

These initial meetings went great, and before long detailed plans were in place for the July 1 transition. During the process, Kirkey decided to take on a new challenge within the state parks and recreation system. After a brief search, we selected Dana Morrison, the site’s interpretive coordinator, to replace Kirkey and become site supervisor.

Former site manager Kevin Kirkey congratulates Dana Morrison on her promotion from interpretive coordinator to site supervisor.

The Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center and Fort Mandan are a remarkable addition to the State Historical Society, and, like our other sites, are now under the umbrella of the Archaeology & Historic Preservation Department. Prior to July 1, we were already responsible for the care and interpretation of key state historic sites along the Missouri River including Huff and Double Ditch Indian villages, Fort Clark and Mih-tutta-hang-kush Indian village, and Fort Buford. Adding the Lewis and Clark portion of the story allows for a more complete telling of the significant history that took place upon the banks of the Missouri from about 1400 to 1890.

Recreation of Meriwether Lewis’ desk at Fort Mandan State Historic Site.

Operation of the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center and Fort Mandan adds about 25,000 square feet of indoor space, as well as stunning new locations, excellent collections, and dedicated staff members. Our mission is the identification, preservation, interpretation, and promotion of North Dakota’s heritage. The Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center and Fort Mandan have found a perfect home.