One of the best parts of my job is sharing it with my kids—even if they don’t fully understand it. They know that I travel to state historic sites, but they think that means I work at a different place each day and have offices all around North Dakota. They often ask to come with me to help. This past spring, both my son, Calvin, and my oldest daughter, Auri, traveled with me to explore the sites I manage, and in Auri’s case, helped lead Victorian-era games on the Chateau de Morès State Historic Site’s lawn.

Calvin hangs out with Buford the Baby Bison at the Missouri-Yellowstone Confluence State Historic Site near Willison.

Auri and I in front of the Chateau after teaching Victorian games at the Chateau de Morès State Historic Site.

Recently, they had the opportunity to experience a different aspect of my work by donating items to the State Historical Society of North Dakota’s collections. 

If you are like our family and have kids the same age as mine (5 and 3 years old and 6 months), then I am sure you are fully aware of good2grow juice. Incredibly popular with kids and parents, these bottles have distinctive colorful toppers featuring well-known cartoon characters.

As parents, we appreciate that the juice is not full of sugar, and the bottle is spill-proof. (Well, almost as my wife recently found out. Pro tip: Don’t throw a full bottle down a flight of stairs.) This makes them great for car trips and road trips. The bottles are reusable, so we can refill them with water if we want. When out running errands or on road trips, our kids often pick a bottle of this juice with a character they love as their treat for that trip or for being good.

Our topper drawer at home. Do you recognize any of these characters?

If you are aware of this phenomenon, then you may also, like us, have a massive collection of bottle toppers. We are nearing 100 of these character toppers. And believe me when I say, you can’t just throw them away! My wife has seen numerous videos where parents turn these bottles and toppers into games, such as bowling, cut off the character to make a toy, or even reuse them on a straw for a different cup—basically, try to find any use that keeps kids happy about not losing a potential toy or their favorite character. So what does this have to do with my work for the State Historical Society?

One of the highlights of my job is serving on the museum collections committee. I get to see all the great things people offer us for our collections. We can’t take all of it, as sometimes the item does not have a North Dakota story or maybe we already have a similar item in our collection and do not need another. We try to collect things in the moment, so we don’t have to hope that somebody donates them to us in the future. These bottles and toppers seemed like a good candidate. They are wildly popular now, but they may not be in the future. They are the kind of item the State Historical Society could put on display someday, and parents could explain to their kids how they loved these bottles as children and tell them about the characters they collected. The biggest trick here was convincing my kids to part with a pair of precious bottles.

When I told Calvin and Auri about my idea of donating a pair of bottles and toppers to the museum collections, they were excited. We spent an hour digging through our topper drawer (yes, I know), looking at all possible options. At first, Calvin wanted to donate one that he did not care about—a character from Cocomelon he had initially selected because it was a cartoon head. I told him it should be a character that holds meaning for him. So he selected a Mickey Mouse one, and Auri chose a Minnie Mouse one. Great selections, in my view, as they once went as Mickey and Minnie for Halloween and love those characters. 

Calvin and Auri as Mickey and Minnie for Halloween 2022.

The more we discussed it, the more concerned Calvin became that he would never get to use the Mickey topper or see it again. He was also worried it might break or that the State Museum might get rid of it. It was an opportunity to explain to him how our museum’s curatorial staff collects and preserves items for future generations. I told him one day it might even be on exhibit. 

Calvin opted to switch to a character he had a duplicate of instead of his one-of-a-kind Mickey with a green hat. He chose Sonic the Hedgehog. He has been a big fan of Sonic since the second movie came out. He even has a placemat with characters from one of the animated Sonic TV shows, each assigned to a member of our family (Sonic = Dad; Tails = Calvin; Amy Rose = Auri; Knuckles = Mom). Auri changed her selection to MerCat from “Gabby’s Dollhouse.” This popular children’s show on Netflix features a girl who shrinks down to the size of a toy and embarks on adventures with imaginary cats inside her dollhouse. Auri and Calvin like the show and have their own version of the dollhouse, along with many toys to accompany it. Both Sonic and MerCat are characters who mean a lot to them.

The final bottle and topper selections earmarked for the state collections.

With the bottles chosen, the next step was to submit the paperwork for potential acquisitions. I handled this part. It is a pretty simple form to fill out. The most crucial part was sharing the history and why I thought these items should be added to the collection. While these bottles do not have a strong North Dakota story, they are items that kids all over the state will remember after they grow up. 

At the meeting, the bottles were received with great enthusiasm and quickly accepted. Our department’s Administrative Assistant Kiri Stone wrote a great note to the kids, telling them that their bottles had been accepted into the collection. For most people who wish to donate items to the State Historical Society, getting such a notification would be a thing of joy. But my kids were sad—their bottles were going away. To ease the pain, I told them we would take photos of them with the bottles so they would never forget them.

Calvin and Auri pose with their bottles before handing them over to the State Historical Society.

My silly and wonderful kids with their prized juice bottles.

Throughout this process, I constantly explained to them the reasons why we collect items and why these remain at the ND Heritage Center & State Museum. Nobody would use their bottles, I promised. Another challenge was that the bottles would not be going on display right away, and I could not tell them if or when they ever would be. To them, it might seem like they would never see their bottles again. But good old dad had one more trick up his sleeve.

Before I could put my plan into motion, I had to give the collections team time to process the bottles. When an item arrives, it does not go straight back onto a shelf. It must be labeled, a condition report created, photos taken, and data entered into our records management system. A proper home for it also needs to be found. Once this was finished, I could enact my plan. I arranged for the kids to come and inspect the new home of their bottles as well as see some of the other cool things we keep in our collections.

This October, Research Historian Lori Nohner agreed to give Calvin and Auri a behind-the-scenes tour of the museum collections area. The kids were ecstatic about the opportunity to visit Dad’s work and also be reunited with their bottles. Lori did a great job of showing the kids around the collections. Seeing their bottles was a highlight but so was seeing a pair of nursing scrubs that belonged to their mom and their dad’s name badge from his teaching days. They also got to see some historical toys. They loved that Lori let them use her badge to buzz into collections and help her move shelves. Overall, it was the perfect way to cap off this whole experience.

Research Historian Lori Nohner takes Calvin and Auri to see their bottles’ new home.

Calvin and Auri are excited to see Mom's scrubs that she donated after finishing nursing school. My wife was also excited to see them. Baby Zelda was ready for a nap.

Lori shows my kids a nurse’s outfit that was over 100 years old so they could compare it to their mom’s donated scrubs.

Auri helps Lori move the collection shelves.

The whole experience was great. I know my wife and kids got a kick out donating to the museum and going behind the scenes. We don’t often think the items we use every day and take for granted have historical value. Or we feel the need to hold on to them until they are old enough to warrant donating. Now my kids can claim to have items in a museum and may continue to share items in the future. And for readers of this post, perhaps you have something we need to better tell the story of North Dakota and its people, even if it is not 100 years old.

Auri says, "All this history stuff is hard work."

Double Ditch Indian Village State Historic Site is one of the most spectacular archaeological sites preserved on the northern Plains. The village was occupied for nearly 300 years (1490-1785) by the Mandan people and was a regional trading center. The site is listed in the National Register of Historic Places for its historic significance. It’s an amazing place to visit!

Fortification ditches, earthlodge depressions, midden mounds, and the walking trail present at Double Ditch Indian Village State Historic Site are visible in this image captured by an uncrewed aerial vehicle operated by agency staff in August 2025. View is to the east in this image.

Fortification ditches, earthlodge depressions, midden mounds, and modern features present at Double Ditch are visible in this image captured by an uncrewed aerial vehicle operated by agency staff in August 2025. View is to the northwest in this image.

Visited by thousands of people annually, Double Ditch has been a North Dakota state historic site since 1936. The village has a deep cultural connection to the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation. Following the catastrophic 2011 flood of the Missouri River, the State Historical Society of North Dakota became increasingly concerned about the impact of erosion at the site. Large sections of river terrace edge had shifted in a process called rotational erosion. This erosion destabilized the bank, threatened a large portion of the site, including parts of the public walkway, and exposed numerous burials.

Aerial image of the slumping (rotational erosion) of the bank at Double Ditch captured by agency staff in November 2013.

The State Historical Society partnered with the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation, the North Dakota Legislative Assembly, and other entities to address this critical threat. Left unaddressed, erosion would have continued to advance deeply into the village, causing severe damage. An engineering plan was developed and put in place to stabilize 2,000 feet of the riverbank from the effects of the 2011 flood. Appropriations made in 2013, 2015, and 2017 by the North Dakota Legislative Assembly moved this important project forward to save Double Ditch from further damage. Bank stabilization began in July 2017 and lasted about five months. The State Historical Society and the MHA Nation leadership cooperated to follow state laws and recognized cultural practices of the Mandan people while completing this sensitive work. Archaeologists from the State Historical Society were on hand daily throughout the construction period, monitoring all earthmoving activities.

The immense scale of the area in need of stabilization at Double Ditch can be seen in this drone image taken by Dwayne Walker in August 2017. View is to the north.

Agency staff captured this same area by drone in October 2018 after extensive bank stabilization and landscaping. View is to the north in this image.

In 2023, State Historical Society staff and visitors to Double Ditch noticed areas of slumping along a walking path and terraced area that was within the previously stabilized area. Archaeology & Historic Preservation Department team members immediately began to monitor the area through regular visual inspection and began documenting the progression of the slumping using uncrewed aerial vehicles (drones).

Drones have allowed us to document the extent of this dramatic slumping from the air and to consistently make detailed measurements on the length and breadth of the cracks that now cross the terrace at Double Ditch. Unfortunately, these cracks are quickly growing and represent a threat not only to the previously stabilized area but also to the undisturbed village features on-site. There is a significant possibility that the village features could be profoundly and disastrously affected if these cracks are left unaddressed.

Cracks in the pedestrian path caused by slumping at Double Ditch, March 2024.

The same large cracks are seen on the pedestrian path and a slope close to the WPA shelter at the state historic site in this drone image. This aerial image was taken by agency staff in May 2024.

To determine how quickly the slump at Double Ditch is progressing, we needed to look below the surface. Beginning in December 2024 and January 2025, a geotechnical drill team began to install an array of sensitive instruments to tell us how quickly the slump movement was occurring beneath the ground surface. These instruments, called vibrating wire piezometers and slope inclinometers, are used to measure water pressure and lateral movement within the 75-foot-deep holes they’re installed in. Additional instruments were installed in August 2025. These instruments will help us better document the extent of the erosion and slumping. State Historical Society staff will also continue to monitor the area from the ground and the air, partnering with the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation, the North Dakota Legislative Assembly, and preservation groups to use all available information to address the threats posed to this important place.

Major slumping cracks at Double Ditch and a geotechnical drilling rig are visible in this drone image taken by agency staff in December 2024.

Drilling personnel collect soil samples in January 2025 (left) and August 2025 (right). There was a 100-degree temperature change between these pictures!

Large cracks in the pedestrian path and the location of geotechnical instruments monitoring ongoing slumping (indicated by yellow posts) are seen in this drone image taken by agency staff in August 2025.

Happy American Archives Month from the North Dakota State Archives reference desk! In our jobs as reference staff at the State Archives, we get the distinct pleasure of working directly with researchers in the Reading Room as well as online. As a result, we, perhaps more than other staff here, get to see how our visitors and patrons use and interact with the records in our collections. Thinking outside the box is important for researchers, so we do see some interesting uses of our material. They sometimes come up with ideas and methods we may not have thought of. After all, doing research is a bit like piecing a puzzle together and often requires a dash of creativity!

As we celebrate archives around the country, we thought it would be fun to highlight some of the uses of our collections that have been particularly memorable.

Sarah Walker, head of reference services
It’s so rewarding to see people find answers while researching in the State Archives, but it’s especially fun if the collections are successfully used in a different way or for a different outcome. One of my favorite examples happened very early on in my career at the State Historical Society. It involved our collection of documents relating to and indexing cattle brands. The collection of indexes became our State Series 30003, Brand Registration Books. This is basically a straightforward, if somewhat artistic, index originally published by the North Dakota Department of Agriculture. Most of the time, people who wish to use this are researching their own family’s brand.

In this instance, a patron came in and requested these books. This person did a lot of research on different people living in a specific area early in North Dakota’s history. She then carefully traced out the brands that they had on file and used these to create a quilt! I thought it was so meaningful that she used an index to create some crafted art … and I will never forget it! I still regularly point to this as a most creative use of a state government record series.

A page from a State Series 30003 brand book.

Ashley Thronson, reference specialist
One of the most interesting ways I’ve seen State Archives collections used by researchers was when someone requested North Dakota Department of Transportation vehicle registration records to search for information about the baseball player Satchel Paige. The researcher was hoping to find his address and had not been able to find it in other resources. In a last-ditch effort to find his address, they searched through volumes for his name hoping that he had registered his vehicle and that his registration included an address.

Unfortunately, the Motor Vehicle Registration Records at the State Archives are not easy to use or search at all. The collection covers the years 1926-1963 and contains 290 volumes. The volumes are organized vaguely by year and by a registration number assigned by the state DOT; there is no index. The researcher looked through thousands of entries until at last stumbling upon one for Paige. While the entry did not include an address, it provided other useful information for the researcher. Having assisted the researcher, I joined in the celebration and excitement when they finally found it.

I like to remember this moment whenever I get stuck on research quests myself. It reminds me to think creatively for sources of information and to have patience and not get discouraged when faced with a large and overwhelming search.

Satchel Paige’s 1935 vehicle registration entry, with a handwritten note indicating his name. State Series 32254

Daniel Sauerwein, reference specialist
Recently a researcher accessed several microfilm rolls of fort medical histories, including one for Fort Rice, as part of research resulting in works related to the frontier Army and the Little Bighorn campaign. These resources provide important insights into life at the frontier military posts in Dakota Territory and their surrounding environments. They help us learn about the conditions that impacted people living in and around these forts and associated historical events. Topics include water supply and condition, plant and animal life, and disease and health as well as weather conditions. In this series, the records discuss replacing the current hospital at Fort Rice, which helps researchers better understand frontier and military medical care. This researcher was happy to use these records while they were here at the State Archives as they complemented other records we have related to the military forts in the state and made for a very fruitful research trip. Solid scholarly works came out of this research that expanded our knowledge of the people and places that shaped North Dakota and American history.

A page from the Fort Rice Medical History, dated June 24, 1872, outlining the plan for a post hospital and the need to replace the current hospital with this proposed building to provide better care of the sick. State Series 31141-Federal Records, War Department, Fort Rice Medical History, 1864-1878

We hope this post inspires your archival research journeys. Archival collections can be used in so many ways, and we are always excited to see what comes next for these records. And don’t forget! If you get stumped in your research—reach out to us. We may have some ideas for you to use in finding your answers!

Here in the State Archives, we have hundreds of thousands of records that document and tell the story of North Dakota and its people. These records can be used to help answer many questions and provide insights into the state’s history that can’t be found elsewhere. From state government records to home movies, information about the past can be found here.

I’ve learned over my time here there may be more to a collection of records than what meets the eye. What can be learned from one collection might not even be how the creator even intended these records to be used. So, I picked a random collection from the fiNDhistory, the State Historical Society of North Dakota’ s collection web portal, and asked some of our staff members for what they think researchers could learn from using these papers.

The collection is State Series 32355: Legislative Research Committee, Capitol Office Space Questionnaire, 1957. This collection contains a questionnaire on capitol office space, a summary of questionnaires for present space requirements and 1967 space requirements, and questionnaire results by agency. It also includes floor plans for every office in the Capitol building.

So, what can a researcher use this collection for? Let’s find out!

State Series 32355

Virginia, Head of Technical Services
This collection would help answer questions about changes in the needs of office environments over time (such as density of desks and layout) as the floor plans clearly outline functions for office use (desks, office equipment) and storage use (vaults, filing cabinets, bookshelves). The collection would also be helpful when studying building needs and growth, as the survey captured issues with existing spaces in 1957, such as the Highway Department offices (now Department of Transportation) being divvied up among six floors of the Capitol.

Larissa, State Government Records Archivist
This collection reflects the different uses of office and storage spaces used by North Dakota State Agencies and how that use changes over time. A researcher can use this collection to map the changes in workplace demographics and state agencies’ use of space by comparing 1967 needs to today.

Lindsay, Deputy State Archivist
This collection, at first glance, documents office layouts of state agencies in the Capitol building. But it also shows how agencies communicated their needs to the Legislature through large paper plans rather than the digital files of 2025. Even the material details, such as the paper and ink used to create the item, could be useful for someone interested in how government records were designed and produced, along with the printing and publishing technologies available in the mid-20th century.

6th floor office plan for the Land Department and Agriculture and Labor (Dairy Division). SHSND 32355

Emily, Manuscript Archivist
The floor plans in State Record Series 32355 could be used by a researcher who is interested in how technology affects office space and environment. This could include comparing changes in the size or layout of a workspace as various technologies are introduced or widely used, or examining changes in the social nature of a workspace (such as from communal worktables to desks in cubicles). Analysis could focus on the North Dakota Capitol specifically (if additional records are available), or it could use North Dakota in a larger regional or national sample size.

Sarah, Head of Reference Services
My takeaway from these records is the state agency history that can be gleaned from the survey. It’s an interesting peek back in time to see what agencies there were, where they were located, even what duties they may have had. In fact, I had to check out the agency abbreviated as “Poultry Imp. Bd.” This was the State Poultry Improvement Board, and we have their records, listed under our state series under the Department of Agriculture!

Megan, Local Government Records Archivist
These plans would be useful to a researcher interested in office workplace design evolution. In the 1950s, the “Fordist” method was being widely implemented because it valued efficiency and standardization. These floor layouts are detailed and could be evaluated for how well they did or did not follow this method. A researcher could also use the questionnaire to see how the thoughts and opinions of the workers in these spaces did or did not influence the planning and implementation of certain design layouts.

Drawings for Department of Public Instruction and Commissioners of Railroads, Agriculture, and Insurance. SHSND 32355

Greta, Audiovisual Archivist
I found it interesting to consider what office spaces within the Capitol building looked like during the time of the questionnaire and how one could use the questionnaires and floor plans to create and decorate the ideal office space for state employees. This photo from 1967 provides insight to 1960s office décor; the background shows a framed photograph of a herd of cattle on a North Dakota pasture, full bookshelf, American flag, North Dakota State flag, and a desk with scattered papers.

Governor Guy and Secretary of State Ben Meiers in Governor’s office, 1967. SHSND SA 00018-00004

Despite the modern addition of computers, office layouts still look similar to the '60s. The need for desks, chairs, and reference books remains, and we continue to decorate our office areas with personal items. Government offices within the North Dakota Capitol building carry on the tradition of proudly displaying the state and national flag.

So, next time you look at archival materials, be sure to think beyond what meets the eye. There is so much more to learn in every detail!

From Instagram reels to glossy magazine spreads, we’re constantly bombarded with promises of quick fitness fixes—whether it’s the latest walking routine or a high-tech exercise bike with every gadget imaginable. My own memories of flipping through my mother’s Redbook and Ladies Home Journal magazines in the 1980s show this isn’t new. Curious about how exercise fads have evolved, I took a gander through our museum collections in search of exercise gadgets and gimmicks over the years.

1. Pulling Your Way to Glory—and Muscle

Chest expander fitness device. SHSND 1991.5.8

This circa 1960s SAF-TEE Handle Chest Expander, made in the USA, features two plastic-and-steel handles connected by three elastic ropes. Designed to build strength in the shoulders, chest, and arms, it also includes black handles for a firm, secure grip.

2. My, That’s a Firm Handshake …

Wrist developer hand grip. SHSND 2003.21.12

Hands are an important part of the body that we often overlook when it comes to exercise. A hand grip strengthener helps train not only the hands but also the wrists and forearms. Tiny but mighty, these grippers from 1960 make it easy to sneak in a workout anywhere—a perfect travel-sized gadget.

3. Ready to Step Up Your Fitness?

Kettler Step Machine. SHSND 2009.37.206

The Kettler Step Machine uses two adjustable hydraulic cylinders to offer varying levels of resistance. With adjustable resistance and an electronic step counter, this machine brings high-tech flair to a classic cardio routine. This machine, dating to the waning days of the Cold War, was among the furnishings at the Oscar-Zero Missile Alert Facility when the State Historical Society of North Dakota acquired the deactivated Minuteman missile site in 2007.

4. Now for a Roundabout Way to Better Balance and Strength

Stability ball. SHSND 2025.2.6

Marketed as a fun way to strengthen your core, improve posture, and boost balance, this GoFit stability ball made in 2021 tries to do it all. This model even features names and diagrams of 10 different exercises printed around its circumference—just in case you forget.

5. Dumbbells: Simple, Solid, Superior

Dumbbells. SHSND 17360.A

These 1-pound hand weights, turned from solid maple in the early 1900s, were easy to use and effective. In the evolution of exercise gear, the humble dumbbell has managed to outlast many fancier gadgets.

From elastic ropes to high-tech step counters, exercise gadgets have promised big results in small packages. Yet some of the simplest tools have proved their staying power. Maybe the real secret to fitness isn’t in the bells and whistles but in sticking with the basics.

If you’re me, sometimes you see an artifact and exclaim, “Look at this little guy!” I do not have a true definition for a little guy, but I do get a feeling—a charm, a delight, a sense of whimsy—whenever I come across one. Smallness is often a factor but not required. And in line with the Midwestern use of “guy,” being a little guy knows no gender. It’s just a little guy. You know them when you see them.

For your viewing pleasure, I have selected some of my favorite little guys preserved in the state’s museum collections and photographed them alongside a dime for scale.

1. Little but loud!

Male hippo. SHSND 1989.74.231 G

He’s just yelling. All he does is yell, and I love him. This hippo is one of a pair that belongs to a Noah’s Ark toy set. The set was made for and played with by children at the North Dakota School for the Deaf in Devils Lake sometime prior to 1969. Older students at the school crafted the set in their woodworking class. I like to imagine a student painting the eyes on this hippo to convey as much maniacal fervor as possible.

Our hippo with his more composed female partner. SHSND 1989.74.231 G

2. Get a load of these little guys!

Old lady on a donkey. SHSND 1990.25.101

The littlest guy on this list is in fact two little guys. Among a collection of very small santon terra-cotta figurines is an elderly lady riding a donkey. These santons, or “little saints,” were gifted to North Dakota as part of the French Gratitude Train. In 1948, French citizens filled train cars with a variety of items as an expression of gratitude for the food and clothing Americans sent them after World War II.

3. Whose little guy is this?

Purple guy. SHSND 2021.34.9

This little guy was made by donor Lauren Ritterbush of Bismarck when she was a teenager in the late 1970s. She made many similar stuffed creatures for her friends at this time.

What even is it? I do not know. But what I do know is that this guy is friend-shaped and brings me so much joy whenever I look at it. The blissful face, the little round ears—this guy is just here to hang out and have a nice time.

4. The best little guy in the West!

Slouching man block print. SHSND 2013.111.159

North Dakota artist Clell Gannon created this block print of a slouching man with a relatable “what am I even doing” energy sometime between 1920 and 1940. The sketches behind the print make it appear as if he’s walking through a cloud of spectral cats. According to a note on the backside, this fellow is named Holling A. Planey, possibly a character in one of Gannon’s comics.

5. The Little Guy

Former North Dakota Gov. Bill Guy. SHSND 2010.80.1

May I present a promotional button with a little depiction of North Dakota Gov. William Guy. Guy was born in Devils Lake and served as governor from 1961 to 1973. These buttons were given out as promotional items during the 2010 premiere of the documentary “The Charisma of Competence: The Achievement of William L. Guy.” Among the many, many buttons in our collections, this one is the only one I would call … a little Guy.

Want to see more little guys? Check out my colleague Lori Nohner’s post about things in the collection shaped like dogs! After all, what are dogs, really, but little guys.