How open and welcoming ND locals are to people of other descents?

[VITAMINKA]

Yeah, why is that by the way? Why there is so few people live in ND? Is it the extreeme whether? Or something else?

[DaninEGF]

I read a book recently on the Blizzard of 1888, which hit the northern Plains in the early part of the year. Many immigrants just arrived to homestead in the area and start farms. With little tree cover, a wind storm with 70 mph hit the area causing white out conditions and killing several hundred people. So...yes the Plains before the advent of modern inventions was a tough way of life...particularly west of the Missouri River where dryness and drought are more common. Population peaked in many ND communities in the 1940s and 1950s....and since then has been on the slow decline with the loss of family farming and more opportunites in bigger cities.

Dan

[Christine Joan]

I find it odd that more North Dakotans aren't responding to questions from out of state homeseekers who would like to contribute to North Dakota's economy and population growth too. Why is that? I have seen a lot of advertisements from North Dakota to attract hunters into the state, but then it seems to me that many people would like to see the hunters (and vacationers) return home. Am I misinterpreting something here?

[Smokin' Joe]

Grand Forks is a College town (University of North Dakota, so they have seen folks from elsewhere. Do not mistake curiosity for hostility, and expect people to ask questions. There is also an airbase just west, so the area has a pretty fair cultural diversity for North Dakota.

In this part of the world, much as anywhere, your actions determine what people think of you.

Things to not expect:

Major theater, symphony orchestras, five star restaurants, opera, mountains, forrest.

What you will find:

Grand Forks is sited in the Red River Valley (Red RIver of the North), which is on the plain that used to be the bottom of Glacial Lake Agassiz during the last Ice Age.

As a result, the surrounding terrain is very flat. Avoid housing near the river unless it is on high ground, and generally, the higher up the house, the better off you will be. While the Red River does not flood extensively every year, it has had some major spring floods in years when the weather warms rapidly and there is extensive snow pack. Because the terrain in the region is so flat, a change of a few feet can spread out a couple of miles once the river is over the banks. Google the Floods in Grand Forks in 1979 and 1993 for more info and areas to avoid.

Winter can be brutal, and we are all for global warming up here! Expect temperatures in the -30F range to be normal in winter, and make sure your vehicles are appropriately prepared with the proper antifreeze mix, engine heaters (which you plug in to keep the engine warm enough to avoid engine damage on startup--or in extreme cases, to permit the engine to start), and it is best to carry some survival gear in the trunk. Once winter sets in, it generally remains cold until spring.

There is also a marked change in the length of the day here, seasonally, Summer days are long, with daylight for close to 18 hours, which can make getting the kids to bed a chore in the summer ("But mom, It's still daylight outside!". In the winter, they are shorter, with about 10 hours of daylight.

I am not trying to discourage you, just keep you and your stuff warm and dry.

Expect some culture shock.

Firearms here, especially in rural areas, are part of the way of life. You are by no means obligated, of course, to obtain or use them, but hunting and shooting sports are firmaly ingrained in western culture, and despite some opinions, I would say their ubiquitous presence is a major contributing factor to the low crime rate here in the State. So do not take the presence of guns as a threat, but if your kids are out and about with the neighbors's kids, it is best to make sure they know enough about them to avoid anyone getting hurt. A hunter safety course would teach them (and you, if you want) to handle them safely, and to know when others around them are being safe or too careless to stay around. (No matter how much we love our kids, prohibition is no substitute for knowledge). The place is not 'bristling with guns', but they are a part of life here, generally more so in the rural areas.

Dominant cultural backgrounds are Norwegian/Scandanavian, and German (dating back well before WWII), Ukranian in parts of the southwest (Belfield area) and American Indian (all over to some extent, Lakota, Chippewa, and others--no offense to anyone I left out).

There are PowWows in the State which would give you a chance to learn about American Indian culture, The Norsk Hostfest in Minot every year, and Oktoberfest is celebrated to some extent just about all over.

So opportunites are there, but they will be different from New York.

As for people, some of the best, salt-of-the Earth folks I have known in my life are here in North Dakota. People here tend to be understated, they will not generally be ostentatious about either accomplishment or wealth. Remember the farmer in old coveralls you stand next to might have a net worth of several million and have won the Silver Star in the war, and you will have the right perspective.

I grew up in Maryland, and moved here in '78, and I could not envision moving back.

Good luck with the move, this is a great place to raise kids.

[Smokin' Joe]

Originally Posted by VITAMINKA

Yeah, why is that by the way? Why there is so few people live in ND? Is it the extreeme whether? Or something else?

The weather is a big part of it.

When you look out the window and consider that for a few months out of the year 'outside' is a hostile environment to warm blooded creatures, one which cna kill those who do not respect it and act accordingly, some folks can't handle the idea and move south.

In that respect the area is demanding of the individual to be a good logistical planner, have contingency plans, and can be downright unforgiving to those who are not.

At the same time, in many areas the economic base has not reached the 'critical mass' to be self-propelling as many larger cities' economies are. For that reason, job opportunities for the young, especially with a college education, are generally found elsewhere.

The overall economy is a resource-based one, either agriculture, oil and gas exploration and production, or coal mining form the extractive wealth-generating base, and all three are subject to boom/bust cycles determined by global commodity prices.

For someone just starting out, farming requires investments of seven figures or more to show viable economic return, is weather dependant, and a hard way to make a living. Ranching is little different, and also hard work.

Construction and trades are commonly limited to the warmer months, and thus are seasonal employment, for the most part.

Jobs in the six figure salary range are far more common elsewhere, so the young leave the state to live elsewhere and make better money. Often, they return when they are better established.

[DaninEGF]

I agree with what Smokin Joe said about the people up here. But do want to make some clarifications about Grand Forks in that the big flood was in 1997 (not 1993) and was the worst flood to ever hit a city up until New Orleans in 2005. Despite this no one lost their lives and no looting occurred as folks were too busy taking care of themselves and others. Also want to point out as a result of the 97 flood...the federal, state and local governments got together and got funds for a massive levee/flood wall project that is now almost complete and is expected to be completed in 2007. The old homes that were in the lower part of town (50 feet MSL) in both GF and EGF were torn down and made way for a massive greenway with walking trails, parks, etc. The flood wall will protect the city to 60 feet now so no matter where you live in the city now you are protected the same. The western edge of the city is also protected from overland flooding as water will be diverted into one of the English Coulee diversions. So....yes Red River flooding happens every few years the threat for a major flood castrophe like in past years is almost nil. The record 97 crest was just over 54 feet.

Job growth is booming in North Dakota last 5 years and in the Grand Forks area in the last 2 years (GF is a bit behind the other cities in job creation up until now). Manufacturing of wind turbines and cirrus planes are among the main job growth areas in town along with the University and the hospital.
I read the other day that there were 1650 job openings at ND Job Service but only 1000 resumes on file. Hard to get good people for work.

Dan

[Smokin' Joe]

Oops, I did get the date wrong. You are also correct about the lack of looting, and folks helping each other in times of crisis. I have not lived in Grand Forks for years, so I was not aware of the newer flood control improvements.

All I can say is I am glad those have been done (I remember building dikes during the flood of '79).

I now live in the other end of the state (Williston area), where the oil industry is growing still, despite the recent drop in prices.

Although prices are not bad compared to the national average, housing is pretty tight here right now.

[Jim Stokes]

In the one year I spent at a local area station, I had not heard one disrespectful term about anyone's race, religion or peculiarities. Fargo/Moorhead are very progressive towns. Radio and TV are very, very big. KFGO radio now is the origination station for a talk show network! The economy is very healthy. The people are the salt of the earth. If the rest of the world were like North Dakotans, there would be NO WARS! & the world would live in peace and harmony. There are at least four colleges or universities in the Fargo NoDak/Moorhead, Minnesota area. Closest other people to NoDakians are the wonderful folks in New York City. This is a TRUE statement!

[Goose]

My sister's lived in Fargo for the last 20+ years (she moved there from NYC) and I've been there many times.

I think the people there can seem a little reserved but they are really nice and decent, much more sociable than people are in NYC. There seems to be more of a sense of community and I think it's a great place to raise kids (my sister has 4). The quality of life is excellent, especially for families.

My sister once said she'd met more North Dakotans who had travelled all over the world than she ever knew in NYC. From everything I've heard, the schools are good, health care is good, and the people are good.

[HockeyFan]

I have never lived in ND, but I have spent some time in the Fargo area, and I've known many people who live in North Dakota. What I can tell you is -- without exception, they have all been very friendly, welcoming, and non-discriminating. While some Midwestern states can be tough to break into (the term "outsider" would become common in some places, even the Twin Cities), North Dakota is not like that at all. People may wonder what drew you there -- more people move to Phoenix in a decade than live in North Dakota -- but they won't dislike you for any discriminatory reason. Be a good person, treat others with respect, and give an honest effort at work, and you will be fine. I really think it's one of the more open-minded places I've come across.