HISTORY

After arriving on campus in 1949, G. Ernst Giesecke, Dean of the School of Applied Arts and Sciences at North Dakota Agricultural College, began developing the idea for a campus center that would enable the faculty to do original research focusing on the Upper Great Plains and, in the process, better themselves as teachers. Out of his discussions with faculty and the encouragement of President Fred Hultz, a proposal was forwarded to the North Dakota State Board of Higher Education for the establishment of an Institute for Regional Studies.

The North Dakota State Board of Higher Education formally approved the establishment of the Institute in March 1950 . The founders articulated four principles to serve as guides for the direction of the Institute: first, to stimulate research into the region's resources and culture; second, to provide a center for research; third, to encourage artistic expression of life on the plains; and fourth, to assist in disseminating results of significant work.

In order to assist in the dissemination of significant work, the Institute began its own publishing program. The first book was Handbook of North Dakota Plants written by Professor O. A. Stevens and published in 1950. To date over sixty major publications have been issued with the Institute's imprint.

The Institute provided a center for research through the creation of an archival repository, housed in the then new fireproof campus library. The Institute received its first donation of historical documents in 1950. Leonard Sackett, Professor of English and Chairman of the Committee for the Preservation of Historical Documents, became responsible for acquiring further records. The Institute has been committed to collecting records on all aspects of the state's past, but has been especially successful in acquiring records related to agriculture, literary figures, the pioneer era, women, and the development of Fargo as an urban center.

In 1975 the Institute's archival operation was separated from the publishing arm, with administrative and financial responsibility given to the NDSU Library. Also at this time the first full-time professional archivist was hired. The archival collections were housed in the library until June 2000 when the flooding of the library lower level forced them to be moved, together with the staff, to a room in the Skills and Technology Training Center. Fortunately only about twenty feet of records sustained damage and approximately 100 books were lost.

The Institute founders also attempted to stimulate interest in the region through a variety of activities. They held art shows to display the talents of North Dakota artists. The Institute sponsored a Local History Day, which was an attempt to teach people how to preserve documents and aid people in the writing of local history. The Institute, with the aid of a monetary gift, created the Young Memorial Scholarship that was awarded to students who researched and wrote exceptional papers on regional interests and topics.

In 1971, a university archives program was established on campus. It is administered by the NDSU Libraries and housed with the Institute. The University Archives serves as the official repository for the historically enduring records of North Dakota State University. The Archives consists of non-current official and unofficial records, publications, and information pertaining to the University.