Alexander: Local History, Museum and Old Settlers’ Day

Alexander brings together a well-defined local history, the Lewis and Clark Trail Museum, and the annual Old Settlers’ Day. Three distinct points of interest can help you decide what brings you here: early settlement history, the collections housed in a historic schoolhouse, and a festival whose program may change from year to year. If you’re looking for a hotel in Alexander, you can first check whether your trip is tied to the festival dates or whether you’re primarily interested in the museum and local history.

Early Settlement History and Landscape

Before the county was organized, the Bird Head Cattle Company established a line camp near Alexander’s early settlement site. It was located near a large spring at the headwaters of Lonesome Creek by the Ragged Buttes. Historically, Alexander lay between Bell's Butte to the south, Foreman's Butte to the west, Barrager Butte to the northwest, Tub Butte to the east, and Big Hill to the west, also known as Firecracker Hill. The cardinal directions help locate the names; Big Hill and Firecracker Hill refer to the same hill.

Lewis and Clark Trail Museum

The Lewis and Clark Trail Museum is located in Alexander along the Lewis and Clark Trail and opened in 1969. Its collections are housed in the original three-story schoolhouse, built in 1914. The dates mark two different milestones: 1914 for the schoolhouse’s construction and 1969 for the museum’s opening. The museum displays family heirlooms belonging to settlers. The collection thus complements the building’s history with objects from settlers’ families.

The museum grounds also include a sheep herder’s wagon. Several petrified tree stumps are displayed on the lawn in front of the grounds. Admission to the museum is free. Check current opening hours before your visit.

Old Settlers’ Day

Old Settlers’ Day is still celebrated annually and began as Lem Burns Day. The celebration lasts three days and takes place over Labor Day weekend. The program includes a bonfire, parade, dances, school sports, children’s activities, bingo, and horseshoe pitching; individual activities may vary from year to year. Barbecued beef on a bun and baked beans are served at the festival. Labor Day weekend is the fixed point of reference for planning; still, check that year’s event dates, since individual program items may change.

Other Named Places

James Gang Java is a coffee and gift shop in the Charbonneau School building on the grounds of the Lewis and Clark Trail Museum. The address is 102 Indiana Ave E in Alexander, North Dakota. Nearby Sather Dam has good populations of bluegill and largemouth bass; crappies are also found there.

Discover more destinations: Watford City.

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