1. North Dakota achieved statehood on November 2, 1889, but it wasn't until March 16, 1917, that the state officially adopted the public referendum as a means of legislation. This allowed voters to directly influence state laws and decisions by casting their votes on specific issues.
2. On March 16, 1918, a deadly blizzard swept across North Dakota, causing widespread damage and claiming the lives of dozens of people. Known as the "Great Blizzard of 1918," this storm was one of the most severe in state history, with temperatures dropping below zero and winds reaching hurricane force.
3. March 16, 1934 saw the groundbreaking ceremony for the Garrison Dam, a massive hydroelectric project on the Missouri River that would eventually become one of North Dakota's most important sources of power. The dam took more than 20 years to complete and remains a major fixture of the state's infrastructure.
4. In 1987, the North Dakota state legislature passed a resolution designating March 16 as "North Dakota Farmers Union Day," in honor of the Farmers Union organization's long history of advocacy and support for the state's agricultural community.
5. On March 16, 2006, the North Dakota state Senate passed a bill prohibiting the cloning of human life for any purpose, scientific or otherwise. The bill was largely symbolic, as there was no active research or experimentation involving human cloning in the state at the time.