1. In 1906, North Dakota's first state capitol was destroyed by fire on March 9. The fire started in the boiler room in the basement and quickly spread, destroying the entire building. No one was injured in the fire, but it took several years to build a new capitol building.

2. On March 9, 1915, the town of Bismarck experienced its coldest March day on record, with temperatures dropping to -47°F. The extreme cold caused widespread hardship, and many people were forced to stay indoors to stay warm.

3. One of North Dakota's most infamous criminals, Ronald Gene Simmons, was born on March 9, 1940. Simmons murdered 16 people, including 14 members of his own family, in a killing spree in Arkansas in 1987.

4. On this day in 1969, the University of North Dakota men's ice hockey team won the NCAA national championship, beating Cornell University 4-3 in a thrilling overtime finish. This was UND's second NCAA championship, and the team went on to win six more championships over the following decades.

5. In 1983, North Dakota Governor George Sinner signed a bill designating the western meadowlark as the official state bird of North Dakota on March 9. The western meadowlark is a popular songbird found throughout the state and is known for its beautiful singing voice.