1. In 1959, the United States Air Force completed construction of the Minuteman Missile Launch Complex in North Dakota. The complex became operational in 1962, and remained in use through the 1990s as part of the US nuclear weapons arsenal. Today, the complex is open to visitors as the Minuteman Missile National Historic Site.

2. On September 23, 1960, the US Army Corps of Engineers completed the Garrison Dam on the Missouri River in North Dakota. The dam, which is the fifth largest earthen dam in the world, serves as a major source of hydroelectric power and helps control flooding on the Missouri River.

3. In 1911, the State Fair of North Dakota opened in Fargo on September 23. The fair has been an annual tradition in North Dakota ever since, featuring agricultural exhibits, live entertainment, and various carnival rides and games.

4. On September 23, 1949, North Dakota State University played its first football game as a member of the North Central Conference. The Bison defeated South Dakota State University 12-0 in front of a crowd of over 7,000 fans.

5. On September 23, 1892, the Northern Pacific Railroad completed the construction of an important railroad bridge over the Missouri River near Bismarck, North Dakota. The bridge helped open up new areas of the state to settlement and commerce, and remains in use today as part of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad system.