Famous North Dakotans
North Dakota is a place to Be Legendary. Notable figures have left a legacy that is preserved here.
Visitors can tour the site where Sakakawea lived with her village, walk inside Theodore Roosevelt's cabin in the Badlands, canoe the same waters as Lewis & Clark, and see where Sitting Bull surrendered at Fort Buford. These famous figures were not always from North Dakota, but their history was defined here. And those legends are now joined by modern-day sports heroes, musicians, models, actors and writers who have and continue to Be Legendary.
In the lower level of the North Dakota Capitol, visitors can see the more famous North Dakotans, and portraits all of the honored recipients of the Theodore Roosevelt Rough Rider Award, recognizing present or former North Dakotans who have been influenced by this state. Throughout the state, a number of attractions invite you to learn more about North Dakota legends. At the Frontier Village in Jamestown, there's a "writer's shack" dedicated to the beloved western author, Louis L'Amour, and Fargo has a Roger Maris Museum housed in the West Acres Shopping Center.
North Dakota sister duo Tigirlily Gold has been playing music together since they could walk and recently received a first-ever ACM win as Duo of the Year. Cara Mund is known for making history as the first and only woman from North Dakota to become Miss America. Josh Duhamel is just one of the stars of North Dakota whose current success is being celebrated, along with musician Gwen Sebastian, and actor and model Kellan Lutz.
Phil Jackson was named one of the 10 greatest coaches in league history. Carson Wentz is an American football quarterback for the National Football League, he played college football for the North Dakota State Bison. Olympic gold-medal winning sisters Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson and Monique Lamoureux-Morando of Grand Forks are the 45th and 46th members of the North Dakota Rough Rider Hall of Fame.
And there are many more! You can view just a few below, and find a list of almost every notable person who was born, lives (or lived) in North Dakota, or for whom North Dakota is (or was) a significant part of their identity here.