With a little help from our explorer friends Lewis and Clark and an out-of-state advertising campaign, the state extended a warm welcome to a robust tourism season last summer.
Nearly 18,000 tourists visited the reconstructed Fort Mandan, where Lewis and Clark spent the winter of 1804, and attendance was up 26 percent from 2001 at the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center. Both attractions are located in Washburn, a town of 1,500, which enjoyed the ripple effects of tourist spending. Although the summer tourism season officially ended in August, September was another busy month for the two attractions, which played host to visitors from all 50 states and more than 30 countries.
Other good news from the North Dakota Department of Commerce, Tourism Division:
- Visitation at the four state parks increased 7 percent from 2001.
- The Badlands' Medora Musical saw a 6 percent increase from last year.
- The International Peace Garden in Dunseith had 10,000 more visitors than in 2001, its highest attendance in five years.
—Rosie Cataldo
