Monica Mayer, right, tribal councilwoman for the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation, speaks after presenting Gov. Kelly Armstrong, center-left, and Brig. Gen. Mitchell Johnson, center-right, adjutant general of the North Dakota National Guard, with ceremonial quilts during a groundbreaking ceremony for the North Dakota Military Gallery on July 10, 2025. (Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor)
BISMARCK (North Dakota Monitor) — The North Dakota Military Gallery took a step forward this week as Gov. Kelly Armstrong, veterans, tribal citizens and State Historical Society members celebrated the groundbreaking.
“North Dakota’s military members are at the heart of this gallery,” Armstrong said. He added members of all five North Dakota tribal nations have been part of an advisory committee to incorporate and plan to showcase the history of the state’s Indigenous service members and warrior culture.
Robert Hunter Sr., director of veterans affairs for the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation and an Army veteran, said the museum will be important for Native Americans who have served in the military to have a place where their stories can inspire the next generation.
“I believe it’s great for tourism because you get to see a rich history of North Dakotans, but also the tribes that were here before them,” Hunter said. “That’s just a rich history that can’t be forgotten.”
Hunter said he is most excited to see the memorial wall at the completed gallery to honor the veterans who have fallen in combat.
Bill Peterson, director of the Historical Society of North Dakota, speaks during the groundbreaking ceremony for the North Dakota Military Gallery on July 10, 2025. (Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor)
Construction is expected to start within the next month with completion estimated for 2027, said Brian Berg, architect for Zerr Berg Architects, the principal designers for the gallery.
The total cost of the gallery project should be under the budget of $78 million, said Bill Peterson, director of the State Historical Society of North Dakota. About half of the project is expected to be paid for through private donations and the other half from state funds or lines of credit through the Bank of North Dakota.
Willie Rose of Bismarck, a Vietnam-era veteran who served in the Air Force for 19 years, said he came to the groundbreaking to see some of his veteran friends. He added he hopes the Military Gallery will be held in the same respect as honor flights that transport veterans to Washington, D.C., to see the country’s military monuments.
“Just seeing people here, it’s so amazing to see that people really do care about veterans and what they’ve been through,” Rose said.
Dusty Olson of Parshall, an Army veteran, said knowing the stories of the past can help make a brighter future for service members and veterans.
“My folks used to say, ‘Do it better than we did,’ and this is the same scenario, or maybe add onto it,” Olson said.
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