Historical society outlines military gallery, staffing and Medora plans during HB1018 hearing

The State Historical Society of North Dakota presented its Biennial Budget request and answered committee questions at a hearing on House Bill 1018 before the Appropriations — Education and Environment Division. The most prominent item was the proposed military gallery at the North Dakota Heritage Center, for which agency and military representatives described a multi‑year fundraising and financing plan.

The military gallery — presented at the hearing by Mitch Johnson, Adjutant General for the North Dakota National Guard — is estimated at roughly $78 million to $80 million, with organizers planning a roughly 50/50 split of private and state support and a $40 million private match. “The goal of the project is to build a world class facility with exhibits and experiences to tell the North Dakota military history,” Johnson said. He told the committee the North Dakota National Guard Foundation has led fundraising and the project has received $7.5 million so far and pledges indicating further support.

Why this matters: the gallery would be co‑located with the State Heritage Center and is framed as an education and tourism investment. Committee members queried the scale of private fundraising and whether bonding or other state commitments would be needed to complete the project.

In addition to the military gallery, State Historical Society testimony summarized several agency priorities and proposed staffing changes. Agency representative Bill (first name not specified in testimony) described requests and tradeoffs reflected in Governor Armstrong’s revised executive budget (the “purple sheet”)…