In most U.S. states, the Turtle Mountain range—which rise 2000 feet above sea level and 300 to 400 feet above the surrounding countryside—would be called hills. But in North Dakota, one of the flattest states in the nation, people have a habit of calling even relatively modest rises “mountains.”
The combination of stalled glaciers at the end of the most recent Ice Age and the thick layer of uneven sediment underneath the glaciers helped create the pockmarked landscape that defines Turtle Mountain. From a satellite image, many of the lakes in this area were formed when blocks of buried ice melted, leaving space underground for the overlying sediment to slump down. These depressions in the surface are what geologists call kettles. Over time, many kettles filled with water, forming the familiar “kettle lakes” or “prairie potholes” so common in today’s Turtle Mountain.
The area is known for its timber, numerous lakes, and small deposits of low-grade manganese. One of the largest lakes in the Turtle Mountain is Lake Metigoshe, which straddles the international border. About 1/8 of the lake is in Canada.
Year-round outside activities draw people to north central North Dakota.
coal
Following the discovery of coal in 1879, coal mining started in the Turtle Mountain just across the border in Manitoba near Deloraine. If you follow the series “When Calls the Heart” on the Hallmark channel, you know about coal mining in this area.
When higher quality coal was found elsewhere in Canada and the Trans-Canada Railway was built, the mines closed. Small scale coal mining was revived during the Depression because Turtle Mountain’s lignite was cheaper than higher coal grades from Saskatchewan. The last mine closed in 1943 because of labor shortages during WWII and changing economic conditions. The original Deloraine town site is now covered by a man-made lake that was made when the Turtle-Head Dam was built.
Plains natives
Turtle Mountain is the traditional territory of the Plains Ojibwe, as well as part of the Metis homeland. As more and more people moved west into the Plains and settled during the 19th century, and with the firm border established between Canada and the United States, many displaced Indigenous peoples moved to and from the region. Some identify themselves as the Turtle Mountain Chippewa, who are federally recognized and whose reservation in the valley is on the southeastern edge of the plateau.
International Peace Gardens
In 1928, a few men had a vision of a garden on the U.S.-Canadian border where peace could be celebrated. They wanted a living monument to the ideals of friendship and cooperation among nations as an example to the world. In 1932, more than 50,000 people gathered on the prairie to dedicate this space and to begin growing peace.
The Peace Gardens is in both Canada and the U.S., and passports aren’t needed inside the gardens. Campgrounds, picnic areas, rustic and formal spaces, along with meeting rooms, offer space for many special events. It’s open year-round so visitors can enjoy the 2400 acres of forests and prairie. We enjoyed their campground for a couple of nights.
inside the Peace Gardens
If you’re interested in coming here, you’ll probably see a more lovely display of flowers in the formal gardens than in these pictures. We were here just as the weather was changing and the staff was starting to clean out the flower beds for winter.
The Turtle Mountain region that’s home to the Peace Gardens had an interesting beginning that started with retreating glaciers, as we’ve seen in previous posts. Here’s more information.
The mountain range was first exposed as the glaciers receded, making it a good place for a home for several First Nations (Canadian’s term for Native Peoples). Manitoba was a traditional territory for early European fur traders as they explored and settled the area. These traders created several fur trading posts along the border, and the land evolved into an agrarian society.
More than 50,000 annuals and thousands of flowering perennials create a vivid landscape every year, including the floral clock at the entrance that was being cleaned out while we were there.
buildings
As we drove around, we saw a couple of interesting buildings.
It’s the oldest building in the Peace Gardens and has an amazing display of natural architecture that reflects human tenacity during hard times. It sure looks like the buildings built by the CCC that we’ve seen in national parks.
We would have loved to walk around these buildings, but I couldn’t walk well because of my broken ankle encased in a boot.
Other venues include the International Music Camp and the North American Game Warden Museum (that was closed). Hiking and biking trails connect acres of prairie land and wilderness that are dotted with lakes and ponds.
boundary markers
Remember the information on boundary markers that we learned about in the previous post? The Peace Gardens has markers that commemorate the work done by the International Boundary Commission.
See the information on both sides of the sign? In Canada, all signs are in English and French. We’ll show you the English side.
The 1925 Treaty of Washington mandated that the Commissioners maintain an effective boundary line between the 2 countries. They were to accomplish this task by clearing the boundary view to a 24′ width through forested areas. Over 8000 monuments were to be maintained over 5525 miles of land and water boundaries.
Now let’s see what else Turtle Mountain has to show us.
