Alexander: Museum, Tradition, and Landscape

Alexander brings together an annual town tradition and a museum whose history can be experienced through its buildings and collection items. The area also features distinctive names from the historic landscape and a nearby dam with designated fish populations. If you are planning a vacation rental, first consider whether the festival, cultural history, or surroundings will be the focus of your trip.

History at the Museum and on the Grounds

The Lewis and Clark Trail Museum is located on the Lewis and Clark Trail and opened in 1969. Its collections are housed in an original three-story schoolhouse dating from 1914. On display are family heirlooms from settlers. The historic building and personal belongings offer different points of reference for the settlement’s history: one tells the story of the building, while the others tell of families and their possessions.

There are also specific details to discover outside the collections. The museum grounds include a sheep herder’s wagon. Several petrified tree stumps are displayed on the lawn in front of the grounds. Free admission makes the museum a clearly defined cultural stop for your travel plans. If you plan to visit, check the opening hours in advance.

The museum grounds are also home to James Gang Java, a coffee and gift shop in the Charbonneau School building. Its address is 102 Indiana Ave E in Alexander. The shop and the museum are therefore two named destinations on the same grounds. If you plan to visit James Gang Java, check its current opening hours.

Old Settlers’ Day: Festival and Food Traditions

Old Settlers’ Day is a three-day celebration held over Labor Day weekend. The tradition continues annually and began as Lem Burns Day. The program includes a bonfire, a parade, dances, school sports, bingo, and horseshoe pitching. Activities for children are also part of the festival, which may be useful for families to consider when planning their dates.

Individual events may vary from year to year. If you want to attend a particular activity, check the dates and that year’s program. Barbecue beef on a bun and baked beans are also served at the festival. Thus, specific foods are part of the tradition alongside the events. If Old Settlers’ Day is the main reason for your trip, Labor Day weekend provides the timeframe for planning.

Historic Landscape and Sather Dam

Historically, Alexander lay between several named buttes: Bell’s Butte to the south, Foreman’s Butte to the west, Barrager Butte to the northwest, and Tub Butte to the east. Big Hill, also called Firecracker Hill, was also located to the west. These directions connect the town’s history with specific names in the surrounding landscape, without requiring a particular view or route.

In the vicinity of the destination, Sather Dam has good populations of bluegill and largemouth bass; crappies are also found there. This adds another perspective on the region to the town’s history and festival tradition. When looking for a vacation rental in Alexander, you can start with the reason for your trip: Old Settlers’ Day is centered on the festival weekend, while museum opening hours need to be factored into your daily plans. Sather Dam may be an additional regional focus for you.

Discover more destinations: Watford City.

Go to the broader travel overview: McKenzie County.