1738History
The Mandan Indian village at the southern base of Crying Hill prominent in east Mandan was recorded as early as 1738 and called Good Fur Robe, after their chief.
1804History
Not until the early 1800s did Euro-American frontiersmen come to the area with any regularity, the Lewis and Clark Expedition in 1804 and 1806, George Catlin in 1832, and Prince...
1830Military
In 1830 the American Fur Company established the Fort Clark Trading Post 40 miles upstream on the Missouri River to support trappers.
1832Military
Historical records indicate it served steamboat traffic as early as 1832 when the riverboat Yellowstone reached Fort Union.
1860Sports
Regular steamboat service on the Missouri began in 1860.
1872Military
To provide protection for the approaching rail line from the east and the homesteaders who would surely follow, the US Army established two outposts in the area in 1872 and 1873.
1873Military
In 1873 Congress authorized the addition of a cavalry post and changed its designation to Fort Abraham Lincoln when foot soldiers were deemed ineffective against their mounted a...
1876History
John Andrew Rea arrived across the river in Bismarck in 1876 to serve as temporary editor of its newspaper during one of its founder's extended absences.
1878Civil Rights
Gerard was appointed by the Dakota Territorial governor as Morton County's first assessor when it was established in March 1878.
1879Government
Founded in 1879 on the west side of the upper Missouri River, it was designated in 1881 as the county seat of Morton County.
1880Government
Rea subsequently served as the register in the governmental land office in the territorial capital of Bismarck for eight years starting in June 1880.
1881Military
Upon completion of the railroad to Montana in 1881, Fort Abraham Lincoln had fulfilled its primary purpose and gradually declined until it was formally abandoned in 1891.
1882Infrastructure
=== Mandan Railroad Passenger Service ===
Mandan was a scheduled meal stop for the Northern Pacific Railway east-west passenger line beginning in 1882.
1912History
In August 1912, Congress passed a bill to establish the Northern Great Plains Research Station.
1913History
Ground was broken in September 1913.
1928Architecture
The existing "beanery" lunchroom and depot were constructed in 1928 and 1930, respectively as replacements at the site.
1934History
It ceased operations in 1934.
1947Education
Until 1947 the facility, then called the State Training School, also served as an orphanage, especially for the children of incarcerated criminals.
1954Economy
=== Energy industry ===
A Marathon Petroleum oil refinery north of Mandan began operations in 1954 as a unit of the American Oil Company, with a 29,000 barrels per day (BPD) ca...
1963History
The larger 75-megawatt unit went online in 1963 but was converted to a modern fluidized design in the early 1980s.
1970Culture
The Northern Pacific became part of the Burlington Northern Railroad in 1970 and part of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway in 1995.
1979History
Amtrak discontinued the North Coast Hiawatha passenger service along the south half of the state in 1979.
2000History
=== 2000 census ===
As of the 2000 census, there were 16,718 people, 6,647 households, and 4,553 families residing in the city.
2001Culture
The refinery became part of the British Petroleum (BP) system as part of the BP-Amoco merger in January 2001.
2005Infrastructure
Known since 2005 as BNSF Railway, it operates the railroad facilities in Mandan and the surrounding communities.
2010History
In the 2010 census, nearly 5% of the people in Mandan identified as Native American.
2013Crime
=== Recent history ===
In 2013, Mandan was selected a finalist in the Rand McNally "Most Patriotic City" competition.
2014History
An 88MW Simple Cycle Combustion Turbine "peaking unit" was added to the station in July 2014.
2016Education
In 2016, the Mandan Public School District was Morton County's largest employer, with approximately 700 employees.
2020History
=== 2020 census ===
As of the 2020 census, there were 24,206 people, 10,222 households, and 6,016 families residing in the city.
2021History
In 2021, IDG Insider Pro and Computerworld Magazine honored NISC as one of the Top 100 "Best Places to Work in IT" for the 18th consecutive year for midsize organizations (compa...
2022Disaster
Until February 2022, most power was generated by two lignite coal-fired boilers.
2023History
As of the 2023 American Community Survey, there are 10,030 estimated households in Mandan with an average of 2.37 persons per household.
2025History
== Demographics ==
According to realtor website Zillow, the average price of a home as of August 31, 2025, in Mandan is $337,164.