The (Fake) History of Minot North Dakota 

“It’s so damn flat you could watch your dog run away for a week” omfg that was hilarious and true. And I’m with you on potato oles.

Several years ago, the city started a "Why Not Minot?" campaign to try to persuade people to move there and young residents to stay. I was told a counter bumper sticker had the answer: "Why Not Minot? Freezin's the Reason."

Don’t forget, Minot also has NORSK HØSTFEST and a Scandinavian Park.

When I was in the AF we all worried about getting orders there. I was never assigned there but after my discharge I had to spend four months here for work. It's not as bad as you make it out to be. There are plenty of places out there that are worse. Maybe if you tried getting to know non air force people you wouldn't be so caustic about the place. I found that the majority of the people there are hard working and loyal.

Minot is not such a bad place. I know. I lived there between 1975 and 1985. And a lot of what this guy says is B.S....not quality B.S. but cliche'd B.S. So sometimes I wonder why people make videos like this as I fail to see their value. One thing I CAN say about all the negative press North Dakota gets is that, "it keeps the riffraff out," right? Oh! And one thing more... The Minot calendar actually DOES show 3 seasons: July, August and Winter. Uffda! ...and another thing... Why isn't anyone bashing Grand Forks AFB? The place is just as cold and even flatter than Minot.

I was stationed at Minot AFB in the early 80's. For a kid right out of high school from San Diego, this was quite the culture shock, to say the least! As you did though, I made the best of it, even though I had no idea what I was doing, per-say, and after my 4 years, got outta there, and went back to California. Um, major relief then! I've been back once, and the airport and some other things have changed, but I still wouldn't want to be there. I think you have to BE from there...know what I mean. Thanks.

My Dad was at Minot AFB in 1976 (of his own choice). So, we drove in a station wagon with Mom, Dad, my brother, myself and our German Shepherd from Buffalo, NY to Minot, ND. We were kids, so Minot was something different, but I gotta say, it was pretty much what you're describing as far as flat and in "nowhere". Can't believe you didn't mention the tumble weeds that showed up though! LOL Anyway, it was a great place to raise kids as the biggest crime was someone lifted a candy bar from Piggly Wiggly. Good people, good town...again, from a nine-year-old's perspective. My brother and I would like to go back. Is the Field and Stream restaurant still there? Probably not, but it was a great place.

lest we not forget that while u cut down minot, it is home of the North Dakota State Fair, its NOT the 'minot state fair'...not bismarck, not jamestown, not fargo...minot. also, did you forget how many people from almost every country of the world attend the Norsk Hostfest?

Well, I too had the unfortunate orders to be stationed at Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota from March 1977 to December 1980. It was truly hell on earth, but just a whole hell of a lot colder, flatter and treeless! Barren Polar Wasteland!

"So flat that you can watch your dog run away for a WEEK". Worth watching this video.

My cousin was affected by the train derailment poisoning. He got some financial compensation for a while after

Minots really been growing a lot recently it’s crazy how much expansion there is especially to the southeast corner. It’s not that bad of a place I’m from dickinson and I work up there on occasion and I’ve never hated it that much although I do prefer bismarck or grand forks way over minot. Worst part about minot is how far out of the way it is and the fact that it’s not connected to an interstate. To get there from dickinson you gotta take small 2 lane backroad highways and cross the dam and it would be so much more convenient for an interstate but I just don’t think there’s enough traffic going up to minot to support an interstate and most traffic from minot is going to bismarck which that’s already on a divided highway anyways

I live here and can confirm we are the butt whole of the united states

Interesting video, brought back memories. Minot AFB, 741SMS, 91SMW, 1979 - 1982. Coldest place I was ever stationed. Watched it snow 2 inches in May once. Helped sandbag the Souris river one Spring. Lived in the BOQ and did a lot of shoveling to get to and from my car. Always felt sorry for the Missile cops, especially the Camper teams.

Loved your video. I lived in Grand Forks for about 7 years but didn't visit the other side of the state. So the internet is saying that Bismarck, ND has high crime. Is that a thing? Higher than Fargo?

US Army Corps of Engineers Minneapolis Office has jurisdiction over the Souris (Mouse) River and interacts with Canadian federal and provincial governments. In 1986, Congress authorized $108 million to help Manitoba build two dams that afforded Minot catastrophic flood protection to an event every 500 years. Before this opportunity, North Dakota residents vetoed an Army Corps plan for a nearby lake reservoir near Glenburn. US Senator Burdick secured the Canadian option in a pending 50-year US Corps of Engineers Reform Bill. Minot residents passed a $8 million sales tax to pay the local share.

As a Minot native, this is beautiful.

My dad Clayton Lunde was Rolette North Dakota his parents were full-blooded Norwegian.

my dad got posted to minot AFB and we all hated it - the place sucked - mind you this was in the early-mid 70's but we were so glad to leave the state for ANYWHERE else.

I was stationed here '83 - 87' ... can't speak to today but we were not hated by the citizenry back when I was there. A few people would protest the nukes outside the gate a couple times a year but that was it. Without the commerce from the base, there would be no town. It was definitely isolated and took some getting used to ... but it wasn't as bad as this guy makes out.

Sounds like you miss Minot. 😅

Wasn’t that one legged dancer club called the Chicago? Back when envy was around too.

DO THE AIR FORCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

1000% spot on. I put my time in from 1989 to 2007 and will never go back. By time I mean birth to college. My mom moved out so as soon as my dad leaves Minot I’ll never ever need to go back!

Spent 2.5 years there in USAF, not a bad place, we had a ball. Sounds like you might be a bit whiny.

If you look on the most popular ND classifieds "BisMan", Minot has both the greatest number and highest $ firearms for sale from private owners.

As a man of hispanic heritage people still tease me until this day about being born here lol, I left when I was 3 years old and was only there because my dad was stationed there in the Air Force 🤷🏽‍♂️

Your video gives away your ignorance as a city boy. It took me 5 years of updating my dream sheet every quarter to get out of Nellis and go to Ellsworth or Minot. I loved my time there. As for the flood my shop was the only one on base that didn't have to handle sandbags because we ran the dump trucks and other heavy equipment. We also did base snow removal and ran the sweepers on the streets and airfield. But since you was Air Force you could've shown a photo at of someone that was actually Air Force and not someone that is US Army 36 seconds into your video.

How about Rolette North Dakota?

You forgot about the Native American girls who would always manage to sneak on a Nuclear Base and make their way to the enlisted men's dorms 😳😲😅

The only reason my husband goes up north with me is the olés 🤣

One legged stripper's are a common sight in Oregon. And if you ever date a one legged stripper, don't think you can out run her.

Minot is awful. We all didnt not like it. There were a handful that liked it. The people were not friendly the base were. Glad you said the citizens hate the base. They were rude to the military! I did work downtown out of bordom. I'm so thankful I'm out of there really feel it stole yrs away in my 20s I can't get back. Should be considered remote because it is. Thank God I left 5 weeks every winter.

Minot definitely isn't the worst

I live in Mohall and I have to drive to Minot almost every day to fucking grocery shop. I fucking hate it here. My husband is military as well but we're originally from Florida lived in Hawaii then Nashville Helen Georgia bowling Green Kentucky and now why not. It got shittier and shittier with every move lol no I'd go back to any one of those places over this place. I hate the town I hate the food I hate that everybody wants to get drunk or high and I hate that you can't go anywhere for half a year because of the snow. Oh and I also hate that there's no goddamn trees to stop the snow from piling up in front of your house.

You got at least one thing wrong ... You can watch yur dog run away for 2 weeks ... Not 1

I LIVED THERE FOR 7 YEARS.I LIKE IT BETTER THAN sanantonio,tx. Were I live now.

I was there in 2014 and it ok but too Cold for me so I moved back to Texas

better than Watford City! Flew into mInot from NOLA in 1982 and had to ride 4 across in a pickup to that cesspool (Northern Border Pipeline) it took all damn day

YOU ARE SO RIGHT ABOUT MINOT!! THERE IS A SIGN OVER THE MINOT SFB SECURITY GATE: ONLY THE BEST COME NORTH, AND THE FOOLS STAY!!!

My God, 90% of the buildings you show in your video WEREN'T THERE when I was sent there in October 1970. The bridge on Broadway was a WOODEN TRESTLE! All 13 bars had a stripper, even the lounge at the Holiday Inn. A 300 pound stripper with her boobs shoved in a cowboy hat. I was 18, drinking age was 21, so no bars for me, single, one stripe, no car, and the nurses at the Baptist Nursing College wanted NOTHING to do with airmen. There were NO WAFS on base when I arrived there, save for a Captain nurse at the Medical Clinic on base. She came up pregnant and changed the rule for pregnant single military to stay in. When they did show up, in 1971, there were several cases of rape reported in the first 2 months. 1969 a new guy driving a snow plow blew out the first floor windows of the Security Police Dorm at 2:30am. Talk about a rude awaking! Two children were sent through the auger of a snow plow playing in a tunnel of snow in the housing area. We were not permitted to plow snow until after 10pm from then on. That did not bode well with people asleep in their homes. Minot today is NOT the hellhole it was then! Common phraseology was If God were going to give America an enema, he would stick the syringe in Minot.

Lived there from 95-04. Moved to Colorado. My plan is to move BACK when I retire in 5 years. It's one of the few places that Californians WONT move to.

Minot is not fun. Maybe the worst town in North Dakota.

it's worse than this video let's on, they're being rather generous even, source, live here my whole life 😢

Lol im a pacific islander and im currently living in minot, north dakota! Theres nothing wrong here, this guy is full of shit.

Why not Minot? I was in the AF in the late 70's and early 80's stationed at what could be the second worst assignment.... Altus AFB OK..... at least we didnt have the snow. Other than that...... well ...just that, we didnt have the snow.

Why not, Minot?

hope you left already! cause there more snow. and we found some scary stuff obout minot

Sounds like you work for the Fed

Ooooooffffffdddddaaaaa Hilarious and I was during birth era Familiar

It looks like Latham, NY. A strip mall

Minrot North Dachoda.

I'd cut my arm off to leave clovis nm and go back to minot 😂😂

Just because a Waitress didn’t like you so you make a whole video about downing Minot?!😅 you have no idea what a BAD place is

Kind a like Winnipeg

Sure glad you moved on.

The one legged stripper says u partied on north hill or the Chicago club , me personally drank at Arnies always a fight in there.

I hate it here

Bro.. Cannon AFB/Clovis NM is worse

I have to clear this up. The author of this video is confusing the city of Minot w/ the AFB. The base is 50miles due north of the city cause the base is a nuclear missile launch facility (western fields). Grand Forks base is for the eastern fields. Both are targets.

Lmfao this is good currently there right now 🫠😂

WOW, l left ND years ago and had my reasons as well but your view is way too harsh. Makes sense your ignorant view is because you aren't from there and have a jaded view from your imprisonment in the Air Force. Most of the crime can also be associated with temporary military like yourself. You didn't want to be there? trust me , they didn't want you there either!!

We enjoy having the base and wing nuts in minot just as much as the basers enjoy minot, we don’t.

you could actually kill someone with a potato ole. so salty

I living here you rigth the peaple in Minot is racist nazzys no one have love for the other the Hispanic community is attack a lot the jobs I worked allways treatme like garbish 😢is sad I can take my family becouse the person live here think the city is only for them when you tell them what place I was go I answer no so far we go is Montana o South Dakota I pray God to give me direction to leave from here the doctor kill my baby I hate Minot a lot nazzys living here

For many years I purchased tiny dog bows from a woman in Minot and sold thousands of them. Wish she still made them.

Behind every tree is a blond haired blue eyed Norwegian girl....now find a tree. '78 - '86

At one time Minot’s population growth was attributed to retired Air Force personnel.

Lived there from 1975-79 as an USAF brat. Minot wasn't that bad. Like everything else in American life, the hype and hyperbole are must bigger than the truth. This video is a perfect example of hype, negative hype. Let's not forget than ND was one of the fastest growing states in the union not that long ago (5-7 years ago?).

Why not Minot, freezing the reason. State tree is a telephone pole and state bird is a mosquito.

Why not Minot, freezin's the reason. Lol

Would like to see Dickenson N D.

This was my first base also. Most of my graduating class went there. Couldn't wait to get out of there. I was there in 1983.

I drove through Minot a couple of summers ago on my transcontinental drive of Hwy 2. It seems like a friendly place. But there is no way I'd winter over that far North.

The only bad thing about Minot, is the occasional asshole airman you might run into

Pototo Oles! I found a restaurant here in NY that seasons their tots the same, just yesterday! So I ordered up some nacho cheese. Next visit will be their poutine version on tots.

And on the other hand it sounds to me like you should've got out of Minot a little more quit living in a little box dude!😂😂 The way you talk is depressing!😂😂😂

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 you're basically talking about the whole damn state! I've lived in all of these towns Bismarck the longest and right in between Bismarck and Minot. All these towns from one edge of the state to the other edge are nothing but bars and rundown buildings and people that are giving up because there's only four months out of the year to do anything worth a shit

Why not?

I was stationed at Fairchild in Spokane. Whenever anybody complained about the single digit winter cold, you got an earful about Minot and how Fairchild was like Miami in comparison.

It’s actually not that bad at all. Winter weather sucks but the town and people are fine. It’s a safe town compared to many diverse areas.

I've lived my whole life in Minot, and have visited a pretty sizeable portion of the rest of the world outside it. It was a nice town in 1957 before the USAF showed up whining crying and bitching. Candyasses really shouldn't be tolerated in the US military. Honestly we should make it illegal for any USAF retiree to settle here, and plenty do, because they simply can't tear themselves away from the government tit, and couldn't make it in the real world anyway. I'm pushing 70 now, but some of my fondest memories are those of beating the shit out of lippy flies who tried to crash our parties back in the '70's.

The thing I like about Minot is the break in the monotony of US highway 2, the river valley it rests in. Try driving from Bemidji, Minnesota to Cut Bank, Montana sometime.

Minot has 3 area codes

I've always wondered why not Minot, now I know.

"Uufda" is Scandinavian expression, primarily Norwegian. It is used exactly as you describe; as a mild expletive. Also elsewhere in the northern mid west or plains states "pop" is THE correct way to describe soda

If you think Minot was bad you should have gone to Williston!

You AF guys sure do complain a lot about nothing meaningful. Minot AFB has a better town near by with way less crime then say Whiteman AFB with Sedalia Mo and Warrensburg Mo. Talk about a pair of shitholes.

Dude! I'm with you. I was stationed at Grand Forks AFB North Dakota from December 1965 to February 1968. I never wanted to go over seas, but when I got my orders to Ching Chung Kang AFB, Tiawan, I couldn't wait to get out of there and go. Even Viet Nam beat the hell out of North Dakota. Two years, one month and eleven days in that shit hole in North Dakota. People there were just as you described them, and we too were called out EVERY spring to sand bag the damn town. They were just too damn cheap to build dikes, even though the Red River running through town would flood every single year.

They send all of the wannabes to Minot North Dakota to weed out the week apparently you failed the test

I lived there 4 years. Excellent place if you like to hunt and fish.

We used to be a bootleg city got underground tunnels downtown ppl used to call it lil Chicago for bootlegging an the wind haha. ND the state that’ll make or break a person haha I’m from minot it’s a love hate feeling for me

We actually have two area codes motherfucker do your research and you're a baser none of the locals like basers Hope you had a shitty time here it's actually a decent place to live just not for pussies where the fuck are you from Kansas Dorothy And you wasted 20 years in the military being a puppet for these fuckin politicians stuck in the matrix asshole and no one uses oofta you fucking moron eat my dick

I was in Belcourt, ND. It is an hour and 30 minutes northeast of Minot which means it was even colder and more desolate. I think there might have been 5,000 people. When I would drive to Minot , I felt like I was in Manhattan.

Exact description of minot lol

Minot is what you make it. When I moved here I hated it, I came from a major city and hated everything. Then I got out in the town and made friends, now I love it here and the state as a whole. I would never move back to a major city and I bought a house here. Its a great place, with great people, and yes we hate people like you that just complain about the town. If you don't like it, leave.

Oh my God that was so funny! "So flat you fan watch your dog run away for a week." I'm never gonna forget that one! Skol!

Continue going north, and you will find where most of my family is from. about 7 miles south of Canadian border. Bottineau. My hometown, the oil boomtown of Williston. Can't disagree with you, so nough saying.

Takes a tough person to live up here in North Dakota and when I was in the Air Force I was in tech school my orders were to go to Panama but I traded with a guy going to South Dakota at Rapid City Ellsworth AFB and I had a blast. I am from the Dickinson area so SD and ND people are almost the same . The weather is crazy all the time from 50 below zero to 120 degree Temps you get used to it. I would do it all over again lol. But Fargo is flatter than Minot there is not even a rock to stop the wind lol.

I was born and raised in north Dakota and still live there, minot is not that bad there are places that are far far worse