BISMARCK, N.D. – The State Historical Society of North Dakota, through funding provided by BNSF Railway Company under a memorandum of agreement with the U.S. Coast Guard, awarded $500,000 in salvage and direct funds to three eligible organizations in Mandan.

The following are those organizations awarded grants, a brief description of the project, and the amounts received:

The North Dakota Railroad Museum in Mandan received $5,000 to create an exhibit about the rail bridge.

The Mandan Historical Society received $69,250 to create a series of four videos about the current bridge, the new bridge project, Mandan before and after, and Bismarck before and after the bridge.

The City of Mandan was awarded salvage pieces and will receive $196,750 to build a plaza area incorporating salvaged pieces of the bridge, interpretive signage, and a sign for Mandan.

The granting of the Bis-Man Rail Bridge Fund was a competitive process. Applications were reviewed by a committee from the State Historical Society's Archaeology and Historic Preservation Department and rated based on two major categories: quality of the application and relevance to the history of the Bismarck Mandan Rail Bridge.

For more information, contact the State Historic Preservation Office at 701.328.2089.