The iconic Christmas window display at the North Dakota Capitol is celebrating its 90th year, marking nearly a century of a holiday tradition that has become a familiar symbol for residents across the state.
The illuminated Christmas tree design first appeared in the Capitol’s windows in 1935, according to research by the State Historical Society of North Dakota. The display was introduced shortly after construction of the current Capitol building was completed in 1934, following the destruction of the original Capitol by fire in 1930.
Sarah Walker, head of reference services for the State Historical Society of North Dakota, said early records show that the Capitol’s tower was intended to be used creatively for public displays. The first lighting installation appeared in 1934 and featured a cross to commemorate Easter.
Later that year, the building displayed its first Christmas decoration—a star of Bethlehem mounted at the top of the Capitol. The star measured about 16 feet in diameter and contained 120 lights, though it was not placed in the windows.
“It’s such a cool tradition, and it’s so cool to think about how long it’s been going on,” Walker said. “I have not heard of this anywhere else.”
While it remains unclear whether the tree display featured red and green colors in its first year, Walker found a 1936 Bismarck Tribune article describing the tree in those colors, a design that has since become standard.
The Capitol’s windows were also used in the building’s early years to showcase designs marking events such as a Kiwanis Club convention, a National Anti-Tuberculosis Association campaign, and a Christian ecumenical gathering.
“It was meant to be used as a tool to welcome people and celebrate holidays,” Walker said. “I kind of think they were trying to be as inventive as possible and just created this really cool tradition.”
Today, the display is created using 88 colored plastic window shades—48 green and 40 red—installed on selected windows on the north and south sides of the Capitol. Brandon Solberg, facilities director for the Office of Management and Budget, which oversees the Capitol grounds, said it takes a coordinated effort to maintain the tradition each year.
“You can see the Capitol tower from so many different angles, and from so far away, that to have it lit up for the holidays is just great,” Solberg said. “It’s quite a process to do that on every floor, every night.”
The facilities department installs the window shades after Thanksgiving, while custodial staff ensure the correct shades are lowered each evening. Other windows are darkened to create the outline of the tree.
In addition to the Christmas display, the Capitol lights its windows to mark New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day and to display “4th” on the Fourth of July. In recent years, the building has also illuminated numbers celebrating North Dakota State University football championships and the state’s 125th anniversary.
“Some offices aren’t very bright so they have to bring in lamps to kind of brighten up the room, so it can get kind of complicated,” Solberg said.
Requests for additional designs are frequently declined due to the complexity and time required to coordinate installations across the building. However, Solberg said future upgrades may make the process easier.
With new windows scheduled for installation in 2026, officials have worked with architects to ensure the holiday lighting tradition continues. The facilities team is also exploring LED lighting and automated window shades, though those improvements would require legislative funding.
For Walker, who grew up in Bismarck, the Capitol Christmas display remains deeply personal.
“I can remember just always looking for it to be up,” she said. “I really do kind of feel a sense of, ‘this is home.’”
Originally reported by Michael Achterling in North Dakota Monitor.
