The 1920 North Dakota blizzard was a severe blizzard

Blizzard

A blizzard is a severe snowstorm characterized by strong winds. By definition, the difference between blizzard and a snowstorm is the strength of the wind. To be a blizzard, a snow storm must have winds in excess of with blowing or drifting snow which reduces visibility to 400 meters or ¼ mile or...

 that killed 34 people from March 15 – March 18, 1920 in the state of North Dakota

North Dakota

North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....

. High winds and an eight-inch snowfall stopped rail service in Bismarck, North Dakota

Bismarck, North Dakota

Bismarck is the capital of the U.S. state of North Dakota and the county seat of Burleigh County. It is the second most populous city in North Dakota after Fargo. The city's population was 61,272 at the 2010 census, while its metropolitan population was 108,779...

 and only one telephone line functioned between Fargo, North Dakota. and Minneapolis, Minnesota

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...

. Telephone service was out between Devils Lake, North Dakota

Devils Lake, North Dakota

As of the 2000 Census, there were 7,222 people, 3,127 households, and 1,773 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 3,508 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 89.23% White, 0.22% African American, 7.84% Native American, 0.28%...

 and Fargo, North Dakota. It is considered one of the worst blizzards on record in North Dakota.

Among the victims were five country school students, including Hazel Miner

Hazel Miner

Hazel Dulcie Miner , the daughter of a North Dakota farmer and a student at a one-room school, died saving her 10-year-old brother, Emmet, and 8-year-old sister, Myrdith, during a spring blizzard in Center, Oliver County, North Dakota.After her death, she became a national heroine...

 and Adolph, Ernest, Soren, and Herman Wohlk

Wohlk brothers (1920 blizzard victims)

Herman, Soren, Ernest, and Adolph Wohlk were four young Ryder, North Dakota brothers who died during a blizzard as they made their way home from school...

. Also killed were a young mother, Mrs. Andrew Whitehead

Mrs. Andrew Whitehead

Mrs. Andrew Whitehead , , died saving her young son during a spring blizzard in North Dakota that also killed 33 other people. She is a lesser known victim of the three-day blizzard, which also killed Hazel Miner in the western part of the state.Mrs...

, Charles Hutchins, north of Douglas, North Dakota

Douglas, North Dakota

As of the census of 2000, there were 64 people, 30 households, and 17 families residing in the city. The population density was 223.1 people per square mile . There were 44 housing units at an average density of 153.4 per square mile . The racial makeup of the city was 93.75% White and 6.25% Native...

; the twelve-year-old son of Matt Yashenko, who lived five miles south of Ruso, North Dakota

Ruso, North Dakota

As of the census of 2000, there were six people, three households, and three families residing in the city. The population density was 23.9 people per square mile . There were three housing units at an average density of 11.9 per square mile...

; and "Chicken Pete" Johnson, a Minot eccentric

Eccentricity (behavior)

In popular usage, eccentricity refers to unusual or odd behavior on the part of an individual. This behavior would typically be perceived as unusual or unnecessary, without being demonstrably maladaptive...

, who was found dead in his dug-out on South Hill in Minot, North Dakota

Minot, North Dakota

Minot is a city located in north central North Dakota in the United States. It is most widely known for the Air Force base located approximately 15 miles north of the city. With a population of 40,888 at the 2010 census, Minot is the fourth largest city in the state...

.