The Former Governors? Mansion State Historic site was the residence of the North Dakota Governor during 1893 to 1960. Built in 1884, it was originally a private residence for Asa Fisher, a wholesale liquor dealer and president of the First National Bank. It housed 20 chief executives during the time it served its political purpose. In 1893, Fisher sold the house to the state for a price of $5,000.

The house was acquired by the State Historical Society of North Dakota in 1975, hoping to turn it into a museum. A major restoration process was done, including extensive research, to bring the house back to its former glory in 1893.

Today, tours of the house highlight the restoration methods that were done. Some of these are the wallpaper samples that are exposed to show changes in style and the unique room displays that indicate the architectural changes by each of the governors who lived in it.