Curt Eriksmoen has been conducting historical research on North Dakota for 40 years. He has edited several books about the state, hosted a popular radio quiz program and, from 1974 to 1981, was CEO of the corporation that first introduced electronic trivia shows to bars and nightclubs. From 1988 to 2001, Eriksmoen was social studies coordinator for the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction. From 2003 to 2024 Eriksmoen wrote over 1,000 articles about North Dakota that were published in newspapers and magazines.  So far, nine books have been published featuring these articles.

Eriksmoen was born and raised on a farm near Leeds, North Dakota. He attended UND, receiving a masters’ degree in history. His education pursuit was interrupted when he served in the U.S. Army, spending portions of 1968 and 1969 in Vietnam.  After completing the course work towards a doctorate in history, Eriksmoen went into business in Grand Forks, marketing his trivia show. He researched all of the questions for the franchises that conducted his trivia shows.

In the early 1980s, Eriksmoen began working for the state government when he became the first personnel analyst for the state highway department. He has also either been employed by or been under contract for the secretary of state, legislative counsel, department of public instruction, and department of human services. He has spent time as an instructor at Briar Cliff College in Sioux City, Iowa; Red River High School in Grand Forks; Division of Independent Study in Fargo; and Continuing Education at NDSU.  Eriksmoen was co-founder of the following educational organizations: N.D. Geographic Alliance, N.D. Council of Consumer Education, N.D. Council of Environmental Education (now C2E2), and N.D. Coalition of Character Education.

Eriksmoen has served on 13 statewide coalitions of agencies and/or governmental organizations and holds the national record of being appointed N.D. Chair of the United Nations Day Celebrations for 12 straight years. He has written a number of grants, the largest being a $1 million dollar grant he co-wrote to implement character education into schools in North Dakota. He has also received national recognition from the National Geographic Society and the William Randolph Hearst Foundation, the latter which resulted in a meeting in the White House with President Clinton to promote citizenship education.

Eriksmoen was chosen by North Dakota Secretary of State, Ben Meier, to edit/write the 1989 Centennial Blue Book.  Governor George Sinner wrote that “This book is an introduction to North Dakota; an encyclopedic history of this state’s people and government.  It is the biggest, best, and most complete Blue Book ever assembled.”  Eriksmoen also co-edited the 1995 and 1997 Blue Books.

In 2024, the State Historical Society of North Dakota presented Eriksmoen with the Heritage Profile Honor Award.  “This award recognizes individual who have made a lasting or significant contribution in preserving, interpreting, researching, publishing, promoting, or otherwise extending the knowledge and understanding of the history of North Dakota.”  There had not been another recipient of this award since 2020.
 
In 1999, Eriksmoen married Jan Breding from Bismarck.  Jan is the editor of the newspaper articles and books, and is also executive director of Eriksmoen Enterprises. Pictured with Jan and Curt is their dog, Rambo, who died in 2011. Curt has two children from a previous marriage. His son, Paul Eriksmoen, was a contractor who flew new airplanes to aircraft purchasers, many of whom were located in other countries. Tragically, he was killed in 2014 when the plane he was flying crashed in Greenland.  Eriksmoen’s daughter, Inga Selders, is the owner of Substream Music & Sound Design, a full-service audio production company specializing in original music and sound design for TV, film, and commercials.  Since 2007, her company has helped advertising clients such as Snapple, Hostess, and AMC Theaters bring their creative vision to life through original music and sound design.  These high-profile campaigns have won numerous industry awards at national levels, including five gold ADDY awards for original music and sound design.