Apple Creek is now only a trickle compared with the much larger watercourse created when a large sheet of glacial ice formed it. The creek, along with many others draining into the Missouri Valley, carried rich fertile soil that supports crops and the communities along the Missouri River. Bismarck, the capital of North Dakota, lies 10 miles west and includes on the State Capitol Grounds an 18 story capitol building and the State Historical Museum, which displays many items used in the everyday life of the pioneers who founded the state.