The late 1800s and the early 1900s brought tremendous changes to Mandan, as well as all of North Dakota. The 1880s through the second decade of the 20th century saw much of the new state's population growth, as English, Irish, Scandinavian, German, and many other ethnic groups joined the Native American tribes that had been in the Mandan area for centuries. Later arrivals of Germans from Russia resulted in even more diversity in the young city. First inhabited by the Mandan Indians, the city of Mandan has become a vital center for Morton County government, agricultural activities, and various industries. The "city where the West begins" is accessible from many directions because of its location near the Missouri River, along a main railway line, and near an interstate highway.