Our Mission Statement

Our goal is to photographically document as much of North Dakota's heritage as possible before the ravages of time erase it completely. Although popular landmarks are frequently saved or restored in response to public opinion, ghost towns don't enjoy the luxury of general public support. Consider the following quote.

Most of our preservation money comes from the Historic Preservation Fund grant appropriated by Congress. The money we can use on development projects at historic sites must go to sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places and we are responsible for insuring appropriate uses of Federal money. With ghost towns, there is rarely enough local interest to prompt listing of the buildings on the National Register, and less in actual preservation. Preservation requires maintenance, and without local commitment, you don't have the resources to protect the history of that place.

Mary Kate Ryan
Architectural Historian
State Historical Society of North Dakota

This site will continue to grow and evolve until we can conclusively say we've photographically documented every great ghost town in North Dakota.

To aid us in our mission, please consider making a donation on the DONATE page.