Duo Preserves “Ghosts” of North Dakota

Lunds Valley, N.D. - used by permission from Ghosts of North Dakota

North Dakota has many ghosts that reside on its prairie and in its hills. They aren’t the supernatural kind of ghosts, but ghosts of the past and memories of the towns that have been officially wiped off the map. Though many are not officially recognized, these towns still have stories to tell. A partnership that started nearly seven years ago leads two Fargo men to follow the ghosts and document them through photography.

Troy Larson and Terry Hinnenkamp, a.k.a Rat, started with an interest in history, two cameras and a weekend road trip. They photographed “ghost towns” in eastern North Dakota and uploaded the images to their website, www.GhostsofNorthDakota.com.

They were hooked.

“I take the trips and the photos because it’s fun, it’s peaceful,” Larson says. “The website is something we do to share what we see, and to make sure that when these places are gone, we’ll still have a record.”

Part of what inspires them is the simple nature and solitude of North Dakota abandoned or sparsely populated locals. Their goal is to appreciate history, architecture and heritage, not to make a statement on conditions, which would cause small towns to fade. Towns targeted in photographs are those that have experience significant drops in population.

“It’s an attempt to document our history before it’s gone,” Hinnenkamp says. “We’ve seen too many towns that have completely disappeared off the map – we just want to get evidence of those towns before they are also gone.”

Larson and Hinnenkamp invited a colleague and I on their most recent ghost town adventure so we could shoot footage and start production on a documentary about their work. After 1,058 miles, 18 towns and the replacement of two wheel bearings, we had gathered hours of footage, and documented the discovery process and the research that goes into what these men do as a hobby.

At one of our last stops, we stood atop a hill overlooking Alkabo, N.D. Six miles from the Montana border and eight miles from Canada, this is the most

Alkabo, N.D. - used by permission from Ghosts of North Dakota

northwestern settlement in the state. The rundown buildings form a perfect, nearly empty town, creating the perfect movie setting.

I closed my eyes and felt the harsh sun on my face; the wind blew as I imagined a train whistling its arrival along the tracks. I could see a newcomer stepping off the train and walking up the hill that was Main Street, exploring their new surroundings: a general store, bank and post office along with a large school on top of the hill. There are stories here.

I understood how the ghost towners got hooked.

Along the way Larson and Hinnenkamp hear tales of the towns from those who still live in them. Other history enthusiasts send them photos of the way the towns used to look, or buildings that once stood. Their popularity and message of preservation has grown. In a town they explored near Minot, two men saw Larson walking on the sidewalk carrying his camera.

“Hey, are you those Ghosts of North Dakota guys?” one of them asked.

The duo has seen a surge in popularity since starting a Facebook fan page a year ago. They have gained 7,310 friends who follow them, a number that increases daily. If you visit their website, you’ll find documentation of nearly 60 towns.

Add to North Dakota’s story. Contact the ghost towners through www.GhostsofNorthDakota.com or visit their page on Facebook.