The Emptied Prairie

[jimdahl]

I first saw this in a G.F. Herald article where they apparently thought this piece painted N.D. in a bad light, but National Geographic did a pretty cool spread on North Dakota ghost towns:

North Dakota, The Emptied Prairie

Not a hatchet job, in my opinion, but undoubtedly sad.

[ScottM]

I was somewhat amused by Gov. Hoeven's "defense" of the state. I didn't see anything in the NG piece that most of us didn't already know. Smaller towns are dying as residents die off, move, etc. If anything, I thought NG handled a somewhat painful issue with a great deal of discretion.

[Oxbow6]

I was somewhat amused by Gov. Hoeven's "defense" of the state. I didn't see anything in the NG piece that most of us didn't already know. Smaller towns are dying as residents die off, move, etc. If anything, I thought NG handled a somewhat painful issue with a great deal of discretion.

Agree, our state is what it is on the issues you and NG mentioned, but those in "defense" seem to feel that more could have been said by NG on the positives of ND to which I can understand as well.

[ScottM]

Agree, our state is what it is on the issues you and NG mentioned, but those in "defense" seem to feel that more could have been said by NG on the positives of ND to which I can understand as well.

The story wasn't about the "positives". It merely documented a sad chapter in the biography of the state. Frankly, I think more readers of NG would have more curiosity about NoDak after reading about a town of six people than a story about Fargo or Bismarck. As a practical matter, I think the national press, like NG and the NY Times, has a bit of a soft spot for my old state because it is different from the rest of the nation on a number of levels and it does have a unique story. Unfortunately, most NoDaks seem to have such an inferiority complex when the national press covers the state, they automatically get defensive and want coverage to include Fargo, Microsoft (nee: Great Plains), the oil biz, etc. and it makes them look rather silly.

[johndahl]

I thought it was a decent story, but not really any sort of unique reflection on North Dakota. There hasn't been any real need to have a town every 15 miles in the rural parts of the country for decades, and it only seems natural that only the larger towns will survive over time.

John

[Oxbow6]

The story wasn't about the "positives". It merely documented a sad chapter in the biography of the state. Frankly, I think more readers of NG would have more curiosity about NoDak after reading about a town of six people than a story about Fargo or Bismarck. As a practical matter, I think the national press, like NG and the NY Times, has a bit of a soft spot for my old state because it is different from the rest of the nation on a number of levels and it does have a unique story. Unfortunately, most NoDaks seem to have such an inferiority complex when the national press covers the state, they automatically get defensive and want coverage to include Fargo, Microsoft (nee: Great Plains), the oil biz, etc. and it makes them look rather silly.

That's what I was trying to get at. I know the story was not about positives and that why there are some who are upset. And again I can see their point as well.

[Shawn-O]

[GeauxSioux]

Sounds like Park River in the 80's...without the blacksmith.

The Coliseum was the place to be in July in the 80's.

[Shawn-O]

The Coliseum was the place to be in July in the 80's.

I attended those religiously in the '80's...except for the dusk to dawn ones on the 4th...that's when Detroit Lakes was in it's hayday.

[Goon]

I saw this posted over on sayanything blog and I didn't take it as a positive article, not quite a hatchet job as well. I thought it was more of a negative outlook towards rural nd and some how we are to view the rural areas losing population as being negative. I am not so sure that it is. I think the article does a good job illustrating the changing economic times and how people are moving out of the rural areas to the city.

[Goon]

The ground itself reeks of life, the endless sweep of grassland and wheat fields, cattle feeding in place of buffalo. South of the Missouri River, the Badlands stab the eye with bands of color rippling through the eroded slopes. North Dakota is a rarely visited state and surely one of the loveliest and most moving. The land swallows anyone who walks out into it. Everything begins as a promise. A young Teddy Roosevelt on a buffalo-killing holiday from New York in 1883 decided after a few days he would become rich as a cattleman and handed a $14,000 check to two men he barely knew so they could begin his great and doomed enterprise. The Marquis de Mores, a Frenchman with family wealth and a title, in that same year plotted a meatpacking and cattle empire and also lost his shirt, but left a town, Medora, and a ch

[kfah1]

I didn't think it was negative in any way.

I was fascinated by the article. When I have the opportunity to visit family in the Dakotas (primarily South) I take time to just drive around and maybe walk among the old abandoned homesteads out in the middle of nowhere. It really makes you think about the people that lived there and how they lived. It's a great piece of history I hope no one forgets.

I think it was great to have an article and photographs to bring this to light. I would like to think that this article makes others think about those that settled out here. Lots of history of what I think are some of the toughest, strongest people in the country.

[mikejm]

Unfortunately, most NoDaks seem to have such an inferiority complex when the national press covers the state, they automatically get defensive...

Agreed. And that complex can, unfortunately, seep into other aspects of life and start to take the form of a self-fulfilling prophecy. North Dakota, in fact all of the Great Plains, needs to focus on the positives that truly exist here and transmit that karma. Bellyaching about a magazine article has no upside.

[Shawn-O]

http://www.ghostsofnorthdakota.com/

For those of you who liked the NG piece, you'll probably enjoy this site.

[Siouxmama]

http://www.ghostsofnorthdakota.com/

For those of you who liked the NG piece, you'll probably enjoy this site.

There's some memories.

Found some pics of Mose, ND. As a kid, a bunch of families would go there camping. My parents friends had some land in/at Mose, and we spent many weekends there. I do recognize at least 1 of those pictures as a building on their land. Until now, I thought Mose, was spelled Moe's.

I learned all about snipe hunting at Mose.

[westsidesioux]

These are some great pictures. I grew up in SW ND and have been to or through the abandoned towns of Gascoyne and Bucyrus. I know the 2 people who live in Haley, and the town of Marmarth can be pretty fun. When it tells you that the stretch of highway 12 is rough, don't believe them because it was re-done this summer and it's a beautiful drive through that part of the state, especially driving from Rhame down into Marmarth in the badlands.

[ScottM]

"The Empire Strikes Back".

Strib

Nothing in NG's response that many of us didn't already surmise about the article. IMO Hoeven's letter did more "harm" to NoDak than the original article. I think it made him, and the state, look provincial and thin-skinned, as well as lacking any ability to read beyond the third-grade level.

[jloos]

"The Empire Strikes Back".

Strib

Nothing in NG's response that many of us didn't already surmise about the article. IMO Hoeven's letter did more "harm" to NoDak than the original article. I think it made him, and the state, look provincial and thin-skinned, as well as lacking any ability to read beyond the third-grade level.

It got some national press, which is probably what the intent was. ND Tourism (it exists although I agree it is kind of an oxymoron), has been all over this story. The Fargo Form has also tried to stir the pot. Any press is good press.

I did not think the article was demeaning. I have lived in ND most of my life and I have never been to any of the places mentioned in the article except Medora. The story depicted these small towns as miserable depressing places. I can see how residents of these areas would be upset if this was not true. However, the only criticism I have heard is from people in Bismarck.

[johndahl]

National Geographic responds, with exactly what you would have expected:

http://www.startribune.com/local/13894391.html

In summary, the story examined a specific phenomenon, and was not intended to be a comprehensive examination of North Dakota's economy. In all, not a bad story, and I've always liked the pretty pictures in National Geographic...

John

[NORGE]

[ScottM]

I love this guy.

Strib

Warning: Not for the thin-skinned.

[Fetch]

Maybe if the Bakken oil continues to get developed & the States coffers keep growing - we can get rid of State taxes & the Sales tax & even be like Alaska & give us money to live here - I bet many will change their tunes

Just think if we really got the refineries going & farm prices stay good

I'd love to see ND finally grow again (especially smaller towns) or will it just boom & bust again & a few become millionaires & move out of ND, like has been the trend for so long ?

This could be the best chance for ND to change (have good or better jobs) & keep our young here & bring folks back (including retirees)

Or will people from outside just come in & get while the getting is good & then talk about us like were some remote flat waste land (Bad Lands is the most famous thing we have) I have been there once in 40 yrs & just camped a night & went on to Yellowstone

[Goon]

Or will people from outside just come in & get while the getting is good & then talk about us like were some remote flat waste land (Bad Lands is the most famous thing we have) I have been there once in 40 yrs & just camped a night & went on to Yellowstone

The Western part of the state is awesome. I have been to Medora three times in 11 years, I love the place. If the price of gas wasn't 4.00 a gallon I would be going out there again this summer. The new Golf course the Bully Pull-pit Rocks. During Hunting season it is really empty, which I like. There were more sharp Tails that you can swing a stick at.