Belden, ND
Mountrail County
Vacant as of 6/05

Belden was founded by Finnish settlers in 1904. Like many ghost towns, the origins of it's name are still in dispute. It is named either for W.L. Belden, US Indian Agent-at-Large at Fort Berthold, or for the Postmaster's hometown in Indiana.

Click images to see the full-size pics.

Although the locals denied it, Belden was once said to be a hotbed of communist activity. Couldn't have been much of a hotbed however considering Belden's population never really got above 25.

As we were taking the picture of the building shown bottom-center, we heard a noise behind us. We turned around just in time to see a deer come dashing out of one of Belden's abandoned structures.

Private Property signs are prominently posted in Belden, and the road which used to lead into town is very overgrown.

source material
Silent Towns on the Prairie by Ken C. Brovald. Pictorial Histories Publishing Company

source material - North Dakota Place Names by Douglas A. Wick, Hedemarken Collectibles