Lincoln Valley, ND Sheridan County
Vacant as of 9/04
Lincoln Valley,
ND is in Sheridan County, about 8 miles NE of
McClusky. It is a true ghost town. It was said
to be thriving in the 50's, but by 1972, only
one resident was left. It is empty now. Click
any image to see it full-size.
CLICK
IMAGES TO ENLARGE
[1]
[2]
Then
and Now animation
[3]
[4]
[5]
The
B&W images on this page came from the Saturday,
August 22nd, 1970 edition of the Minot
Daily News. The Story was written by Leonard
Lund and covered the story of Joe Leintz, the final
remaining resident of Lincoln Valley, ND. Thank
you to the Minot Daily News for allowing us to feature
them.
A huge thank
you to Dale Hinsverk of Wahpeton for sending us
a newspaper clipping from The
Minot Daily News, August 22nd, 1970.
The clipping is what allowed us to do the "before
and after" animation you see on the right.
Click it for a larger version. BROADBAND RECCOMMENDED.
The building
pictured is the former bar and ice cream parlor
for Lincoln Valley. Note the gas pumps of the
town's gas station next door.
Lincoln Valley
is not the kind of place you'll just run across
by chance. We had a hard time finding it, but
the house pictured right was our first clue that
we were getting close.
It's a
huge home standing alone in the field just to
the east of the townsite. It was formerly owned
by the Opp family who deserted the home sometime
around the depression and left all of their possessions.
Mary Helm wrote to inform us her family purchased
the land in the 60's and found the home filled
with antiques and treasures of all kinds. She
says, "To this day I don't understand why
they left so much behind."
Lincoln Valley
was a primarily German and Russian settlement
when it was founded in 1900 by George and Conrad
C. Reiswig as Lincoln. In 1912 the name was changed
to Lincoln Valley.
The store pictured
at top right is the former town bar, and the tumbled
down structure next to it is the former gas station.
Lincoln Valley also played host to an International
Harvester farm implement. It was owned and operated
by Joe Leintz, who rose to national publicity
in December of 1972 as the last resident of Lincoln
Valley. He soon moved to New Rockford and Lincoln
Valley became a true ghost town.
The house pictured
lower left belonged to George and Eleanor Helm,
and Phillipina Gehring-Helm. Eleanor was a former
school teacher, and her home boasted a chemical
toilet on the second floor which was a real novelty
for the day.
Lincoln Valley
should be considered a dangerous town to investigate.
There are open basements and wells everywhere,
and very tall grass which makes it easy to tumble
right into one.
source material
- North Dakota Place Names by
Douglas A. Wick, Hedemarken Collectibles
Lincoln Valley's former
Baptist Church in the foreground, the Bar and
Ice Cream Parlor in the background. B&W photo
courtesy Minot
Daily News. Click the image for a
full-size animation. Note: HUGE File. Broadband
reccommended.
If
you have more information about Lincoln Valley,
ND, you can make comments, suggestions, or ask
questions about any North Dakota ghost town in
the Ghosts
Of North Dakota forums.
