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Omemee:ACrossRailsinNorthDakota
BySaraJ.McIntee
SittinginthekitchenofCharlesKippensfarmhouse,Charlessatbacktothinkwhenhewas
askedwhattypeofcelebrationsoccurredinOmemee.Charlesgrewuponhisfarmoutsideoftown,
experienceingtheGreatDepressionandWorldWarIIwithsmalltownlife.Helistedoffdancesand
parties,Christmasandholidaycelebrations.Thenhiseyeslitup.1937,hedeclared.In1937,there
wasacelebrationcalledOmemeeDays.Hiswifedugoutanoldphotoalbumandheflippedthroughto
ablackandwhitepictureoftwofairhairedandskinnednineyearoldchildren.Boththeboyandgirl
weredressedinakilt,completewithsashandhat,andarestandingonagravelroadwithwood
buildingsinthebackground.KippendeclaredtheboywashimselfandthegirlwasMarian(Frasier)
Hancock,dressedintraditionalkiltsforaparadeduringtheOmemeeDayscelebration.Therewere
pagents,parades,andstreetdancestocelebratetheScottishheritageofatownwherethesettlerswere
ofmostlyScottishorScottishCanadiandescent.
ThebuildingsbehindKippenandFrasier,identifiedasthetownhallandsomehouses,arenow
longgone.Inroughlyeightyyears,fromthepostofficeopeningin1890totheclosureofthetownin
the1970s,Omemeedeclinedjustaquicklyasitboomed.ThisisapuzzilingoccurancesinceOmemee
wasainaprimelocationtothrive.Araretypeofrailroadtown,Omemeewaspositionedatacross
railsoftheGreatNorthernRailroadandtheSooLine.Itshouldhavegrownnearlyasbig,oreven
biggerthanBottineauCountyscountyseat,Bottineau.Bottineau,roughlysixteenmilesnorthwestof
Omemee,wassituatedononlyonerailroad,theGreatNorthern,buttodayitisathrivingcommunityof
aboutthreethousandfivehundredpeople.
WhywouldBottineau,atownwithonlyonerailroad,outgrownandoutliveOmemee,atown
withtworailroads?Theanswertothisquestioncanbefoundinthegrowthandexpansionofthe
railroadinthearea.WhatshouldhavebeenOmemeesgreatestproviderturnedouttobeitsdeath.To
understandhowarailroadthatbuiltatowninnorthcentralNorthDakotacouldalsocauseitsdecline,it
isnecessarytounderstandhowrailroadtownsoccurredontheGreatPlainsandsettlementpatternsin
NorthDakota.
ThefirstnonnativeAmericansettlementinNorthDakotaisattributedtoPembina,locatedin
theextremenortheasterncornerofthestateontheconfluenceoftheRedRiveroftheNorthandthe
PembinaRiver.Atthebeginingofthesettlement,PembinahadbeenconsideredpartofCanadauntil
1818.SettlersfromFortDouglasintheSelkirkcolonyinpresentdayCanadaweredrivensouthinsearch
ofprovisionsandwinteredatanoldfurtradingpostlocatedatpresentdayPembinainthewinterof
1812.ThetrendofmovingsouthforthewinterlastedforseveralyearsuntiltheMtisandwhite
settlerswereforcedoutoftheencampmentbytheHudsonsBayCompanybecauseofabeliefthata
divisionbetweenthesettlersatFortDouglasandPembinaweakenedtheSelkirkcolony.In1818,the
boundarybetweenBritishCanadaandtheUnitedStateswasdrawnatthefortyninthparallel.This
placedallofPembinasaveforonecabinontheUnitedStatessideoftheline.1Someoftheoriginal
settlersremainedinPembina,butby1836,ithadbeenabandoned.Outofthissettlement,however,
grewagreatfurtradenetworkbetweenFortGarryandSt.PaulalongtheRedRiver,whichopenedthe
Valleytoanewdemographic.
TradewasimportanttothedrawofsettlementtoNorthDakota,butsowasthelureofnew
farmland.SomeofthefirstnonnativeAmericansettlersmovedtheRedRiverValleyseekingnew
fertilelandthatwassimilartothealreadyclaimedareasofsouthernMinnesota.Largelyinfluencedby
thesigningoftheHomesteadActbyPresidentLincolnin1862,settlerscamelookingfornewland,but
accessintotheterritorywaschallenging.Inthe1870s,suchmenasJamesJ.Hill,NormanKittson,and
AlexanderGriggsimprovedupontheaccessoftheRedRiverValleyviasteamboat.Therailroadfollowed
in1872,crossingtheRedRiver,andendinginBismarckin1873duetobankruptcy,givingNorthDakotaa
1ElwynB.Robinson,HistoryofNorthDakota(Lincoln:UniversityofNebraskaPress,1966),65.
connectiontotheoutsideworld.TheNorthernPacificwasunreliableatbest,butitwasastart
nonetheless.
TherailroadisoneofthemostimportantinfluencesonthegrowthinpopulationontheGreat
Plainsbetweentheendofthenineteenthcenturyandthebeginningofthetwentieth.Railroads
providedmorethanpopulationmovementinthenorthernGreatPlains.Thethreemajorrailroadsthat
influencedsettlementinNorthDakotaalsocarriedwheatharvestedinNorthDakotatomillsin
MinneapolisanddocksinDuluth,providingaccesstonewbusiness.2TheNorthernPacificenteredthe
statefromthesouthin1872,whiletheGreatNorthernwasamergerbetweentworailwaysin1889and
dominatedthenorthernpartofthestate.In1894,theSooLine,whichstretcheddiagonallyacrossthe
statestartingintheverynorthwesterncornerandleavinginthesoutheasternportion,provideda
competitionfortheGreatNorthernforcontrolofthenorthernpartofthestate.Theserailwayshelped
tosolvesomeofthesettlementproblemsNorthDakotafacedasastateonthenorthernGreatPlains.
OneofthebiggestchallengestothesettlementoftheGreatPlainsregion,includingNorth
Dakota,isthelocationandtheremotenessofthearea.3AnotherproblemfortheGreatPlainsisthe
assumptionthatsettlementandgovernmentalissuesontheplainscouldbesolvedinthesamemanner
assettlementandgovernmentalissueswerehandledintheEasternUnitedStates.4Settlementhasto
beviewedthroughadifferentmodel.Forexample,KraenzeldividesthesettlementsontheGreatPlains
intotwocategories:thesutlandandtheyonland.Sutlandisdefinedasamoredenselysettled,string
likeareaofsettlementsalongmajoravenuesoftransportation,originallystartingwiththerailroads,and
soonfollowedbymajorhighways,busroutes,andpublicutilitiessuchastelephoneandpowerlines.5
Thesutlandisthelocationformainbusinesses;industrial,educational,health,governmental,andsocial
2JohnC.Hudson,PlainsCountryTowns(Minneapolis:UniversityofMinnesotaPress,1985),55.3Robinson,xv.4CarlF.Kraenzel,TheGreatPlainsinTransition(Norman:UniversityofOklahomaPress,1955),194.
5Kraenzel,196.
functionsintheregion;andthesiteforcertainagriculturalspecialties.Thesutlerishistoricallythe
supplyagentatthearmypost.6
Incontrastthereistheyonland,theinbetweenareagenerallywithoutmajortransportation
avenuesandotherservicesfoundinsutland.Thisareaoutyonderfromthesutlandholdssmaller
townsthatarelessdevelopedduetotheissueofinadequatefinancesandpeopletosupportthe
services.Yonlandisnotthehinterland,northeinland,asKraenzelstatesalloftheGreatPlainsarea
hinterlandandinland.Yonlandisasmall,semiaridarea,andisheldinbetweensutlandareas.7
Keepingthesedefinitionsofyonlandandsutlandinmind,howcouldonecharacterizeaghosttownthat
onceexistedalongagreattransportationlinesuchasamajorrailroad?
Railroadtownsareintruthpreplannedsutlandareastoreachthepotentialyonland.Ifone
weretolookatrailroadmapoftheeasternstates,andcompareittooneoftheGreatPlains,itis
prevalentthattherailroadsintheeasternstatesdonotexpandinstraightlines.Theyareclusteredand
disorderlytoconnectthethousandsoftownsthatexistedbeforetherailroad.ArailroadmapofNorth
Dakotashowsstraightlineswithneatlittledoteslocatedalongtheselinesinnearlysymmetricalspacing.
MostofNorthDakotawassettledafterthearrivalofarailroad.Thispreplottingoftownsitesbefore
therewerepotentialsettlersnotonlywastoreachpotentialyonlandareas,butawishtocontrolthe
areasandmakethemremainyonlandfortheimprovementofthesutlandbusiness.8
Buildingbeforetherewasbusinesscarriedpotentialproblems,suchaslossofmoneybybuilding
toofastornotenoughpopulationtosupportthearea.Anotherpotentialthreattoanewrailroadtown
wasthecontinuedexpansionoftherailroad,andthefutureincreaseofuseintheautomobile.The
automobilemadedistancesbetweensutlandsshorter,andapersoninayonlandcouldtravelthe
distancetoabiggerormoredesiredsutlandthantheoneclosertohislocation.Butwhatmadesome
6Kraenzel,196.7Kraenzel,196197.8Hudson,71.
sutlandrailroadtownsdieandothersthrive?Thisquestioncannotbesolvedwithonecookiecutter
answer,andeachtownhasitsownindividualstoryofitsdecline.Omemeeisonesuchtownthatwasin
primepositiontothrivebutwasoutlivedbyatownonlysixteenmilesnorth,Bottineau.Thehistoryof
Omemeeisimportantinunderstandingitsdecline.
Inlate1887,thefarmerslivingbetweenBottineauandWillowCityfeltaneedforapostoffice
halfwaybetweenthesetwotowns.ApetitionwasdrawnupwiththenameofOmemeeforthesite
whichwaslocatedinSec.416075oftheWillowValeTownship,alongtheGreatNorthernRailroadasit
rannorthfromRugbytoBottineau.ThisareaisknowngeographicallyastheSourisRiverbasin,the
remainsofthelakebedforancientLakeSouris,andissurroundedbyformationsknownasmoronic
hills.9Figuresone,two,andthreeillustratethelocationofBottineauCountyinNorthDakota,Willow
ValeTownshipwithinBottineauCounty,andOmemeewithinWillowVale.
LocatedaboutsixteenmilessoutheastofBottineauandtenmilesnorthwestofWillowCity,the
townsitewasnamedforOmemee,Ontario,Canada,thehometownofOmemeesfirstpostmaster.
GeorgeRayebecamepostmasteronApril8,1890,whenthepostofficewasmovedtoOmemeefrom
AmityTownship.OnMay15,1893,thetownwasplattedbyWilliamCole.10Thewordomemee
derivesfromtheOjibwawordomimi,meaningpigeonorturtledove.11Omemeespositionalongthe
GreatNorthernRailroadwasimportantbecauseitwasconsideredtheendofthelineformanyinthe
WillowValeTownshipandsurroundingcommunities.BottineauandWillowCitywerejusttoofarfor
someresidents.TheGreatNorthernatthistimeendedinBottineau.
Omemeeenjoyedagreatboomduringitsearlyyears.AhomewasconvertedtotheShamrock
Hotelandgrainelevatorswerebuiltrapidlytoholdtheincreaseingraindeliveries.Mostofthesettlers
oftheareawereScottishdescentbywayofCanada,andtheyweremainlyPresbyterians,Methodist,9DanielEverettWillard,TheStoryofthePrairies:or,TheLandscapeGeographyofNorthDakota,5thed.(Chicago:Rand,McNallyandCompany,1907),321.10DouglasA.Wick,NorthDakotaPlaceNames(Bismarck:HedemarkenCollectibles,1988),145.;EdnaEgge,Omemee,inHistoricalHighlightsofBottineauCounty,ed.BottineauCountyHistoricalSociety(Bismarck:QualityPrintingService,1977),80.11Wick,145.
andCatholic.Atonepoint,Omemeewashometothreechurches;however,theCatholiccommunity
neverbuiltachurchintown.Instead,abuildingwasmovedintobeusedasaplaceofworship.A
schoolonemilenorthofthetownwasmovedintotownin1896,andanewonereplacedthisbuildingin
1898.Enrollmenthadreached64by1900underthedirectionofteacherJ.C.Millerwhowaspaidforty
fivedollarsamonthtoperformbothteachingandjanitorialduties.Abrickschoolwasbuiltin1903and
in1918theColeHotelwaspurchasedandconvertedintothehighschool.Thelocationsofthebrick
gradeschoolandhighschoolareseeninfiguresfour,five,andsix.12Incorporatedin1902,thetown
attractedmorebusinesses.Thefirstdoctorintown,Dr.McKay,wasfollowedbyDr.MillerandDr.
Stewart.Abrassbandclaimedasoneofthebestinthestateandatalentedbaseballteamprovided
funandentertainmentfortheearlycitizensasOmemeeaswell.13
1903broughtinamomentousoccasionforOmemee.TheSooRailroadwasnearingthetown,
andthiswasreceivedwithgreatoptimismbythecitizens.Atownsituatedbetweentwomajorrailways
shouldbringaboominbusinessandpopulation,andkeepthesmalltownonthemap.Thetownmoved
tosecureitspositionbetweenthetwopowerfulrailroadstoSecs.4&916075in1903andprepared
itselfforabrightfuture.14Moreelevatorswereconstructedalongthenewrailroadandoldoneswere
movedintobetterpositions.Atfirst,eachrailroadhaditsowndepot,butafterafewyearsof
competition,theSoolineandtheGreatNortherndecidedacompromisetoshareonedepotwithtwo
agentsatthecrossrails.FiguressevenandeightshowtheGreatNorthernandtheremnantsoftheSoo,
andfiguresnine,ten,andelevenareoftheoldcrossrailsremainingfromthedeconstructionoftheSoo
lineinthelatetwentiethcenturyandthelocationofthedepot.
Omemeewasexpectedtogrow,andforashortwhileitdid.ThreeyearsaftertheSooLine
reachedOmemee,thepopulationwasreportedtobesixhundredandfiftyresidents,butinthe1910
12Egge,80.13Egge,80.14Wick,145.
Census,itwasrecordedatthreehundredandthirtytwo.ThepopulationyoyoedformanyCensus
recordsfollowing,anditwasreportedatonepointintheearly1930sthatthepopulationhadreached
nearlysixhundredagain.However,bythe1970Census,onlyfiveresidentswererecorded.This
increasedtotenin1980,butthetownwasdisincorporatedafterareportofonlythreeresidentsin
1990.Bythe2000Census,Omemeewasnotrecorded.Rather,theresidentsoftheareafiledunderthe
WillowValeTownshipasapopulationofthirtyfour.
OneofthelifetimeresidentsofOmemee,CharlesRobertKippenisgrandsontoRobertD.
KippenandChrista(Fraiser)Kippen,whoarrivedtotheOmemeeareafromGlengarryCounty,Ontarioin
1887.Kippensfather,Augus,hadbeenfiveduringthemove.Augusinheritedthefarmroughlythree
quartersofamileeastofOmemeeandraisedafamily,andinturnCharlestookoverandraisedhisown
familywithhiswifeHelen(Davidson)Kippen.Ateightytwo,Charlesstillfarmshisland,andheandhis
wifecarefortheOmemeeCemeteryacrosstheroadfromtheirfarmyard,mowingandattendingto
gravesites.Charlesevenconstructedanewgatetothecemeteryin2009,asseeninfiguretwelve.
WhenaskedwhyCharlesandhiswifestillcareforacemeteryofaghosttown,Kippenjustshruggedand
answeredithadbeenneartheirlandsincehewasborn.Itwassomethinghehadalwaysdone.He
couldnotrecallwhythecemeterywaslocatedwhereitwas.15
KippenrememberedhisfatherspokeabitaboutOmemeesearlydays,butlaughedwithajoke
thatasayoungmanhedidnotalwayslisten.Hedidtellofastoryfromhisfathersyoungadulthood
thatonceatrainderailedofftheGreatNorthernBridgenearthetown.Thebridgewasoutanda
lanternmantriedtoflagtheconductortostop.Forwhateverreason,theconductordidnotstopand
theenginefellintothebridge.Kippenrecallsnoonedied,asitwasnotapassengertrain.Thecurrent
15CharlesKippen,interviewbyauthor,Omemee,ND,August14th,2010.
GreatNorthernBridgeispicturedinfigurethirteen.Kippenspersonalmemories,however,arefrom
Omemeeslaterboomyears.16
Inthemidstofthegrowth,Omemeewashometoseveralbusinesses.Atonetime,therewere
fourgeneralstores,threeimplementdealers,twobanks,threeliverybarns,threehotels,one
restaurant,twoboardinghouses,twoblacksmiths,twodoctors,oneveterinarysurgeon,threelumber
yards,fourbilliardandpoolhalls,onebakery,onemeatmarket,onelawfirm,andeightelevators.17
Charlesrecalledhisauntownedoneoftheboardinghousesandhisfatherworkedinlateryearsina
servicestationlocatedintown.Thisservicestationstillstands,aspicturedinimagefourteen.Across
theroadfromtheservicestationwasonceabankandpostoffice.Now,theareahasbeenplowedand
isafield,asseeninfigurefifteen.18
KippenalsorecalledhisyearsgoingtoschoolinOmemee.HegraduatedfromOmemeeHigh
Schoolin1946withatotalclassnumberofeight,andwasanactiveplayeronOmemeesbasketball
team.In1951,theschoolsinOmemeeclosedandthechildreneitherattendedBottineauorWillow
City.Thegradeschoolwastheonlyonethatheldahotlunch,soifhighschoolmemberswishedtohave
ahotlunch,theywouldhavetorunacrosstowntothegradeschoolduringlunchhour.Danceswere
alsoapartofKippenschildhood,notonlyinOmemeestownhall,buttravelingsomeSaturdaynightsto
nearbytownsaswell.19OtherentertainmentincludedtheOmemeeOperaHouseandahorserace
track.Wehadfunthen,too,remarkedKippen.20
Therewasabrickyardlocatednorthoftown,andaflourmillwhichwasbuiltwithatwo
thousanddollargrantfromtheBusinessmensAssociation.21Omemeewasalsoproudtobehometoa
newspaper,TheOmemeeHerald,butispossiblymostfamouslyrememberedforthepopfactorylocated
16Kippen,interview.17JohnMaynard,OmemeeFromboomtobust!TheBottineauCourant,March16,1977.18Kippen,interview.19Kippen,interview.20Kippen,interview.21Maynard.
intownthatwasownedandoperatedbyChrisRasmussen.Kippenrecalledwalkingtotownwith
friendsandsplittingthedollarittooktobuyacaseofthesafflowerseedpop.In1969thefactory
closed,andKippenandhiswifepurchasedthewellthefactoryusedandreroutedthewatertotheir
farm.Theystillusethiswelltoday.22Threechurchesstoodaswellasfourblindpigs,orbars.Legal
itemsweresoldupfrontinablindpig,and,ifonehadtherightconnections,everythingelsewassoldin
theback.23Bornin1928,CharlesKippenwastooyoungtoremembertheendtoprohibition,buthis
fathertoldstoriesofthebootlegginginthetown.Itneverwasaprominentproblem,Kippenrecalled,
butitwasthere.24
WhilethearrivaloftheSootoOmemeewasreceivedwithexcitement,whatthepeopledidnot
knowwhatthiswasthestartofthesadendtothetown.Thereisacombinationoffactorsthataffected
thedecline.First,whileseveralpeoplehadwantedaplacebetweenBottineauandWillowCitythatwas
closerandeasiertoreach,BottineauandWillowCityhadbeenestablishedlongbeforeOmemeewas
incorporated,andanumberofthefarmersandresidentsoftheareahadbecomeaccustomedtodoing
businessineitherofthesetowns.Second,theSooLineandtheGreatNortherndidnotendinOmemee
andBottineau,respectively.TheSoocontinuedeast,andtownssuchasGardena(1908)andKramer
(1908),attractedbusinessanddebunkedOmemeesimportanceasamiddletownbetweenthetwo
giants,BottineauandWillowCity.Also,astheGreatNorthernmovednorthwestofBottineau,it
reachedintoareasthatnootherrailroadhadbeen.Carbury(1901),Souris(1901)andWesthope(1903)
providedbusinesstoBottineauthatOmemeedidnothaveaccesstoandBottineauwasabletogrow,
dominatingthegrainbusinessofthatportionofthecounty.25
HelenKippenspokeaboutthisfactbitterly.Theunfortunateremovalofimportancefor
Omemeehitthetownfast.Businessesbegantoleave.Firsttogowasthenewspaper,followedbythe
22Kippen,interview.23Maynard.24Kippen,interview.25Egge,80.
butchershop,LeinsJewelry,andanimplementdealership.Somewereclosedforgood,othersmoved
tothemorehopefulandboomingtownofBottineau.Thedoctor,bankers,blacksmiths,andhotelsall
closed,andthedepotandchurchesleft.ThepostofficewasclosedonApril21,1967,withmailmoved
toWillowCity,andfinallythepopfactorywastheonlybusinessleft.Thattooclosedin1969.26
Today,thefewremainingfarmersaroundtheghosttownofOmemeearemembersofthe
WillowValeTownshipcommunity,butthereisastirofcontroversy.Inthepasttenyears,plotsofthe
oldtownsitehavebeensoldtobuyersfromallover.CharlestoldofaNewZealandlandownerwho,
whilevisitinghisnewlypurchasedplot,cametoKippenforageneralchatofthearea.Thepiecesofland
aresoldwiththetagofexcellentretirementbuildinglocations.Whilebuyers,ofwhommanybought
thelotswithoutviewingthemfirst,arecomplainingofbeingmisleadabouttheexcellenceofthe
location(someofthepurchaseshaveevenbeenmadeoneBay),itisthelocalsthatfeeltheyarebeing
cheatedoutoftheirhometownandtraditionalfarmland.Mostofthelandbeingboughtwillneverbe
developed,andmanyoftheownersfeelitisaninvestment.27
Charlesspokeaboutthisincidentofpeoplebuyingplotsofhischildhoodtown.Notonlyare
localsoutrightsellingtheplots,butmanyarebeingforeclosedupon,andlocalscannotaffordtokeep
theirownland.InaNoticeofForeclosureofTaxLienreportfromJuly2010,therewasanastonishing
thirtysixlotsinforeclosure,manythatarefromtheoriginallocationofthetown.Ina2005report
aboutthesaleofplots,Charleswasquotedtohavesaidhehadachancetobuytheentiretownforfive
thousanddollars,andregretsthatheneverdid.HedidnotmentionthisintheAugust2010interview,
onlythathenowownedasmallportionofOmemee.28
OmemeeisjustoneofhundredsofghosttownsinNorthDakotaandontheGreatPlainsthat
hadabrightfuturewiththestartoftherailroad,butcouldnotbesustained.Eachtownhadvarying
26Egge,80.;Kippen,interview.;Maynard.;Wick,145.27AssociatedPress,PeoplefromalloverbuyingGhostTownproperty,WCCO,July26,2005,http://wcco.com/local/ghost.town.North.2.348691.html(accessedAugust20th,2010).28AP,GhostTown.;BottineauCountyAuditor,NoticeofForeclosureofTaxLien,MaeStreich,July15th2010.;Kippen,interview.
reasonsforitsdecline;Omemeesbeingtheexpansionoftherailroad.Whateverthecause,itisasad
occasionwhenatownthatwasonceathriving,uniquecommunityhastoclose.Today,allthatisleftin
Omemeeisremnantsoftheoriginalroads(figure16),theservicestation,afractionofthetwelvemiles
worthofsidewalks(figure17),theschoolsuperintendentshome(figure18),apumphouse(figure19),
andamysteriousbrickfoundation(figure20).Thestreetsarecoveredingrass,thesidewalksarenearly
crackedbeyondrecognition,andthesuperintendentshomehasbeenpartiallytorndownandforgotten
about.Oddly,thisisafulfilledpropheticscene.Stoppingtolookacrosstheroadtowherehisaunts
hotelhadoncebeen,Charlesstated,Mydadsaidaguyhadadreamhetold[mydad]abouthe
dreamtthatthegrasswouldbegrowingonthestreetsofOmemee.Charlesfollowedmyfatherand
meintoourpickup,andwedroveoutoftownonthegrasscoveredstreets.
Figure1BottineauCounty.ImagefromMilbankAtlasCompany,Milbank,SD.1998.
Figure2WillowValeTownship.Outlinedinyellow,Omemeeiscircledinorange.MilbankAtlasCompany,Milbank,SD.1998.
Figure3WillowValeTownship,1929.Omemeeisblockedoutingreen,TheGreatNorthernishighlightedinyellow,andtheSooLineishighlightedinred.MilbankAtlasCompany,Milbank,
SD.1998.
Figure4Gradeschoollocationnearfencepoleandtree.TheSooLineisdirectlynorth.
Figure5SchoolSuperintendentssHouseonleft.Highschoollocationonrightbytrees.
Figure6Locationofhighschool.Usedasgarbagepit.
Figure7TheGreatNorthernRailroad,facingnorth,whichstilloperates.ThelocationoftheSoolinecanbeseeninthecentertotheleftasarockpath.Omemeeistothenorthwest.
Figure8ThetornremainsoftheSooLine,facingwest.Abridgestillstandsbythefirstareaoftress.Omemeeistothenorth.
Figure9ThelocationwheretheSooandGreatNorthernoncecrossed.Facingeast,Omemeeistothenorth.
Figure10Thecrossrails,discardedafterthedeconstructionoftheSooline,andleftonthesidetorust.
Figure11StandingontheSooLine,facingnortheasttoviewtheGreatNorthern.Thedepotstoodinthisarea,inbetweentherailways.Omemeeistothenorth.
Figure12OmemeeCemetery.LocatedaboutonemileeastofOmemeeon89thSt.NE.
Figure13CurrentGreatNorthernbridge.Standingon89thSt.NElookingsouth.Omemeeistothenorthwest.
Figure14Servicestationlocatedintown.Facingnorth.
Figure15Acrosstheroadfromservicestation.Facingsouth.
Figure16Lookingnorthintotown.Prairietrailwasonceamainroad.Buildinginthebackgroundistheservicestation.
Figure17Portionofasidewalkfacingnorth,runningalongtheroadinFigure16.
Figure18SuperintendentsHome,locatedoneastsideofGreatNortherntracks.
Figure19Pumphouse,southoftheoldhighschoollocation.GreatNortherntracksarebehindit.
Figure20Foundationlocatedoverthehilltotheeastfromthepumphouse.Peakofthepumphousecanbeseenjustoverthehill.
BirdseyeviewofOmemee.TherailroadistheGreatNorthern.Lookingnorthwest.Dateofphotographunknown.FromHistoricalHighlightsofBottineauCounty,pg.80.
MapofOmemeefromGoogleMaps.ThestreetsofOmemeearecircledinorange,withanarrowpointingnorthalongtheGreatNortherntowardsBottineau.GoogleMaps,2010.Imageaccessed
August20th,2010.
Map,viaGoogleMaps,withkeyfeaturespointedout.
1.Postedland2.Wheatfield
3.Servicestation.4.OldHighSchoolLocation.5.SuperintendentsHome.
6.Presentdaysilos.7.Sidewalk.
8.OldGradeSchoolLocation9.GreatNorthernBridge10.RailroadCrossRails11.SooLineBridge
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