Omemee, North Dakota
Encyclopedia
Omemee is a ghost town
in Bottineau County
in the U.S. State
of North Dakota
. It was a railroad hub in the early 1910s, located at the junction of two major railroads, the Soo Line Railroad
and the Great Northern Railway. Incorporated
as a city
in 1902, Omemee has been abandoned since the late 1980s.
Omemee was founded in 1887 in Willow Vale Township. It is named after Omemee, Ontario
, in Canada, which was the hometown of Omemee's first post master. Omemee itself is an alternate spelling of the Ojibwe
word omimi, meaning "dove." The post office opened in 1890 and closed in 1967, with mail service transferring to nearby Willow City
. The town was incorporated in 1902 and was moved slightly in 1903 to the junction of the Great Northern Railway and the Soo Line Railway in 1903. Omemee disincorporated as a city prior to the 1990 Census
. It currently has no population.
A 1906 review by the North Dakota Department of Agriculture and Labor
indicated Omemee was the fourth largest town in Bottineau County. However, by the time it was founded, the cities of Bottineau
and Willow City
had grown to dominate trade in the region. Omemee, located between both towns was at a disadvangate, since many farmers had grown accustomed to doing business in those towns. Many predicted its status as a hub between two railroads would lead to substantial growth, making Omemee the railroad center of Bottineau County.
In 1906, the town already boasted numerous businesses, including general stores, banks, hotels, a restaurant, school, opera house, and a newspaper, the Omemee Herald. Omemee Brick Company operated a plant three miles north of town. The town also claimed it had "one of the best brass bands in the state" at 22 members, and the only musical organization in the state with "a quartette of saxophones [sic.]".
However, the lack of a townsite company to promote the town, the predicted population boom never came and the town declined in later years.
In 1998, the Canadian Museum of Rail Travel
in Cranbrook, British Columbia
, British Columbia
, bought and restored a 1906 sleeper car
. Originally built by Barney and Smith Car Company, the railcar was previously owned by a former Soo Line Railroad
employee, and was named Omemee in honor of the old rail station. The car is now on permanent display at the museum.
. It lies in the Souris River
basin, which is part of the ancient lake bed of Lake Souris, a large glacial lake in the area responsible for much of the surrounding geology. East of the town, undulations of the prairie rise often ten feet above the adjoining hollows. These swells form the moranic hills
which were not entirely leveled down by the waves of the lake. The high and rugged hills of the same moraine
s beyond the lake shore show how much the action of the waves leveled the hills which were deposited in the waters of the lake.
it had declined to 332. The population fluctuated until the 1970 Census
when the recorded population was just 5 people. However, the 1980 Census
showed a population increase to 10 people.
When Omemee disincorporated, the 1990 Census reported only 3 remaining residents. The area reverted to Willow Vale Township, which recorded a 2000 Census
population of 34.
German
settlers established an evangelical church
in Omemee in the early 1900s.
, Canada
, Australia
, and New Zealand
. Advertisements described a typical lot as "a great retirement home site and a superb investment." However, county officials contradicted those claims saying the lots were "unfit for development". Many buyers purchased the lots site unseen through eBay
or other online providers. Some buyers treated the purchases as investments, with no intent to ever build or move to North Dakota, while others felt they were misled once they saw the nature of the property they had purchased. Some property owners complained to the North Dakota Attorney General
's office, which found no misrepresentations to prosecute.
Ghost town
A ghost town is an abandoned town or city. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economic activity that supported it has failed, or due to natural or human-caused disasters such as floods, government actions, uncontrolled lawlessness, war, or nuclear disasters...
in Bottineau County
Bottineau County, North Dakota
-Major highways:* U.S. Highway 83* North Dakota Highway 5* North Dakota Highway 14* North Dakota Highway 43* North Dakota Highway 60* North Dakota Highway 256-National protected areas:*J...
in the U.S. State
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
. It was a railroad hub in the early 1910s, located at the junction of two major railroads, the Soo Line Railroad
Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railroad
The Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railroad was a Class I railroad subsidiary of the Canadian Pacific Railway in the Midwest U.S. Commonly known as the Soo Line after the phonetic spelling of Sault, it was merged with several other major CP subsidiaries on January 1, 1961 to form the...
and the Great Northern Railway. Incorporated
Municipal corporation
A municipal corporation is the legal term for a local governing body, including cities, counties, towns, townships, charter townships, villages, and boroughs. Municipal incorporation occurs when such municipalities become self-governing entities under the laws of the state or province in which...
as a city
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
in 1902, Omemee has been abandoned since the late 1980s.
History
Omemee, Ontario
Omemee is a community within the city of Kawartha Lakes, Ontario, Canada, formerly known as Victoria County. Omemee is one of the major communities in the Kawartha Lakes, as the proclaimed "city" is vastly rural and has but one major population centre...
, in Canada, which was the hometown of Omemee's first post master. Omemee itself is an alternate spelling of the Ojibwe
Ojibwe language
Ojibwe , also called Anishinaabemowin, is an indigenous language of the Algonquian language family. Ojibwe is characterized by a series of dialects that have local names and frequently local writing systems...
word omimi, meaning "dove." The post office opened in 1890 and closed in 1967, with mail service transferring to nearby Willow City
Willow City, North Dakota
As of the census of 2000, there were 221 people, 100 households, and 62 families residing in the city. The population density was 486.8 people per square mile . There were 143 housing units at an average density of 315.0 per square mile...
. The town was incorporated in 1902 and was moved slightly in 1903 to the junction of the Great Northern Railway and the Soo Line Railway in 1903. Omemee disincorporated as a city prior to the 1990 Census
United States Census, 1990
The Twenty-first United States Census, conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States to be 248,709,873, an increase of 9.8 percent over the 226,545,805 persons enumerated during the 1980 Census....
. It currently has no population.
A 1906 review by the North Dakota Department of Agriculture and Labor
North Dakota Department of Agriculture
The North Dakota Department of Agriculture is a part of the government of the U.S. state of North Dakota. The department fosters a healthy economic, environmental, and social climate for agriculture and the rural community through leadership, advocacy, education, regulation and other...
indicated Omemee was the fourth largest town in Bottineau County. However, by the time it was founded, the cities of Bottineau
Bottineau, North Dakota
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,336 people, 979 households, and 550 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,230.0 people per square mile . There were 1,114 housing units at an average density of 1,063.4 per square mile...
and Willow City
Willow City, North Dakota
As of the census of 2000, there were 221 people, 100 households, and 62 families residing in the city. The population density was 486.8 people per square mile . There were 143 housing units at an average density of 315.0 per square mile...
had grown to dominate trade in the region. Omemee, located between both towns was at a disadvangate, since many farmers had grown accustomed to doing business in those towns. Many predicted its status as a hub between two railroads would lead to substantial growth, making Omemee the railroad center of Bottineau County.
In 1906, the town already boasted numerous businesses, including general stores, banks, hotels, a restaurant, school, opera house, and a newspaper, the Omemee Herald. Omemee Brick Company operated a plant three miles north of town. The town also claimed it had "one of the best brass bands in the state" at 22 members, and the only musical organization in the state with "a quartette of saxophones [sic.]".
However, the lack of a townsite company to promote the town, the predicted population boom never came and the town declined in later years.
In 1998, the Canadian Museum of Rail Travel
Canadian Museum of Rail Travel
The Canadian Museum of Rail Travel, or its brand name "Trains Deluxe", is located in Cranbrook, British Columbia, Canada, a city of about 25,000 on the west side of the Rocky Mountains. The city was developed by the arrival of the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1898, as the administrative centre for...
in Cranbrook, British Columbia
Cranbrook, British Columbia
Cranbrook, British Columbia is a city in southeast British Columbia, located on the west side of the Kootenay River at its confluence with the St. Mary's River, It is the largest urban centre in the region known as the East Kootenay. As of 2006, Cranbrook's population is 18,267, and the...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, bought and restored a 1906 sleeper car
Sleeper car
Sleeper car may refer to:* Sleeping car, a railroad passenger car that can accommodate its passengers in beds* Sleeper , a car that has an unassuming exterior but is capable of high performance...
. Originally built by Barney and Smith Car Company, the railcar was previously owned by a former Soo Line Railroad
Soo Line Railroad
The Soo Line Railroad is the primary United States railroad subsidiary of the Canadian Pacific Railway , controlled through the Soo Line Corporation, and one of seven U.S. Class I railroads. Although it is named for the Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste...
employee, and was named Omemee in honor of the old rail station. The car is now on permanent display at the museum.
Geography
Omemee is located in the eastern part of Bottineau CountyBottineau County, North Dakota
-Major highways:* U.S. Highway 83* North Dakota Highway 5* North Dakota Highway 14* North Dakota Highway 43* North Dakota Highway 60* North Dakota Highway 256-National protected areas:*J...
. It lies in the Souris River
Souris River
The Souris River or Mouse River is a river in central North America. It is about 700 km in length and drains about . It rises in the Yellow Grass Marshes north of Weyburn, Saskatchewan...
basin, which is part of the ancient lake bed of Lake Souris, a large glacial lake in the area responsible for much of the surrounding geology. East of the town, undulations of the prairie rise often ten feet above the adjoining hollows. These swells form the moranic hills
Moraine
A moraine is any glacially formed accumulation of unconsolidated glacial debris which can occur in currently glaciated and formerly glaciated regions, such as those areas acted upon by a past glacial maximum. This debris may have been plucked off a valley floor as a glacier advanced or it may have...
which were not entirely leveled down by the waves of the lake. The high and rugged hills of the same moraine
Moraine
A moraine is any glacially formed accumulation of unconsolidated glacial debris which can occur in currently glaciated and formerly glaciated regions, such as those areas acted upon by a past glacial maximum. This debris may have been plucked off a valley floor as a glacier advanced or it may have...
s beyond the lake shore show how much the action of the waves leveled the hills which were deposited in the waters of the lake.
Demographics
The city had a high population of 650 in 1906, but by the 1910 CensusUnited States Census, 1910
The Thirteenth United States Census, conducted by the Census Bureau on April 15, 1910, determined the resident population of the United States to be 92,228,496, an increase of 21.0 percent over the 76,212,168 persons enumerated during the 1900 Census...
it had declined to 332. The population fluctuated until the 1970 Census
United States Census, 1970
The Nineteenth United States Census, conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States to be 203,392,031, an increase of 13.4 percent over the 179,323,175 persons enumerated during the 1960 Census.-Data availability:...
when the recorded population was just 5 people. However, the 1980 Census
United States Census, 1980
The Twentieth United States Census, conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States to be 226,545,805, an increase of 11.4 percent over the 203,184,772 persons enumerated during the 1970 Census.-Census questions:...
showed a population increase to 10 people.
When Omemee disincorporated, the 1990 Census reported only 3 remaining residents. The area reverted to Willow Vale Township, which recorded a 2000 Census
United States Census, 2000
The Twenty-second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
population of 34.
German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
settlers established an evangelical church
Evangelical Church
The term Evangelical Church may refer specifically to:* Slovak Evangelical Church* Armenian Evangelical Church* Assyrian Evangelical Church* Christian Evangelical Church of Romania* Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus...
in Omemee in the early 1900s.
Land sale controversy
In the early 2000s, real estate developers begain selling lots in Omemee to buyers in the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. Advertisements described a typical lot as "a great retirement home site and a superb investment." However, county officials contradicted those claims saying the lots were "unfit for development". Many buyers purchased the lots site unseen through eBay
EBay
eBay Inc. is an American internet consumer-to-consumer corporation that manages eBay.com, an online auction and shopping website in which people and businesses buy and sell a broad variety of goods and services worldwide...
or other online providers. Some buyers treated the purchases as investments, with no intent to ever build or move to North Dakota, while others felt they were misled once they saw the nature of the property they had purchased. Some property owners complained to the North Dakota Attorney General
North Dakota Attorney General
The North Dakota Attorney General is the chief legal officer of the North Dakota state government. The current Attorney General is Wayne Stenehjem...
's office, which found no misrepresentations to prosecute.
Notable natives
- Duncan Fraser (1890 – 1967), member of the North Dakota House of RepresentativesNorth Dakota House of RepresentativesThe North Dakota House of Representatives is the lower house of the North Dakota Legislative Assembly and is larger than the North Dakota Senate....
(1939 – 1948) and North Dakota State SenatorNorth Dakota SenateThe North Dakota Senate is the upper house of the North Dakota Legislative Assembly, smaller than the North Dakota House of Representatives.North Dakota is divided into between 40 and 54 legislative districts apportioned by population as determined by the decennial census...
(1949 – 1958) - Matt JohnsonMatt Johnson (North Dakota politician)Matt Johnson was a newspaper publisher and a Republican politician from North Dakota who served in the North Dakota House of Representatives from 1909 to 1910. He was from Omemee, North Dakota, and served as publisher and editor of the Omemee Herald in that town.-Early life:Johnson was born in...
(1871 – 1935), editor of the Omemee Herald and member of the North Dakota House of RepresentativesNorth Dakota House of RepresentativesThe North Dakota House of Representatives is the lower house of the North Dakota Legislative Assembly and is larger than the North Dakota Senate....
(1909 – 1910)