Bremen, ND
Wells County
Inhabited as of 6/08
Bremen is a small, unincorporated town near Fessenden in Wells County. We intend to make a return trip to Bremen at some point in the future.
This is the former Bremen bank.
Photos by Troy and Rat, copyright Sonic Tremor Media LLC
Have you considered a pocket GPS to track your travels and pinpoint your photo locations? I recently purchased a little QStarz Travel Recorder and once I got the time synced with my computer and camera, it was very accurate in placing my photos on a map. I use it especially when I photograph historic markers, because it’s hard to remember exactly where I found them.
My Grandfather clerked in that little bank and was there when it was robbed. He lived there and my dad was raised there. They also ran a grocery store and had a creamery there. My dad and uncle eventually ran the bar selling it to another uncle and aunt who ran it until recently. Lots of fun memories of Bremen.
Hi Janie,
I love your memories of Bremen. I live in Germany and I’m doing research about places called Bremen in the US, would you contact me at zweitmail3 [at] gmx.de, so that I could ask you a few more questions? That would be nice!
Arno
Janie,
My great grandfather, grandfather and a great aunt were associated with the State Bank of Bremen in the years preceeding its closing. I grew up on the farm homesteaded by John Bollingberg just southwest of town. I’ve heard sketchy stories about the bank robbery and would love to hear your story. So are you related to the Johnsons who had the Johnson Bros. store? Yes there is very little left of Bremen but quite a town in its heyday.
Eric, my dad was Duane Knudsen. I think he was a classmate of John Bollingberg, I remember Dad talking about John, did he go to college at St. John’s U. in MN? My aunt is Donna Mae O’Connor and my grandma was Irene (Lies) Knudsen. So Romeo Lies was also my great uncle, JM and Carrie Becvar second cousins. etc etc etc! Ha! (And that’s just my Dad’s side.)
As far as the bank robbery I don’t know very much except the police let my Grandpa Rudy Knudsen keep the pistol used to rob the bank I think. Not sure where that ended up, but that’s what my dad said. I think my Grandpa died in 1949 so the bank robbery was before that.
Janie,
My hometown is Bremen and you used to come to the farm to visit Mom and Dad – Donald and Barbara Lies. They were good friends of Donna Mae and Ray. Bremen was a great place to grow up, every kid should have the opportunity to experience that kind of lifestyle. Would be fun to go back for awhile, wouldn’t it!
hey you guys should make a trip to NW ND up to Fortuna, ambrose, alkabo, greonora, stady, and zahl area and get some pictures this spring or summer time. Thanks Jordan
Jordan, if you look at the column to the right on this page you will see a list of the towns they have documented, including several towns from the NW corner of the state–some that you suggest. Alkabo, especially, has some lovely summer photos posted, some of my favorites. I, too, love these pics of the Bremen bank. Very unique. Love this site! Thanks, GND, for sharing your travels with us.
I love, love, love that bank!
That is a cool bank. How long has it been closed? In another life, I may have robbed that bank, hauling my tail out of town on the running boards with Ma Barker at the wheel!
I was raised on a farm 5 miles straight East of Bremen, and my Grandfather, Christ Frosaker, a stone mason, built that bank. Have lots of good memories of Bremen, including gopher days, roller skating, card playing etc.
I also grew up on the farm straight east of Bremen and I remember my mom (Diane Jaeger) taking me for a pop at the bar when I was a little girl and visiting with Donna Mae and Ray. What a great place with wonderful people!!
I lived in Bremen from 1999-2002! Loved it! While I was there, the post office/grocery store were open as well as the bar. We went back to the bar last summer. Looks like it has changed a bit. It was a nice quiet little town. I had great memories there!
Gopher Tail Day – Elevator Picnic Day – Free pop and icecream!! Kids and neighbors everywhere!!! …. Getting the mail – and cream, eggs, and bread – the emergency staples – from Mr. Bower’s Store …… Stopping for a pop at the Bremen Bar in the middle of a long hot summer horseback ride through the gravel pit just west of town…… Riding my horse into the elevator and onto the scale to “get weighed” ….. Summer ball games and meeting friends there…….. Listening to “adventurous” Bremen School (a TWO Room!!) stories from my siblings (before my time! I attended Bremen #1 – a one room – 3 miles south of Bremen – when even the barn was still there!!) …………. Then watching it all slowly disappear every time I returned home ………. Except for the infamous Bremen Bar still standing strong on “Main Street’!! …… I know Bremen, as it used to be, lives on vividly in the minds of those who grew up there and in the surrounding community during a wonderful and truly rich era – before time sped up thrust us into the “modern” ??? age!!!
Also grew up there and attended school and church there.Remember gopher tail days, elevator picnics. Remember Bowers Store and Ray and Donna May at the bar. Even after being gone for a few years, come back and got married in the Church there. Still enjoy stopping in for a visit when I, get back to ND.
Leslie and Melanie I have the same great memories and remember you both. Eric, I used to play with Karen at Olaf and Idella’s place. (your grandparents i think?) We used to use a jump rope and pretend to do Edward R. Murrows TV show Person to Person! Such great memories of that home. Seemed like a mansion in my eyes! Really trying to figure out whose houses these were when I went to Bremen School #3 in town on the hill.
I lived 4 miles south of Bremen. We made many many trips there for a few groceries , drinking free pop at Bremen elevator days, softball games. I attended first grade at the school 3 miles south. I think there used to be roller skating at the hall. We use to visit with the Halvorsons, Bowers, Schaefers.