Leal, ND
Barnes County
Inhabited as of 5/10
Leal is a small town in Barnes county, an hour northeast of Jamestown. We found just a little to photograph in Leal… a few select buildings and an abandoned farmstead outside of town.
US Census Data for Leal
Total Population by Place
2000 – 36
2010 – 20
CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE
Watch out, that first step is a doozy.
All photos by Troy and Rat, copyright SonicTremorMedia.com
The “general store” building was torn down a few years ago. I remember having to clear on the siding there to meet a train and going over to the store for an ice cream bar. That was in the late 70′s, The store closed around that ime too.
My great grandmother lived in Leal. I used to go to the general store back in the 60′s and 70′s. There was an abandoned school, a little fire station and a church. The general store was also the gas station, post office and about once a month a barber would stop by and give haircuts. I haven’t been there for at least thirty years.
Anyone know the purpose of the round hole in the concrete foundation by the porch?
Looks like it might have been the Cistern.
My Family (Willson) lived in Leal for many years, in the 1950′s I spend alot of time there in the summers. At that time my Grandfather ran the post office attached to his house. Buildings I remember: the School house (I went to 3rd grade there) Willies Merchantile, Old Post Office, Bank building on Corner, Community Hall, Hardware Store, Masons or KOC hall, Church (Methodist), Firehall (shown above), LumberYard, Halter’s Auto, Elevators, Train Station and a number of houses.
I’ll see if I have pics if anyone is interested.
You might remember my grandma & grandpa Harry & Sofie Peterson who lived right down the road from town. I spent time with them on their farm when i was young, very cool place & i have great memories of those days
Is the high school still standing? My grandma was telling me she played a bball game there and u had to climb down a ladder to get to the gym…
They tore the school down a long time ago. We used to play in it when it was abandoned & i always thought that gym in the basement looked like a pool when i was really young.
My brother and I took the school down in about 1971. We filled the basement with Bernard Rondestvedt’s cars. (my father-in-law) I wish I had some of those cars now!
I can remember Dad talking about that! WOW. Lots and lots of memories!!
My family was one of the last to live in the general store building. We left in 86/87 (or at least my folks and brothers did). I graduated from North Central of Barnes in 1985 and went on to fargo/moorhead and places beyond. I was sad to hear the store was torn down, the two years I spent there was unique, with the grain trains shaking my bed in the middle of the night! Very nice little town, with nicde people, oh yes, I did attend the methodist church in town too. Mike Crittenden
They failed to photograph the church and now it’s gone.
Jim, this is your Mom’s cousin Virgil Haugen. I remember playing at Aunt Sophie’s house with you and your brother Jeff. Many great memories. I talk to your Uncle Don often.We also saw your Mom and Dad at the Haugen Cousin Reunion in Whapeton in Aug. I drove through Leal after leaving Marg and Gile Gazetties farm. That isn’t your Grandparents house in the above pictures is it?
i wonder if anyone remembers my cousins the arnold dilts family. they lived outside town a bit. i used to stay with them during the summers. my dads family was from wimbledon and my moms family was from courtenay. kuhlmanns and rapps.
Bill, My cousin Ron Dawson used to run around with Laddy Dilts.
Hi Virgil. Im Jim Wilkins , Mary & Wards son. The pictures are not of my grandparent farm. The farm house, garage & barn are still there, but its changed alot over the years. I was in Leal this summer for the first time in 20 yrs & had a hard time recognizing anything. I also have great memories of Leal, grandma & grandpa Peterson & great grandma Haugen. Thanks for e-mailing me back. Take care
Hi Jim. Wish I could have seen the family house when I was in Leal. Be nice if you could make it to the cousin reunion in 2014.
Hi Virgil.The reunion sounds like fun. We havent been able to make the other ones, but will try to make it in 2014
Will be great to see you again. I’m living in Tucson Az. Where are you?
Im living in Minneapolis Mn. We were in Az. 2 yrs ago for vacation. What a great state!
My Grandmother was born in Leal, ND 1910. Her father ran the train depot,his name was Thomas Twiselton.
My parents and Grandparents lived in Leal back in the 50″s and 60″s. The old house remained for several years and it was and annual trip to come back to “revisit.” My Grandfather Carl Brandt ran heavy equipment for
the county in the 30′s maybe and the 40′s. My Grandmother Caroline Brandt, later Flewell remained in Leal after my grandfather’s death. My favorite memories were visiting from Nebraska, and checking on on my Grandparents neighbor. A retired sailor from Norway. Loved his accent. His first name was John, can’t recall his last name. My parents are Leonard and Bea (Marilyn) Everson. We moved to Nebraska in 1965. We made trips back every summer and actually had other relatives move back into the area on the Everson/Rhondsevedt (spelling ?)side. Rocky and Charlene!
My mother Shirley Trudeau White lived in Leal in the late 1930′s and early 1940′s graduating from high school in there in 1943. There were only two students in the class of 1943, my mother and a Vernon Anderson. My mother said she lived across the street from the old firehall pictured above. The house she lived in was later sold and moved outside of town onto a farm. She said they paid $7.00 a month rent. She said the Brandts were friends of her parents Leo and Agnes Trudeau. My mother has a friend a Ruth Westin Van Duesen that also grew up in Leal. Her parents were Lawrence and Olava Westin. My mother said they knew Marilyn Brandt and her two older sisters. The Westin’s and Agnes, Yvonne and Shirley Trudeau moved to Washington State in the mid 1940′s. In the photos of the house above that is probably a well next to the back porch. My mother said they had a well next to their back porch with a hand pump in the kitchen. The had no running water, just the pump.