Omemee: Now and Then
Bottineau County
Vacant as of 10/11
Color photo contributed by Mark Johnson
After visiting in 2004, contributor Mark Johnson made a followup visit to Omemee recently. We were able to match Mark’s photo of the Superintendent’s house with an old postcard. The picture says it all… there’s not much time for Omemee. Mark’s comments: “attached are a couple updated photos of the “superintendent’s house” in Omemee from last October… the house has seriously deteriorated further since I was there originally. The whole front of the house has collapsed.”
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What’s even more amazing to me in the before and after photos is the rest of the town that once was there and isn’t anymore. Where did it go? Is there evidence of it laying around in the grass? Were those other houses burned? Were they bulldozed? How an entire town can just disappear like this is mind boggling.
Sometimes there are foundations you can still see. A lot of times they do burn the homes, or bulldoze them into the basements (and then burn them), and fill it with dirt. In the case of Omemee, I didn’t stay too long this time, as the entire townsite was posted no trespassing (it wasn’t in 2004), but the grass gets so thick over time that it’s really hard to find anything if it’s not 2 feet or taller!
I was one of the last people to truely reside in the town. I lived there until I was 15 in 1996. I moved from there to Bottineau and my family stayed there several years after that. I just wanted to let you know that from what I know most people actually picked up there houses and moved. I don’t mean their belongings, but their actual houses. A few buildings were left standing when my family purchased the land, but not many. The buildings that were left we used to house farm animals and they didn’t last long. The town didn’t vanish, those of us that lived there moved on. The spirit of the town will forever and will also haunt me forever. I have no plans of ever returning to the “ghost” town of Omemee.
So incredible to hear from someone who did live here.
My family lived on a farm a few miles from Omemee and I went to school there through the 8th grade when the high school students were bussed to Bottineau. We moved from Omemee when my brother was killed in 1954, Later my mom sold the farm to a neighbor who only wanted the land, so our house was moved to Dunseith. A few years ago we located the house and the current owners let me peek inside. Needless to say it was much smaller than I remembered it.
Thanks everyone for sharing your memories.
This is a very interesting image…and I’m with Sharon. Where did the rest of it go!?
Cool post..
The sad part about all of this is that someone bought several lots probably for taxes and THEN turn around and try to sell them for hundreds of $$$. One person even stated that a new school was going to be built, a picture showd a nice creek w/bridge and trees. I sent an e-mail to the seller stating they were misrepresting the lots and they replied that “someone at the court building” had told them this. I find this VERY hard to believe. A local farmer does keep a lot of it mowed and he also takes care of the cemetary. The reason I know alll this???? We own 2 of the lots – taxes are .57 yr. and we did not pay an outrageous price – just recording fees and $50. Have not the faintest idea what he plans to do with the lots as they are not big enough to build on. Also I attended school in Bottineau ND and that’s where the Omemee kids went after thier school was closed in 1952 or 1953.
Greetings from Omemee! We are Charles adn Helen Davidson Kippen . We live 1 mile east of Omemee on tne Kippen homestead. Our son Scott farms the land now with his 3 sons. They live 1 mile north of us. Charles
continues to help where needed, gardens and mows. Wee do keep the cemetery mowed. There is a new
Omemee Cemetery Book with pictures so all the stone and brief histories of the families put together by
Karen Welin Charnholm. We remembers the Guttus (visited om the motel parkin lot when you were here)
When you visit the area do stop by.
c
WOW!! There is a book. Do you know where I can get it?? My name is Della McFarlane Moore. I currently live in Nebraska but am coming “home” later this summer. One of my stops will be the cemetary for Omemee as my grandparents are buried there. I remember families getting together before Memorial Day to clean the cemetary and we all had pot luck at the school Lots of fragmented memories of Omemee, the Presbyterian Church, the pop factory and Aunt Janet’s house AND the Kippen farm. Spent many a Sunday there when I was growing up. My Dad was Clarence “Scotty” McFarlane. I saw Gary a few years ago while I was visiting Bottineau. Do you happen to have any Kippen history that might include any McFarlane items?? So sad never was interested in family heritage when young and folks around but now I am. I spent 13 days in England and Scotland last August and had the great fortune of finding McFarlane homestead of 1697 and still able to be used as part of little hotel. Also, this is Arrochar and there was a Kippen who served the “kirk” in that area. Do you suppose relative. My e-mail is scotty_della@yahoo.com if you would give me idea of how to get copy of book and if you have info. You never know what you might find when get on some of these sites. Am glad to see your note. Brings back lots of memories. Jack and Hazel were very wonderful people. Della
Hello Kippens!
You helped my sisters and I find our great great grandfathers grave in Overly. You were so helpful. We would have left without finding it had you not have been so gracious.
We called the police to find the old graveyard, no one knew where it was. They said call the Kippens!
So glad to see your posting! I need to send a photo of you two showing us the old plat maps. Will do it. Denise
Hi Helen – My name is Faith (Christensern), but you may remember me as Alice. I am Helen Dore’s sister. I did see you at the church in Bottineau when you and others prepared a nice get together after my mom died in 1980. My husband and I have come back to Omemee/Bottineau a couple of times in the past few years. You can reach me at faithrogers38@gmail.com.
My family lived in Omemee and the surrounding area at the turn of the century.
My family has stopped by through the years. We have photos of the superindents house in a few stages of wearing down. It is all gone now. The railroad has been removed.
I was delighted to find your photos here of the early days. It is also wonderful to read the comments and hear some stories.
Thanks for making the web site and thanks to those who commented.
I have a lot of photos I found this weekend of Omemmee when my great grandparents lived there. Is there a way to post them here – or is anyone interested?
Hoping Tim B. can post his photos, it would be very cool to see what he has.
Hi Again. Can someone let me know how to post photos – or where to post them for folks? Thx.
the house picture on main street the first one in the row can be seen over on brander street in bottineau ,over by the college its on the corner on brander