Passing Through Fordville
Walsh County
Fordville just happened to be on our route as we explored a few towns in Walsh and Ramsey counties. It is not a ghost town or a near-ghost town… more like Pleasantville. According to the 2000 Census, Fordville had 266 residents, shrinking to 212 in 2010.
The most prominent landmark was the Ford Theatre, a beautiful brick building that’s been carefully tended, but in need of help with the roof.
The owner kindly posted a flyer which reads as follows:
FORD THEATRE
Est. 1948 by
Hub (Hulbert) and Richard Casement
Construction by: Martin Hustad, Peter and John Peterson.
Brickwork by Arnie Steen
First movie shown: “Little Mr. Jim” on March 19th, 1948.
Starring Butch Jenkins, James Craig, and Francis Clifford
Theatre was closed in the early 1960′s
Purchased by Donald and Jean Omdahl on Dec. 8th, 1970
Used for community plays and gospel services in the 1980′s
Purchased by DeLon Freije
from Don Omdahl on June 18th, 2010
Don went home to Jean on August 31st, 2010
Future plans: Restore theatre, display train collection for public display and offer tours of the theatre.
Popcorn sales on Thursday evenings through the summer
Any help with roof repairs would be much appreciated.
There were a few structures that looked ‘semi-vacant’– in that gray area between seldom used and used every day. No real abandoned structures however. So we just took a few shots that looked nice.
The clock struck noon while we were visiting and the air raid siren on top of this tower sounded.
Photos by Troy Larson and Terry Hinnenkamp
Copyright Sonic Tremor Media LLC
Do you have any info on who Fordville was named after? My maiden name is Ford and many of my Ford relatives came from Walsh County. LOVE your site!!
Love Ghosts of ND–and especially the Fordville pictures. My dad grew up on a farm just outside of that tiny town.
Noon sirens are a memory….. as is the 6 pm and 10 pm curfew sirens
Noon, six pm, and ten pm sirens still happen in Pembina too. Sure helped remind the kids when to be home!
I was in Fordville in the 1970′s for a wedding. I haven’t been back there since. I love your website–I am a history buff. Even though I no longer live in North Dakota, North Dakota still lives in me!! I am anxiously awaiting your next post!!!!
I remember playing Basketball against Fordville in the 60′s when I played for Edinburgh. It seemed much bigger than.
My grandparents lived in Fordville and I remember staying at their home and have so many wonderful memories from there. Really a nice community.
My God-parents still run the store in fordville. My mother and Kris’s dad are brother and sister.
I just visited the website…looks good. Hope your venture with the theater is a success. You could show some old “flicks” from the 20′s – 40′s. I imagine some “shorts” or “comedies” like Laural and Hardy.
“The General” a silent movie of Buster Keaton’s about trains. It is a roll on the floor funny.
Richard Foat (seller of the 2055 Locomotive)
When the town of Fordville was started in 1905 the name was originally Medford in connection with the name of the early postoffice by that name as well as the name of the township where it was located. But as service progressed by the Soo Line, it became increasingly difficult to correctly direct the traffic, there being another town on the same railroad line located in Wisconsin by the same name. It was therefore decided to change the name of this new town. And so … it was decided to take the last syllable appearing in the names of two of the earliest postoffices “Ford” out of Medford and “ville” out of Bellville. Thus on July 1, 1910 the name officially became Fordville. (Taken from “History of Fordville and Surrounding Area” by G.K. Ness, published in 1973.
Thank you!
I live in Fordville and LOVED seeing it on your site!
My dad Donald Omdahl owned the theatre and we lived in the structure attached to it! The structure at one time contained a Beauty Shop, Dentist Office, and a Doctor’s Office! The two offices shared a common waiting room (our living room). The kitchen was the Dentist’s office. The theatre was used for a Christian
Coffee House and school plays. We made our living quarters work with a family of eight!!