Officially, this church is now known as Susan Webb Hall Memorial Congregational Church. It once served Elbowoods, North Dakota, a town now-submerged under Lake Sakakawea, as part of the Fort Berthold Indian Mission which dates back to the 1870s.
Troy Larson is an author, photographer, gentleman adventurer (debatable) from Fargo, North Dakota, and co-founder of Ghosts of North Dakota. @NorthDakotaTroy
During our trip in July of 2014 we had the opportunity to visit several places that once stood in Elbowoods, North Dakota, a town erased from the map when the Garrison Dam flooded the Missouri River Valley. Not far from the Susan Webb Hall Memorial Congregational Church, this homestead, settled by the Wells family, sits vacant. Diane P. commented about this place on our Facebook page and filled in many of the details.
The homestead was settled by “the late Ralph Jr. & Olive Wells […] The late Ralph Wells Sr. also lived there until he passed away. Ralph and Olive were my Uncle and Aunt. Ralph Wells Jr. served as our Tribal Chairman for the Three Affiliated Tribes in the early seventies and died in office.”
The Wells grandchildren have fond memories of this place. One of them, Swadeau H. also commented on our Facebook page about living in this house. She said …
Troy Larson is an author, photographer, gentleman adventurer (debatable) from Fargo, North Dakota, and co-founder of Ghosts of North Dakota. @NorthDakotaTroy