Mandan

Unfortunately, the old house at the top of a small hill, the remains of one of the "double"houses that were built at that time, has been torn down. (Photo near the top of thepage.). Turn right on the dirt road and go around the foundation of what was probably the old general store on your right and you are on the Main Street of Mandan. If you keep going down Main Street and turn to the right you will be back on highway 41.
This was the site of the Mandan Mining Company (1863) and was home at one time to about 300 people. At this time, there are three or four houses left that are apparently used by summer residents, and you can see many old foundations and the remains of some unfortunate houses that have collapsed. At one time there were 10 houses in double rows on each side of Main Street.

The school, built in 1907, was on a little hill and faced the woods but all that remains is the foundation. In the early 1900's the town was at the end of the line for the railroad and had a railroad depot. Some say the town was named for a local Indian tribe that used red dye for decorations and mandan is a Welsh word for red dye, while others say it was named for "that man Dan", Daniel Spencer, a Scotish-Irish miner from Canada.