The roads are patched together with tar, the playground equipment at the schools are dated and rusting, and the main street ramshackle storefronts make up the downtown view. All of these aspects of a small town show the passage of time, and that these towns have been around for many generations. This alone calls for appreciation and respect. The fact that many of the original buildings still stand shows how resilient these places really are.

 

When taking these photographs I began to realize that there is something historic and genuine about these places. There may not be much life in some of the old buildings that appear abandoned, but one must realize these buildings at one time were new, and they have weathered many years. These places became much more charming to me once I thought of them as not just rundown and old. Once I looked beyond the surface, I began to realize that these dated buildings all served a purpose, and were once significant pillars in their community. This alone demonstrates how these places are a significant reminder of the past, and of what small town North Dakota once was.

 

The passage of time becomes even more evident when you notice and distinguish the old from the new. Seeing aged buildings right next to the newly built serves as a reminder that these small communities are still alive and kicking.