Elbowoods

North Dakota's ghost towns are homestead-era towns the drought and the Depression emptied in a single brutal decade.

Elbowoods is a ghost town that was located in McLean County, North Dakota, United States, on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation. It was founded in 1889 along the Missouri River as the agency seat for the reservation of the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation. After the creation of the Garrison Dam and Lake Sakakawea, rising water levels threatened the town, slowly engulfing its buildings until the entire town was submerged in 1954.

The on-the-ground condition of Elbowoods is unverified — it's listed here with unknown status. That could mean standing buildings, or an empty field. Go prepared for either, and consider sharing what you find so the record improves.

Nobody has confirmed the access situation, so treat any visit as reconnaissance: verify land ownership first, and be ready to admire from the road.

Here's the honest truth: access to Elbowoods is unverified. We couldn't confirm whether the site sits on public land, private property, or something in between — so verify land ownership and local rules before visiting, and respect private property at all times. The mapped point for Elbowoods is roughly 47.5922, -102.1593 — use it as a starting point and cross-reference a current topographic map before leaving pavement.

Ghost-town etiquette is simple: take only photographs. Removing artifacts is illegal on public lands and disrespectful everywhere else — and on federal land it can be a serious offense.