Heaton

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

Heaton is an unincorporated community in Wells County, North Dakota, United States. It is located 20 miles west of Carrington. Heaton was heavily damaged by a tornado in 1910, and some blame the decline of the town on that event. The storm killed two people and destroyed both of the town's grain elevators, and demolished the hardware store, the pool hall, the city hall, the depot, and many residences. Nonetheless, by 1930 Heaton's population was 400, double the population it had before the 1910 tornado, suggesting that the tornado was not the cause of the community's decline.

The on-the-ground condition of Heaton 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 Heaton 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 Heaton is roughly 47.4783, -99.5478 — 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.