Tagus

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

Tagus ( TAY-gəs) is a ghost town in Mountrail County, North Dakota, United States. The town was founded in 1900, approximately forty miles west of Minot and along the Great Northern Railway's transcontinental route. It was incorporated in 1908 and reached a peak population of 140 in 1940. It was originally named Wallace, but was later renamed Tagus to avoid confusion with the town of Wallace, Idaho. It was named after the Tagus river, the longest river in the Iberian Peninsula.

The on-the-ground condition of Tagus 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 Tagus 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 Tagus is roughly 48.3464, -101.9342 — 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.