Whitman

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

Whitman is an unincorporated community in Nelson County, North Dakota, United States. Whitman is located along North Dakota Highway 35 and the Northern Plains Railroad, 9.3 miles (15.0 km) north of Michigan and about thirty minutes east of Devils Lake. In 2012, it was reported that Whitman had a population of two people who lived on the edge of the city. Whitman was founded one hundred years earlier in 1912 when the Soo Line Railroad was built through North Dakota. At one time, Whitman had a post office, fire department, lumber yard, community hall and school.

The on-the-ground condition of Whitman 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 Whitman 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 Whitman is roughly 48.1586, -98.1197 — 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.