North Dakota sure seems like a ghostly place. After all, it feels like there are more ghost towns around here than living ones; certainly, some of them are more forgotten than others. Many are so forgotten that even their names are lost to history, but in many, plenty still remains in some way or another, offering a glimpse into a past otherwise long gone. One such town is the town of Griffin, which is nestled in Bowman County. This ghost town in North Dakota is made even more intriguing by its history… or really, lack thereof.

From what we know about Griffin, it was a town originally known as Atkinson in or around 1900.

Jimmy Emerson, DVM/Flickr On February 10, 1908, Atkinson changed its name to Griffin in honor of the assistant general passenger agent of the Milwaukee Railroad, which went right through town.

If there’s anything Griffin had at one point, it was stockyards - a ton and a half of them.

Andrew Filer/Flickr In fact, the stockyards here were the largest ones in the entire county. By 1911, Griffin had a lumber yard, some grain elevators, and a general store.

There were a few homes, though they were few and far between.

Andrew Filer/Flickr Some of them still stand today, and though the structures are much too dilapidated and worn-out to explore inside, they certainly are a sight to behold from the outside.

Nowadays, things are pretty quiet in Griffin.

Andrew Filer/Flickr This little ghost town in North Dakota is what’s known as a true ghost town, meaning it has a population of zero and no operating post office.

Griffin’s post office closed in or around March 1930, officially dooming it to the annals of history.

Andrew Filer/Flickr It’s a fascinating and eerie feeling to wander around what remains today; it’s easy to wonder who lived here, what their lives were like, and where they ended up. Plenty of them probably have ancestors scattered around North Dakota to this day, though who knows if anyone remembers a great-great-grandparent who grew up in Griffin.

Griffin - or what’s left of it - can be found along Highway 12, six miles east of Rhame and seven miles west of Bowman.

Jimmy Emerson, DVM/Flickr

So, what do you think? Do you remember this interesting old ghost town in North Dakota? Tell us any stories you might have in the comments! Need some more creepy North Dakota in your life? You might want to try out this awesome creepy day trip!

Jimmy Emerson, DVM/Flickr

On February 10, 1908, Atkinson changed its name to Griffin in honor of the assistant general passenger agent of the Milwaukee Railroad, which went right through town.

Andrew Filer/Flickr

In fact, the stockyards here were the largest ones in the entire county. By 1911, Griffin had a lumber yard, some grain elevators, and a general store.

Some of them still stand today, and though the structures are much too dilapidated and worn-out to explore inside, they certainly are a sight to behold from the outside.

This little ghost town in North Dakota is what’s known as a true ghost town, meaning it has a population of zero and no operating post office.

It’s a fascinating and eerie feeling to wander around what remains today; it’s easy to wonder who lived here, what their lives were like, and where they ended up. Plenty of them probably have ancestors scattered around North Dakota to this day, though who knows if anyone remembers a great-great-grandparent who grew up in Griffin.

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Address: Griffin, ND 58651, USA