What compelled those who settled North Dakota’s vast prairies? Summers bring heatwaves, drought, & thunderstorms. Winters are harsh, with crippling temperatures & blizzards. North Dakota is a land of extremes, creating a unique, raw beauty. In the late 1800s, the Northern Pacific Railway built west across the Dakota Territory, birthing new towns. A strong advertising campaign & the promise of land attracted workers & immigrants. Business boomed, & Dakota Territory grew. By the mid-twentieth century, new technology rendered many once vibrant railroad towns useless. Residents trickled out as employment prospects dwindled, leaving communities to decay in the elements. This book is a photographic journey documenting these remains. It showcases images that tell haunting tales of another time, reminding us how illusory human permanence is.