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Ardmore

Jul 9, 2013

Joel Schwader of Rapid City shared these photos of Ardmore, approximately one mile off the South Dakota-Nebraska border on SD Highway 71. The town was founded in 1889 and survived the Great Depression without one family on welfare. Rough times eventually fell on Ardmore and by 2004 it was considered an isolated ghost town.

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Ardmore is South Dakota's most southwest town, located in a dry plain of rolling hills and short grass.
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It got its start in 1889 as a stop on the new Burlington railroad.
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From the beginning it was a cowboy town – but a town that owed its survival to the train.
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Only the toughest – or the hardest headed – settled there.
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Water has always been scarce. In wet years, Hat Creek has brought a little water from Nebraska's Pine Ridge country, through Oglala National Grassland and across the border to Ardmore.
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But creek, wells or rain, there was never enough, and what they had was rarely fit to drink.
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It was so dry at Ardmore that in 1911, the federal government established an experimental farm north of town to demonstrate the wonders of dry land farming.
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Every year the farm held a picnic. Even President Calvin Coolidge attended the party in the summer of 1927 because he was lodged at Custer State Park.
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After a few years of trying, residents of Ardmore couldn't help wondering about the wonders of dry land farming.
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Even the government finally had to admit that this arid land was not meant for the plow.
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Grass returned and the population began to dwindle. A train brought the last tank of water to Ardmore over 40 years ago.
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They had town water for a while, but the well didn't last.
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The last time Ardmore had a recorded population was when the 1980 census showed a population of 16 residents.
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Comments

12:30 pm - Tue, July 9 2013

Omer Durfee said:

The National Geographic used a picture from Ardmore from 2004 in article called "The Late Great Plains." It's now a wallpaper for my computer monitors.

01:01 pm - Tue, July 9 2013

jetta schwader said:

Beautiful pictures. Love looking back to what it used to be and feel I'm not thankful enough what God has given us now.

01:02 pm - Tue, July 9 2013

Don Schmeichel said:

Great Photos, Joel! How do I buy that beautiful rusty Chevy?

01:03 pm - Tue, July 9 2013

Marlys Huber said:

I love reading about the history of a town. The pictures are wonderful!

03:47 pm - Tue, July 9 2013

Vicki Schultz said:

Great pics, Joel! So interesting learning about South Dakota's past.

05:53 pm - Tue, July 9 2013

Cindee Evenson said:

Your pictures make me feel like I'm
right there. Awesome photography, Joel!!

06:00 pm - Tue, July 9 2013

Doug and Danette Sell said:

These are so enjoyable to look at. Thank you, Joel, for sharing your photography gift with us.

07:40 pm - Tue, July 9 2013

Gary Trusty said:

This group of pictures just makes one want to go there to experience it all over again.

08:14 pm - Tue, July 9 2013

Cheryl Girard said:

Great photography ! I love the history of old towns.

08:52 pm - Tue, July 9 2013

Ann Chapman said:

There is such loneliness in abandoned towns. When you walk the streets it's as if the memories are blowing past you in the breeze. These photos reflect that feeling.

11:26 am - Wed, July 10 2013

Marlin Saner said:

Impressed again with Joel's photos. And the story is enlightening. Of course, without water life is limited.

07:12 pm - Sun, July 14 2013

Sara B. said:

Beautiful photographs. Joel Schwader has such and eye and really knows how to tell a story. Interesting that the grass looks so lush in a town that died from a lack of water.

09:18 am - Sat, July 27 2013

Amy Murphy said:

I remember going to Ardmore for the annual firemens ball...good times and good people. We would always stop on our way to Cascade falls and buy some picnic supplies at the general store. Lots of good memories!

09:49 am - Tue, July 30 2013

James Reimer said:

I just finished an historical fiction thriller set in Ardmore. I made the town come back to life through a scary perspective that is befitting to the deserted little town out in the middle of the lonely plains.
The book takes place in Ardmore and western Nebraska and includes some local folklore like the Witch's Grave, the Ghost Ship of the Platte, the School Children's Blizzard of 1888, Ft. Robinson, Ghost Dancers and strange occurrences along the Oregon Trail.
Check out my pictures and more about the book on my Face Book page @jamesreimerardmore. The book is titled ARDMORE, by James Reimer.

06:41 am - Sat, August 31 2013

Kelly Hourscht said:

Ardmore comes to life each November on the opening weekend of west river deer season. 3 hunting camps make the population explode to 20-25 people. One camp has refurbished the hotel in town & now they are working on the VFW building. They host a burger feed & a pancake feed each November to benefit the Ardmore volunteer fire department. We have been hunting the area for 15 years & built our cabin in Ardmore 10 years ago. We have made lifelong friendships with several local ranch families. Great people out there!

06:00 pm - Sat, September 21 2013

Rebecca Wasserburger said:

I have had so many memories here in Ardmore. I am so sad to see my family having to leave the area and all the wonderful people from the area as well. My dad was a firefighter for the Ardmore Volunteer Fire Dept for MANY years and a local rancher as well. I will always think of Ardmore as home and I will always think of the friends in the area and the hunters who come down for hunting season as family.
Along with what Kelly said: I always thought of hunting season in November as a holiday, and hope I still make it down to see everyone for the good time! :)

09:52 am - Tue, March 25 2014

gloria lachelt grummons said:

I lived in Ardmore 1956-58 and loved it! These pics bring back so many memories, wonderful memories. I was so saddened to go thru there a couple of years ago reminiscing and saw the Sunshine Café that my parents, Ted and Julia Birdsall owned so falling down.

11:46 am - Thu, April 10 2014

Merle Muhe said:

grew up on a ranch by Rumford. We used to go to church there and also were members of the fire dept. Also sold furs there at Harry's store in the mid 70's. I have fond memories of there and would like to relocate back there maybe when I retire. Rebecca, tho I do not know you my dad (Charles Morris and I used to hunt deer there on Duck Creek and Hat Creek.

01:29 pm - Tue, June 17 2014

Duane Thompson said:

Although I was raised in Illinois, during the early and mid-1960's, my parents and I vacationed near Ardmore while we looked for Fairburn agate on the grasslands and near Orella, NE. Remember meeting Harry Hartman and specifically remember his Moon Pies with the worm holes in them. Also met the good folks who ran the Hat Creek Cafe on the south side of town. Have many wonderful memories of Ardmore, Scenic, Crawford, and Orella, with its Sugar Loaf Butte.

05:04 pm - Fri, July 4 2014

Jerri Griffith said:

The hotel mentioned above, once the Ardmore Hotel, was owned and run by my great grandparents, Harriet and George W Joseph. I am thrilled to hear it still stands and hope to one day see it for myself!

04:04 pm - Tue, July 29 2014

Gary said:

We just drove through and stopped at Ardmore. Very interesting if not a little scary and irry place. Looks like lots of the town just up and left at once! What happened?