Merricourt: Somewhere & Nowhere, North Dakota, 2004-2005
This project examines the duality of an abandoned town in south-central North Dakota. Merricourt was established in 1883 on the Soo Line Railroad, as the tracks were being laid to connect Minneapolis to Bismarck. The town’s population peaked in 1940 with 153 residents and dwindled to just 9 people by 1990. Despite being abandoned, traces of Merricourt’s identity have stubbornly persisted and weathered the elements. But Merricourt isn’t unique: it’s only one of many such abandoned towns in the state that interrupt the infinite horizon.