Harlem is a town that no longer exists. We believe this former voting precinct building is the only structure left from what was once Harlem. This building stands right near a farmer’s home and he is farming the land on all sides.
According to North Dakota Place Names by Douglas Wick, Harlem was once at the terminus of the Milwaukee Railroad line from Andover, South Dakota and had 225 residents by 1890, but the construction of the nearby NPRR line caused many Harlem residents to move to nearby communities like Cogswell. When the railroad was taken up in 1923, it spelled the end for Harlem.
The former site of Stirum, ND is just two miles north of here.
See also: Tyner Cemetery
See also: A Quick Stop in Stirum
Photos by Terry Hinnenkamp, Copyright Sonic Tremor Media LLC
Ghosts of North Dakota 
Actually, the only remaining part of the town of Harlem is the cemetery. The township hall in the picture was a township schoolhouse not part of the town of Harlem. However, it has been gone for a couple of years now.
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The actual townsite of Harlem is one mile west of CR-4 and south of CR-1. There is a plaque there describing the town. It is pretty interesting.
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Now there is nothing where the old schoolhouse sat. The farm place was sold and it is completely gone now.
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As a side note, the rail line was plotted as far as Valley City and the rail bed actually went quite a ways past Harlem but the rails were never laid past Harlem.
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