We visited Falsen School in Verendrye, North Dakota in 2010 and discovered it was all that was all left of the town that once stood here. Just a lonely, crumbling facade of the school remains. It was on clearly posted private land, so we weren’t able to get closer on this visit.
The town that was once Verendrye, a real town with residents and businesses, was named for Pierre La Verendrye, a French Canadian fur trapper, trader and explorer who in 1738 was the first European American to venture into what is now North Dakota.
There is also a monument nearby to David Thompson, the British-Canadian fur trader and explorer. We did not photograph it, but you can see a photo about halfway down his wikipedia page.
See Also: Verendrye in Black & White
See Also: Watch Verendrye Age 40 Years
See Also: Flooding in Verendrye
Photo by Terry Hinnenkamp, copyright Sonic Tremor Media
Ghosts of North Dakota 
Amazing picture! Just think of all the things that went on in that school over the years, and all that’s left is the facade.
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My understanding is that the town of Verendrye used to be named Falsen. Does anyone know why and when it wsa changed?
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Given the numbers of Norwegian immigrants in ND, I suspect Falsen was probably named after Christian Magnus Falsen, one of the chief political figures in Norway’s independence in 1814.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_Magnus_Falsen
As for Verendrye, the town is probably named after the Québécoise explorer, who first explored that area.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre_Gaultier_de_Varennes,_sieur_de_La_V%C3%A9rendrye
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I stopped by the area about 10 years ago and took a picture of the school also on my way to the Verendrye monument. I have learned more about North Dakota while living in the state of Washington then while living in North Dakota. Thanks to all that have made the web site Ghosts of North Dakota possible.
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It brings back good memories , I went to school there for my first 8 years , our house just a hop and a skip from the school.
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Wallace,
My name is Darrell Geyer and my mother is Ronda Swensrud Geyer. Any chance you attended school at the same time?
Sincerely,
Darrell Geyer
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My mother and her siblings went to school in this building. We were able to wander through it when it was still a relatively sound structure. My aunt talks about the stage that raised and lowered. We found paperwork lying scattered on the floor documenting payments made to my grandfather for, I believe, taking students to school in the winter. My Great Grandparents Dosch lived next to the school. I believe that both Verendrye Electric in Velva and the People’s State Bank in Velva originated in Verendrye. The bank vault was at one time still standing in Verendrye.
Darrel Geyer, your mother’s family lived one house away from us in Velva where the oak Valley Lutheran Church parking lot is now.
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I have a photo of my great uncle Frank Carlson and his father Johan Per Carlson on the steps of the Falsen School which must have been taken around 1930. Frank was a cracking piano player and composer who probably played on the stage there.
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You are correct Verendrye Electric Coop got its start here (in 1939), but they moved down the road to Velva in 1941.
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