Laura Enerson Castro contributed these photos of Ambrose. A few of her comments are listed as captions. To see photos from our trip to Ambrose, click here.
The Miller house, built by the proprietors of A. Miller & Son, a prominent mercantile in Ambrose’s early days. This is my dream house!
House formerly owned by Clara Anderson, pioneer of the area who lived to be over 100.
This is the homestead shack of R.O. Storlie, my great-grandfather. Later my great-uncle Art Storlie lived there.
This is the location of the old Ambrose school, which was torn down in the 70s shortly after the school closed for lack of someone who wanted to buy and maintain it!
The old gas station, which was reroofed and rejuvenated for the Ambrose Centennial in 2006.
Original content copyright Sonic Tremor Media LLC
Ghosts of North Dakota 
My great-grandmother had a washing machine exactly like the one in the photo. Amazing how our technology changes so fast. Who maintains those properties now? Is someone currently living in any of them? Generally, the houses look to be in really good condition and the yards mowed. I am always surprised by this when photos are posted; I never expect ghost towns or towns with tiny populations to look as good as they often do.
LikeLike
My dad takes care of the Storlie properties now. The Miller house is maintained by my dad, Miller descendents, and Ambrose neighbors.
LikeLike
Great pictures, Laura! I hope you get your dream house!
LikeLike
Thanks for the tour of Ambrose….your dream house is a neat old house. A little TLC and sweat equity, and you could make her shine. I would love to see pics after you get done reviving her. 🙂
LikeLike
Laura, these pictures are wonderful!!! Brings back so many memories of the best years of my life when I was growing up. Clara Anderson lived next door to my Omer & Aunty Stenson & Bonnie & I visited her all the time-she loved to show us pictures of her family.
LikeLike
Ambrose has a pretty nice website for a ghost town. Lots of pictures and info. http://www.ambrosend.com
LikeLike
Is it possible to find out who created the http://www.ambrosend dot com website as it is down. It would be good for me to know as my intentions are to contact them and possible finance putting the website back up. There are many good photos and documents there. Thank you
LikeLike
I visited Ambrose in 2006, shortly after its centennial celebration. It was looking as ‘spruced up’ as it had in a while, I was told. Quaint town with a rich history. These photos with lilacs in them remind me how MANY of them I noticed while there. Somebody must have planted oodles of them! How many people still live there?
LikeLike
My best guess is birds planted the lilac trees. With out getting too specific, most of the seeds were in a “natural” fertilizer.
LikeLike
There is a cemetery by Ambrose with a head stone, Ole G. Frosaker, This also was my grandfathers name. This Ole emigrated to Walcott, ND in 1882 as a child. His mother was a sister to my Great-Grandfather, Guttorm Olson Frosaker, who is buried at Walcott, Kindred, ND. Ole at Ambrose’s mother married a Golberg. But Ole took the name Frosaker for some reason when he homesteaded around Ambrose. It would be interesting if any history would turn up regarding his living around Ambrose.
LikeLike
Good photo of my Grandma’s house. I think it was built by the same people who built the Miller home. Good bones. Too bad the current owners didn’t continue with their plans to renovate it.
It had the most amazing woodwork throughout. Clara lived there until she was 98 and then moved to the nursing home in Crosby. She died at age 106.
LikeLike
I wonder if Clara Anderson was related to my grandmother. Her name was Alpha Anderson and was born in Ambrose. Her parents were Christian and Anna Anderson.
LikeLike
My mother grew up here she had taken us back to vist pop pop Johnson and get a candy bar miss the good old days. The town looks great!
LikeLike
Clara Anderson was my grandmother – I used to stay with her for a couple of weeks each summer when I was small. It’s kind of sad to see the house as it is today . . .
LikeLike
Back in the early 50’s and into the mid 50’s,we used to visit our Great Uncle Bert and his wife in Ambrose when we would spend summers with our Uncles by Grenora…the Uncles were Hans and Arne Nelson who lived northeast of Grenora…This Uncle Bert’s first wife had been our Grandfather’s sister…Anton Christian Nelson was our grandfather..anyone remember a Bert from Ambrose in the 50’s?
LikeLike
Bert Thompson??
LikeLike
Thanks for the beautiful photos and the history. The people of Ambrose obviously care alot about their town and it shows. I was shown much kindness on my visit to Ambrose and I am very grateful. God bless you.
LikeLike
My great grandparents, Math and Anna Thompson homesteaded south of Ambrose in Twin Butte Township. They went to the Trinity Lutheran Church where they are buried. I had the pleasure of visiting Ambrose and the church where they were buried. I loved this part of the US and I can see why they settled there. Plan on going back soon. Would love to live there.
LikeLike
I attended elementary school in Ambose in the 30’s. I remember the three artesian wells in a town with no plumbing.
And pit toilets in the basement of the school. We also played on giant strides at recess! They were metal hand swings that would never make it now. My Dad was the doctor. I learned to swim and skate in the artesian pool with an island in it.
LikeLike
I am trying to trace my grandfather who owned a livery stable, saloon, and butcher shop in Ambrose I believe. About 1908-09. is there anyplace that I could search for information of that time period? Thank you for any help.
LikeLike
The name of my grandfather in previous email is Charles Edward (Jack) Hilton.
LikeLike
My grandfather ole ingmar oleson was postmaster in Ambrose in the 20’s. I have photos of my mom, patsy Irene, working there.
LikeLike
Searching for information on Bertha M Storlie 1877-1917 Ambrose, Divide County, North Dakota.
fh
LikeLike
Searching for Andrew 1851-1913 and Marie Knudson 1851-1919 as well as their children: Charles, Albert, Alfred, Jake, John, Clara, Anne and Amelia. Andrew and wife both buried at cemetery in Ambrose.
LikeLike
My grandfather and my grandmother, Carl L. and Tillie Dalseide served the Ambrose parishes in the 1940s. They moved to Canton, SD to retire. Uncle Carl enlisted in 1943 and served in the South Pacific. Uncles Stanley and Clifford attended school in Ambrose. Clifford is the only one still living, now in Richmond, VA. Their home in Ambrose was the church parsonage. A letter from the previous minister told them who would donate meat and garden stuff. And also promised to leave some lightbulbs in the parsonage when he left. Money was still real tight. His salary was $1000.00 ($20,000 today’s money) plus what he got for weddings and funerals as donations. And the free food at ladies’ aide meetings was welcome. He had a 1938 Oldsmobile that he kept until 1950. He may have gotten a car expense allowance from the congregations.
LikeLike