Stirum was a spur of the moment stop while I was out taking a new car on its first roadtrip. This area of Sargent County was hit pretty hard with some of the extremely wet weather we experienced in the years around 2010 and 2011, and it shows in Stirum. There was a lot of apparent ‘cleanup’ going on the day I arrived, so I didn’t photograph much. We’ll quite likely go back again some time in the future. Just guessing, I would estimate a population around a dozen.
This is the former Sargent County Maintenance shop.
This house has a huge, two story porch on the back.
The building on the left, though closed on the day I visited, appeared to be an operational bar.
Photos by Troy, copyright Sonic Tremor Media LLC
Ghosts of North Dakota 
I lived in Gwinner from 1998 to 2006. Used to go eat at that bar. It was called “Stirum Up”. They had great buffalo burgers!
LikeLike
My mom and dad had the bar during this time,!!!! My mom was a FABULOUS COOK!!!
LikeLike
I loved your mom’s cooking. One of the best parts of my childhood.
LikeLike
I agree Tracy! Your Mom was an awesome cook! Loved talking with your Dad too!
LikeLike
The large old house that you have apicture of was at one time the parish house for
St. Vincents Catholic Church, which is now located in Gwinner, ND, Also after it was no
longer used as a parsonage, we live in it for several years, it is a amazing old house.
the other building you thought was is a bar called the Galloping Goose, ran buy
Danny Bauer.
LikeLike
Yes at one it was the Stirum Up Bar then closed and reopened as the Galloping Goose, when I grew up in Stirum it was the post office and Hardware store ran by Bert and Velman Anderson.
Mary An
LikeLike
I used to babysit for a family in Stirum when I was in H.S. at Sargent Central..the Roger Even Family. Does anyone know where any of them are? Delores Warcken Mischel
LikeLike
Yes I do. They were GREAT family friends!!!! Message me @. tracyhoffart@comcast.net
LikeLike
Some are in Fargo and some are near Detroit lakes
LikeLike
I’m one Roger Evens daughters the youngest. He just sold the house a couple years ago and now lives in Fargo my mom passed away 19 years ago. Which siblings did you babysit for?
LikeLike
I once too ate at the Stirum Bar several years ago when I temporarily lived in the ghost town of Crete a few miles away.
LikeLike
The bar is now called Dilly’s and is a super place to stop for a great meal !!
LikeLike
Yep! Owned and operated by “Dilly” himself. He is my neighbor and such a nice man that is always willing to help out someone in need.
LikeLike
Yup, Dilly is my duck huntin Buddy! I just stopped there last month on my way home from Oakes, and had one if his “Famous” Buffalo burgers!! Great!! I think Dilly now owns the Big house you are talking about also!
Bob Reed
LikeLike
I actually lived in the two story house shown above from the mid to late 80’s. There used to be a church right next to it.
LikeLike
I delivered to Stirum when I drove for Henry’s Foods. The bar had more than one owner(manager) during that time but everyone was very friendly and the food was always delicious.
LikeLike
Did you deliver when Phyllis and Lyle Osier ran the bar!??? They are my parents!!!
LikeLike
My Grandfather, Hans Gysler, and his cousin, Albert Gysler, were the telegraph operators at the Stirum station, ca. 1902. I have photographs of them indoors in their down-time practicing code and playing their musical instruments in the one room shack they shared. Sorry, no outdoor pics. That’s all I have. I wouldn’t have known it was Stirum except that was what was written on the front of photos.
LikeLike
Stirum and the Stirum Up Bar. I haven’t thought of that place nor been near it in 40 years. Used to do a lot of duck and goose hunting in that area. The Hyatt slough, Crete, the Englevale slough, Ludden, and of course Stirum.
Good times back then. My dad had a hunting cabin about a mile or two north of Crete in those days when I was a teen. The house was on Bernie Shulick’s property. His last name may have been spelled Chulick or something like that.
Like I said, good times. Gotta get back there some day.
LikeLike
I believe the name is spelled “Vculek”. My mother was a Karas and her cousin was named Ernie Vculek (pronounced the way you have spelled it above). Could Ernie Vculek be the individual or related to the individual of whom you are thinking? My mother, Elaine Karas, is the daughter of Joseph Karas Sr. and their farm was directly west from the Stirum cemetery.
LikeLike
Hello Mary…. Yes, now that I see how it’s spelled, you are correct. It is Vculek. If I’m not mistaken, there were two brothers who lived across the road from each other, Bernie and I do believe the other was Ernie, whom you are referring to.
Coming out of Crete northbound (past Hwy 13) you had Bernie’s place on the left (west) and Ernie’s on the right (east). If you continued northbound the road would take a sharp left, but if you went forward there were two houses on that property (owned by Bernie), the smaller of the two was our hunting house, the larger mansion type house was bought by Charlie Bertell and a couple of other guys, I can’t remember who they are offhand. All of us were Fargo people at the time.
Does any of this jog your memory?
Thanks so much for replying to my previous comment.
LikeLike
In Slavic languages, the “V”, or “FFF” sound means “from, or of” so…just guessing that the name C(h)ulick is either a place name, or forename.
LikeLike
Oh Goodness, what great information you are sharing . . . I didn’t even know Ernie had a brother. I can’t imagine there could be too many Ernie Vculeks! My mom is not online but, I am going to relay this communication to her and get what Hx I can. It’s nearing Memorial Day and she’ll be driving down home to Stirum to dress the graves. I’ll see if she can zip around the areas you’re mentioning and add a little more to the narrative.
LikeLike
Deloris, Linda and Diane is in Gwinner. Mary,Deb,and Roger in Fargo. Julie in Grand Forks.David in Cogeswell. Donna in Florida and mike in Detroit Lakes. DebEven Nelson
LikeLike
I grew up in Crete. Wonderful small town. Not the same anymore with both my parents gone and the bar is no longer there. Crete school is also gone. 😢
Cindi Glander (Gemar)
LikeLike