On fourth of July weekend, 2013, we found ourselves ahead of schedule on our two day photo shoot. In the town of Fortuna, we found the church we wanted to photograph had oil workers camping out on the property and big trucks parked in front of it. We moved on to another location which also turned out to be a bust, so we set out for Powers Lake to get some lunch.
As we drove along highway 50 between Alamo and McGregor, North Dakota, we were absolutely struck by the beauty of the drive. Lakes dotted the landscape like blue jewels in a rolling green setting. Suddenly, along the side of the road in the distance, Terry spotted a steeple. As we approached, it just looked too good to pass up, so we decided to stop and shoot this church — Bethel Lutheran Church, rural Wildrose. What a beautiful place.
Photos by Troy Larson and Terry Hinnenkamp, copyright Sonic Tremor Media LLC
Ghosts of North Dakota 
I was raised in that church and my father rests at peace in that cemetery. Our family farm home is on the other side of the tree rows behind the church, and north of Highway 50. Lots of memories. Thanks for including Bethel Lutheran Church in your journeys. I have posted a picture of the interior of this church. It was beautiful in its day. Vandals have now destroyed the beautiful windows and shot through the alter. So sad.
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Very interesting. Mother and sister and brothers of my grandmother went to ND and Wild Rose about 1905 from Norway. Their last name was Borstad. Wild Rose I believe is located on southern corner of Borstad far. Would like to go there some time.
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I’m. Karen’s sister and this is one of the most beautiful churches ever. Even vandals can’t destroy the beauty!
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Beautiful church. And just look at that sky.
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People have forgotten Stordahl Church, founded by C.J.Helle, my Grandma Salveson’s dad. It is southeast of Wildrose. Church is gone but my relatives are buried there. Ione E. Oskay
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Ione,
Just trying to find out if you are the sister to Jimmy Salveson, and also just exactly where the Stordahl church was located. Was looking this past weekend and found Bethel church and the cemeteries for Grong and Trinity in Hamlet but didn’t know where to look. Joe D. Hanson (lived in Wildrose until 1966)
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Did the Stordahl church have stained glass windows. If so my dad has a replica of the church that my great grandfather built. It needs to be redone, I didn’t get to see that church in person but the rebuilt one my dad has in his back yard I love to look at when I go out there.
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Thanks for posting these photos. My grandfather, the Rev. Gustav Hegg, was a Norwegian Lutheran pastor at Wildrose from 1912 – 1922. He was in charge of the Williston Circuit, Wildrose, Williams County and pastored at Wildrose, Stordahl, Skabo, Cottonwood Lake and Zion congregations.
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I had many ancestors attending this church.
Alg, Holten, Davidsons.
Maybe Glover and Peacock
Most were Norwegian
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My grandfather, Christopher Ytrehus, was a pastor in the Wildrose area from 1909–1916. He served churches in Alamo, Appam and Zahl. There is a photo of the Appam lot where the church once stood. In 1992 the church he served in Alamo, Zion Free Church, had been moved to the road to Williston and was at that time being used by the Girl Scouts. My mother grew up in Wildrose on a homestead farm. I have written a book about my grandfather and his time in Wildrose among other places. It is available on Amazon under the title: Letters from my Grandfather: A Norwegian Pastor Writes Home.
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My mother lived here as a child, Elizabeth Burdick, daughter of Clarence Eugene Burdick and Hildur Wollander. In or about 1925 to 1930. Any chance there are more photos of the town from that era?
Thank you,
her daughter- Susan
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