Brisbane

North Dakota's ghost towns are homestead-era towns the drought and the Depression emptied in a single brutal decade.

Brisbane is a ghost town in what was then Morton County but today is Grant County in the U.S. state of North Dakota. It was named after the city of Brisbane, Australia. According to a 1913 newspaper article, the town was first settled in 1906, but more formally established in 1911:In the spring of 1906 there were only a few people living in Brisbane vicinity. The first settlers were men, but in that year women arrived there. The attention of the first settlers was entirely given to stock raising, and no farming was done.

The on-the-ground condition of Brisbane is unverified — it's listed here with unknown status. That could mean standing buildings, or an empty field. Go prepared for either, and consider sharing what you find so the record improves.

Nobody has confirmed the access situation, so treat any visit as reconnaissance: verify land ownership first, and be ready to admire from the road.

Here's the honest truth: access to Brisbane is unverified. We couldn't confirm whether the site sits on public land, private property, or something in between — so verify land ownership and local rules before visiting, and respect private property at all times.

Ghost-town etiquette is simple: take only photographs. Removing artifacts is illegal on public lands and disrespectful everywhere else — and on federal land it can be a serious offense.