Good Bones
Good Bones
Local landmark added to National Register of Historic Places
By Cammie Wright
An iconic piece of Turtle Lake’s history and landscape, the Schlafmann Barn is officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Currently owned by Wayne Schlafmann, the property has a storied history.
The barn’s past is parallel to Turtle Lake’s history. Earland Lindquist and his wife Clara moved to Turtle Lake in 1905 after Clara’s brothers convinced the couple to relocate from Minnesota. The brothers spoke of cheap, available land in the middle of North Dakota. The Lindquist’s moved to the small prairie town with a lot of optimism, according to Earland’s 1933 obituary:
“Mr. and Mrs. Lindquist, having faith in the growth of Turtle Lake, and feeling that it would be good to farm here, made their home in this area. The first work Mr. Lindquist did was carpenter work and many of the buildings that he helped build in town are still here.”
