Sacred Place: Steele, N.D.

On the last day of my sabbatical journey north, as I drove across my home state of North Dakota, I drove by Driscoll and Steele, which are located about 35 miles west of Bismarck. These were the home towns of my father and mother, respectively, at the time they were dating each other. About all I can remember about Driscoll is a couple of family gatherings when I was very young, and going to the funerals of my Grandfather and Grandmother in the early 50’s when I was a small boy.

I stopped for gas on the interstate just outside of Steele. After having filled up, I was drawn to drive into this little town of some 700 people. Last year Steele celebrated its 125th Anniversary. The community had been begun by Wilbur F. Steele who had purchased land from the Northern Pacific Railroad for the community. He had hoped his namesake town would become the North Dakota state capitol, and to that end he built a building to house the legislature. When the capitol ended up being located in Bismarck, Steele sold the building to Kidder County in 1885 to serve as its courthouse, which it still is to this day.

As I drove into Steele everything became black and white. It was the late 1930’s, and there was lots of dust in the air. My mother, Ruth, was the daughter of the local Methodist pastor, Herbert Brown, who died before I was born. I found the church he served. My father, Edrei, used to drive over from Driscoll, just 10 miles west, to court my mother. I remember him telling stories about driving around and around the block of the parsonage, hoping to get up enough courage to knock on the door.

I found the post office where Mom used to go to send letters to Dad when he was away at college, and where she would pick up his love letters to her. And yes, I found the Kidder County Courthouse, where they secured their marriage license.

The past is sacred. It carries the stories and events that are a large part of who we are. Towns like Steele are sacred to those who have roots there, stopping by for a few moments to view the places and spaces where events occurred that were seminal to who they are today.

Back on the interstate, I felt a little bit closer to Mom and Dad, and gratitude for the places and people who made them who they were.