HauntBound archive · catalog record
Reported phenomena — as catalogued
A 41-building pioneer village run by the Cass County Historical Society, where visitors report children laughing in the Houston House and staff run ticketed fall ghost investigations.
1351 Main Avenue West, West Fargo, ND 58078
Research updated June 2026
Age
All Ages
Cost
$$
Summer (May 1-Sep 30) general admission roughly $12 adults, $10 seniors, $6 ages 6-16, free under 5 and veterans; free on weekends Oct-Apr. Fall ghost investigations are separately ticketed via Eventbrite.
Access
Wheelchair OK
12-acre outdoor village with gravel paths between historic buildings; some structures have steps.
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1906 · Open-air pioneer village operated by the Cass County Historical Society · 41 historic buildings on 12 acres, 400,000+ artifacts · Includes the Houston House, home of roll-film inventor David Henderson Houston · Houston patented the first roll film (1881); credited with suggesting the 'Kodak' name
Bonanzaville, USA is run by the Cass County Historical Society on a 12-acre site in West Fargo. The museum is a collection of 41 historic and reconstructed buildings — among them Fargo's first house, a saloon, a hotel, a schoolhouse, a church, and a mercantile store — together holding more than 400,000 artifacts. The name refers to the bonanza farms that defined the region's late-nineteenth-century wheat economy.
One of the most-noted structures is the Houston House, the former home of David Henderson Houston (1841-1906). Houston moved to Dakota Territory in 1880 and farmed near Hunter, north of Fargo, while pursuing inventions. In 1881 he patented the first roll film for cameras, and over the following decades he patented roughly two dozen camera and camera-part improvements, several of which George Eastman bought for use in Kodak cameras. Houston is often credited with suggesting the 'Kodak' name as a play on 'Nodak,' shorthand for northern Dakota. He died in 1906; his house was later relocated to Bonanzaville, where it is open for tours.
The museum operates year-round with daytime tours, special events, and seasonal programming, including the fall paranormal investigations that have given several of its buildings a haunt reputation in local coverage.
Sources
Bonanzaville's haunt reputation centers on a handful of its relocated buildings. Local coverage from FargoMom describes the most frequently repeated account: the sound of children laughing inside the Houston House in the middle of winter, when no children are anywhere nearby. The Houston House dates to the early 1900s and was the home of inventor David Henderson Houston, who died in 1906; the building was later moved to the museum grounds.
The Brass Rail Saloon, one of the village's period structures, is the other building most often named in connection with reported activity, though published accounts give few specifics beyond visitor and staff impressions.
The museum leans into the reputation with seasonal paranormal investigations. According to the High Plains Reader, these run on Fridays and Saturdays in October as roughly 90-minute guided excursions led by ghost-hunting guides and paranormal experts; participants use provided equipment, with admission including refreshments, and tickets sold through Eventbrite. The events let small groups into buildings after normal museum hours. The activity reports are visitor and staff testimony gathered during these events rather than independently documented findings.
Notable Entities
Media Appearances
Self-guided daytime visit to the 41-building open-air village on 12 acres, including Fargo's first house, a saloon, hotel, schoolhouse, church, and mercantile, plus the Houston House — the home of roll-film inventor David Henderson Houston, later moved to the site.
Seasonal 90-minute guided paranormal investigation held on Fridays and Saturdays in October, led by experienced ghost-hunting guides. Groups use provided equipment such as EMF meters and spirit boxes; admission includes a soup-and-sandwich bar. Tickets are sold through the museum (Eventbrite).
Every HauntBound history is researched from documented sources. We clearly separate verified historical fact from paranormal folklore.
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