5/2/2010:
Sims is largely a ghost town in Morton County, although it garnered some attention as the site of an active, but haunted church, and was visited by former First Lady Laura Bush in 2008.
Yet when a post office was established there on this date in 1883, Sims was a hot spot. It attracted many people, among them, Eber Hyde, who wanted to establish a lumberyard and elevator. However, there were no lots available, so Hyde and his partner moved their business just west, to a railroad side-track. In 1906, the new location became Almont, a town in its own right, with its own post office.
The two towns, though competitors, were closely intertwined and acted as one community for many years. But the population of Sims dwindled from a high of 1,000 in 1884 to only 1 in 1975, and now it's one of North Dakota's most remarkable ghost towns.
Dakota Datebook written by Sarah Walker
Sources:
http://www.webfamilytree.com/North_Dakota_Place_Names/S/sims_%28morton_county%29.htm
http://www.webfamilytree.com/North_Dakota_Place_Names/C/carbon_%28morton_county%29.htm
Almont: 1906-1981
"Gray Lady of Sims." http://www.prairiepublic.org/radio/dakota-datebook/?post=4768