Today, Maida, North Dakota appears to be not much more than a dot on a map along the 49th parallel. Its story, however, spans nearly 150 years, beginning in 1884 when a post office was established in the young town north of Langdon. Because of its proximity to Canada, there is border station history at Maida, though much of the early years remains unclear. A customs office was known to exist by the late 1930s, and in 1961, a new station was built.

Thanks to the border crossing, Maida saw a steady stream of traffic, but that wasn’t the only reason people were flocking to Maida. In 1964, Jack’s bar opened about 30 seconds south of the Canadian line. Eventually, the bar became famous on both sides of the border, known for fried chicken Wednesdays, fish Fridays, and steak Saturdays. The town’s population, roughly a handful of people, would turn into hundreds because of the unmistakable draw of Jack’s. By the early 2000s, Jack’s Bar was one of the last buildings standing in Maida, whose post office had closed years earlier.

In 2010, change was on the horizon. After 46 years in operation, Jack’s Bar was sold and demolished to make room for a new border crossing, which opened in June of 2012. Now, the once booming town sits empty with only two residents. Regardless, Maida is an important ghost town. Not only is it a vital port of entry for residents of Cavalier County and surrounding communities, the Maida-Windygate port is crucial to maintaining ties with our neighbors to the north as well.