2023-10-19 22:16:00
NEW SALEM, N.D. (KFYR) – In the past couple of weeks people have been hearing about the city of Jerusalem. For generations of New Salem and surrounding residents, that name reminds them of a place on North Dakota’s prairie.
Driving through the prairie near New Salem, flat land and rolling hills are a common sight. But at the bottom of a hill, there is something special. ”As far as history, it’s always been there,” said New Salem resident Robert Gaebe. This is “Little Jerusalem”. For generations of New Salem and surrounding residents, this was a popular hangout spot. ”Well they didn’t have TV, they didn’t have anything to do but find a place to have a picnic. And there were farms all around so it was easy to get there by horse and buggy or even early cars,” said Gaebe. Those who came here memorialized their time by carving into the sandstone. The earliest marking is from 1917. ”I know there is still initials there that were our neighbors. I may have scratched something in but that is long gone,” said Gaebe. ”Little Jerusalem” got its name for its resemblance to the wall in Jerusalem. It’s unknown when it was locally named, but it’s stuck for generations. ”It was there and that was a place to gather,” said Gaebe.
State Geologist Ed Murphy says the sandstone became cemented by water that used to flow for millions of years over the area. Rock around it eroded away and “Little Jerusalem” popped up.
Murphy says there are other sites like “Little Jerusalem” in the state but this one is unique because of its size. If the erosion process continues at the same rate about a million years from now the sandstone will one day be the top of a butte. One incident that makes this rock formation so notorious is one spring afternoon pioneer Frederick Becker Senior was walking home from New Salem when a blizzard struck. He and his dog took shelter in this cave for the night. The formation became a popular spot for Sunday afternoons in the 40s and 50s. A New Salem fourth-grade teacher even used to bring his class to the site every year. In the 70s and 80s, the formation became lesser known after the main road was washed out. ”As people moved away and generations got younger they quit going there. There were other things to do,” said Gaebe. The last time Gaebe took the trek to “Little Jerusalem” was two years ago. He says he was surprised by how tall the grass had grown. He was used to it being flat from all the travelers. ”There is nothing like it in the immediate area. I know there is bigger rock formations in other parts, but it was interesting here,” said Gaebe. Many names have worn off, but older generations say they still remember “Little Jerusalem” as the place to gather.
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