Why Nineteen26?
Back to our roots: the first Tourists
In the early 1900s, automobiles provided Americans with unprecedented mobility. Despite the lack of paved or marked highways, adventurous tourists took to the open roads, eager to explore. Even the wealthy were content to rough it in roadside camps. Had they opted for a hotel room, they would not have been able to protect their cars from "joyriders", the car thieves of the time.
Towns along major highways soon realized that to attract businesses to their communities, they needed to offer clean, safe camps for tourists. By the early 1920's, there were campgrounds in 1200 cities and towns across the US. The best auto camps offered clean water and toilets. Some also provided cooking facilities, electric lights, and shelters.
Our property traces it origins back to 1926, when C. G. Foye founded it as the Steele Tourist Camp, known as one of the first of its kind. In its initial year, the camp provided tent spaces for just 50 cents per night, including a table, shelter, and camp stove. Foye used a generator to provide electric lights for the camp.
Expansion into the 1940's
In the mid-1930s, Foye sold the property to Frank Gebhard, who expanded the site by adding more cabins and a service station. For several years, Frank's brother John and his wife managed the camp. During the summer months, Frank hauled water to ensure the survival of the trees planted by Foye.
The property, located along "Old Highway 10", thrived during the 1940s. By the mid-1940s, it was sold to the Anderson family. They expanded the house previously added by Gebhard and relocated the garage to the west, converting it into a two-room cabin.
The small service station was remodeled into our Camp Store, and the original Conoco sign - returned to us by a community member - is proudly displayed nearby.
New Owners & A New Name: the Anderson Cabins
When the Anderson family purchased the property, it was briefly renamed the Anderson Cabins. Under the Andersons, the service station was discontinued due to the highway being rerouted half a mile north (now Interstate 94), which significantly impacted the business. In the early 1950s, the Anderson family moved away to pursue other opportunities.
The property remained vacant until 1955, when Louise and Henry Holzhausen purchased it and began renovations. Sewer and water hookups were installed and the cabins were modernized. After Henry passed away in 1963, Louise continued managing the business. That same year, four of the small cabins were relocated to make space for a new four-unit motel.
Welcome to the OK Motel
In 1964, Otto Kuss arrived, married Louise, and helped finance and build the new motel. It was officially named the OK Motel in honor of his initials.
In 1992, Otto's son Rodney and his wife Mary took over ownership and operation of the OK Motel. They continued to modernize the property, adding phones, cable television, and air conditioning. In 1997, they added four motel rooms that ran north and south. In the early 2000s, a laundromat was added on the north side of the block. The motel became a popular stop for visitors, including many hunters. Rodney and Mary continued to manage the property until 2018. The property sat vacant for some time before being put up for sale in 2020.
Through its evolution from a campground to a small motel and lodging business, this property became the longest-running family business in Steele. It's remarkable that a modest campground established in 1926 evolved into a thriving motel business that endured for several decades--a testament to the entrepreneurial spirit and ingenuity of our community.
Out with the Old and In with the New: Nineteen26 Campground
Our Story
Welcome to Nineteen26 Campground & Lodging! We are excited to offer you a unique experience that encompasses the history of our local community. Each of our lodging units features a unique theme, offering guests a variety of one-of-a-kind experiences.
In September of 2022, my husband Chase and I took a leap of faith, committing to a massive renovation of this historic property. After passing the vacant site countless times, I knew this couldn't be the end of a business that had survived since 1926. This property is part of our community's history and needed much-deserved renovations. By October, we had made significant progress in the demolition process, removing nearly 90 dump truck loads and three 30-yard dumpsters of debris and old structures. We soon committed to a full-scale renovation of the laundromat, converting it into housing, and restoring the seven-unit motel and the 1940s service station.
Our Family
I'm Erin Dewitz, and alongside my husband Chase, I am co-owner and manager of Ninteen26 Campground & Lodging. Originally from central Minnesota, I have called Steele, ND home for the past 17 years. I have the honor of being married to a North Dakota farmer and rancher, and together we are blessed to raise our twin boys and our daughter.
While I am a nurse practitioner by trade, I've also discovered a passion for the lodging and tourism industry. I thoroughly enjoy engaging with economic development initiatives and contributing to the improvement of our community. This project has been a true labor of love, and I sincerely hope that you enjoy it as much as we have enjoyed witnessing its journey to realization.
In addition to offering a unique lodging experience, we take great pride in showcasing handpicked, homemade, and homegrown products from our local community and beyond in our Camp Store. During your stay, we invite you to shop local and support the wonderful businesses featured in our store.
Whether you're planning a short visit or an extended stay, we offer both nightly reservations and extended accommodations. Our guests come for a variety of reasons, from hunting trips and family reunions to weddings and baseball tournaments. In addition to our lodging options, we now offer 12 campsites equipped with water and 30/50 amp electric hookups. For added convenience, there is also a public RV dump site on the property's southeast corner.
We hope you enjoy your stay with us and look forward to welcoming you back year after year!
Our Renovation Process: Before & After
September 2022
Before
September 2023
After
September 2022
September 2022
September 2022
Before
September 2023
September 2022
September 2022
After
September 2022
September 2022
September 2022
Before
September 2023
September 2022
September 2022
After
Adam Ramer - custom bunk beds
Adam Ramer - custom bunk beds
Adam Ramer - custom bunk beds
Adam Ramer - Steele, ND
Emter Cabins
Adam Ramer - custom bunk beds
Adam Ramer - custom bunk beds
Adam & Becky Emter - Steele, ND
Quick fix Air Conditioning
Adam Ramer - custom bunk beds
Quick fix Air Conditioning
Shane Aleshire - Bismarck, ND
Bismarck heating & air
COLE'S PLUMBING & HEATING
Quick fix Air Conditioning
Bismarck, ND
Lang's Lawn Care
COLE'S PLUMBING & HEATING
COLE'S PLUMBING & HEATING
Dale & Heather Lang - Bismarck, ND
COLE'S PLUMBING & HEATING
COLE'S PLUMBING & HEATING
COLE'S PLUMBING & HEATING
Bismarck, ND
A Special Thank you to our Contractor & Subcontractors
Ellis Custom Works- general Contracting, cupboards &trim work
Ellis Custom Works- general Contracting, cupboards &trim work
Johnny Ellis - Bismarck, ND
Voyager Electrical
Ellis Custom Works- general Contracting, cupboards &trim work
Justin & Sunne Modin - Wilton, ND
Krumm Contracting- Siding & gutters
Mike Krumm - Menoken, ND
HighMark Dirt works - Excavation, dirt work & Demo
Sayler Excavating - Campground excavation work, Waterline & Sewer
Michael & Darci Mittleider - Steele, ND
Sayler Excavating - Campground excavation work, Waterline & Sewer
Sayler Excavating - Campground excavation work, Waterline & Sewer
Sayler Excavating - Campground excavation work, Waterline & Sewer
Travis & Danielle Sayler - Steele, ND
Painting by Kathy Oster & Debbie Lang
Sayler Excavating - Campground excavation work, Waterline & Sewer
Sayler Excavating - Campground excavation work, Waterline & Sewer
Steele, ND
Lundberg Legacy Flooring
Lundberg Legacy Flooring
Lundberg Legacy Flooring
Arlen Lundberg - Lincoln, ND
Montana Dakota Utilities
Lundberg Legacy Flooring
Lundberg Legacy Flooring
Jorey Kartes & Additional Crews - Steele, ND
BEK Communications
Lundberg Legacy Flooring
BEK Communications
BEK Crews - Steele, ND
Blue Hawk Audio
Additional Thank yous
BEK Communications
Jacob Nolan and Additional Staff - Bismarck, ND
Additional Thank yous
Additional Thank yous
Additional Thank yous
Rob & Jolene Dewitz
Adam & Mackenzie Ramer
Kevin Schafer & Sharon Tekka
Carsen Kartes
Norm Fries & Leigh Nolan
The City of Steele, City Council Members