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Sims residents are out in force today, cleaning up the historic buildings before a visit from First Lady, Laura Bush.

First Lady Laura Bush is going to visit a restored parsonage and church in Sims this week: two of the only buildings left standing in the rural area.

Amber Schatz was there today as volunteers prepare for her visit.

They've lived here all their lives and say it's been decades since traffic rolled through their tiny town.

They're fixing up a church and this parsonage, built in 1884, a building that holds so much history, it's being preserved through the "preserving North Dakota" program.

"A lot of people that belong to our congregation, their ancestors are part of the people that started the church."


And he would know. Joel, Clayton and Ray are just three volunteers who all went to grade school together just down the road. But a lot has changed over time... and besides the church... memories are all that's left.

"Right over there, that's where the old school building used to be."


"They still had a downtown here in Sims, they had a store and the train ran through here."


"When we were growing up here, we were always told that Sims lost by one vote having the capital here between here and Bismarck.

But new memories are on the horizon as volunteers anticipate First Lady, Laura Bush's arrival to see this history.

A trip that many never thought they'd see.

"Some people didn't believe it, I didn't believe it."


"Somebody would have made a lot of money if they would have bet me."


"It's nice to see North Dakota on the map again." On the map, and for Sims residents, hopefully into history books.

"Everything else is just a memory, we want to preserve everything as much as we can."