Tripp County Centennial

This website was created as a class project by the the WHS Web Design and Advanced Computer–Flash Application classes during the spring semester of 2005. For a practical application of their classroom experience, they teamed with the Tripp County Centennial Committee to create a web site for this event.

Students worked on the construction and navigation for the web site. They were responsible for creating the backgrounds, links, and typing in content for the entire site, including photographs, historical events and community descriptions. After attending a meeting of the Tripp County Centennial committees, Mrs. Cyndy DeMers, classroom teacher, presented the overall information to the students. The students then created the individual pages, looked through provided sources, and added the basic text and pictures. Information and photos were provided by the Chamber of Commerce office and the Tripp County Historical Society.

Students who worked on this project:

The Logo was designed by Ruth Novotny of Winner.​

Carter, the gateway to the Rosebud and Pine Ridge Reservations, occupies a unique position among the towns of the Rosebud country. Carter is at a central point on the western border of Tripp County (from north to south), at the southeastern corner of Mellette County and the northeast corner of Todd County

Shortly after Tripp County was opened to settlement in 1909, the town of Carter was platted and the initial lot sale was held on the 17th of December, 1909. The highest prices ever paid for vacant lots in any townsite in the Rosebud country, or in the state, so far as is known, were paid for lots in Carter.  Business lots reached as high as $3,100 for 25′ x 140′ lots. Few sold for less than $1500.

CONSTRUCTION OF CARTER
Building started during the winter of 1909-10 with the expectation that the Chicago Northwestern Railway would be coming through. Even the hard winter did not hold back progress as the advantages of Carter were not to be questioned. Its trade territory would be Tripp, Todd, and Mellette counties plus Washabaugh and Bennett counties to the west. It was the center of the land district with no impassable streams. The Western Townsite Company (owned by the Jackson Bros.) was behind the promotion of Carter and had contracted with the Pioneer Townsite Company for the establishment of a Chicago Northwestern Railway station at Carter. This was to be one of the railway’s most important terminus for the time to come. The Chamberlain and Gregory U.S. Land offices were to be combined and Carter was to have a government land office.

Big two-story buildings were erected. The Hotel put up by I. T. Stone was the finest this side of Norfolk and Fremont, Nebraska. Banks were started and businesses set up. In total, there were 29 businesses by 1910 including the hotel, two grocery stores, a hardware store, two saloons, two livery stables, two lumber yards, a blacksmith shop, garage, barber shop, newspaper, and a doctor.

Carter’s first newspaper was “The Carter News” and was published May 26th, 1910.

The town of Carter may have been named for Jarvis W. Carter, Registrar of the Land office, Pierre. Some contended it was named for a rancher to the south by the name of Carter.

October 8, 1910, the Carter Woman’s Club was organized. In 1911, it was admitted to the Federated Woman’s Club.

DEER CREEK
Water of 99.75% purity was to be conveyed from springs to the south of Carter. A dam was built on Deer Creek (DeBell), which formed the beautiful Lake Westonka to the east of Carter. This lake provided the swimming hole, the picnic grounds, boating, and fishing plus an ice harvest in the winter.

WHAT HAPPENED TO CARTER
Two devastating fires, one on January 12, 1925, and one on March 31, 1926, consumed much of the town. The fact that they were never able to float bonds for a water system was perhaps a contributing factor to the final fall of the town.

Another reason contributing to the decline of the town was the loss of the railroad. In 1929, it was built to the north going to Wood, South Dakota.

Carter in its heyday is said to have had a population of 300 people and probably had the most substantial buildings of any town in Rosebud country.   In 1925, the census figures show 94 residents with a steady decline each census to follow.  By 1980, there were only 7 residents left and in 1983, the town was dissolved and became a part of the Carter Township.

ONCE EXISTING BUILDINGS AND BUSINESSES OF CARTER

Source: Tripp County Historical Society, 6th Annual Auto Caravan, Heritage Tour, Sunday, September 26, 1976 

CLEARFIELD
The humble little town, located in the south western part of Tripp County, founded in 1910, was named by Mrs. Ross Moore who was originally from Clearfield, Iowa. Land owned by Will and Harry Beieler was plotted out for the new town. The original site of Clearfield today is practically the same as it was in the homestead days. There were three buildings on the east side of the street that moved to the west because the land could not be purchased.

CATHOLIC CHURCH
The first Catholic church was located north of the Schultz Store or the old Outlaw Store. After the church was moved the present site it was used as part of the present parsonage. After the church was moved a Pool hall was built on that site.

POOL HALL 
This pool hall was on the same site as the Catholic Church. It was then moved down the street to the Steele Store location. Roy Davis used a Caterpillar and pulled the building down the street in 1927.

OUTLAW STORE
This store was built by Earl Baker. He moved it to his farm two miles east of Clearfield; later sold it to a Mrs. Benson and it then was moved back to Clearfield. Later it was ran by Bill Schultz, who then leased it to Ben Butts of Winner, who ran it as the Outlaw Store. Dances were held at the top of the store in 1913, so the building was probably built around 1911 or 1912.

POST OFFICE
The post office building located behind the Schultz store was ran by Ida Schultz for twenty eight and half years until she retired in 1944. This post office building was moved to the Clearfield Rodeo grounds and was used as the concession stand. Mary Steele was appointed post master in 1945 and ran the post office from the Steele store until she retired in 1960. It was then turned into a "contract station" located in a small building on the west side of the street and ran by Emma Sharkey. Mrs. Sharkey retired September 15, 1979. Some of the early rural mail carriers include Johen Scloss, Len Penney, Port Mundorf, Jones Merideth. Later carriers include Glen Nelson, Gilbert Duffy and Harold Lewis.

CLEARFIELD COMMUNITY HALL
The Clearfield Community Hall was built in 1918 from donations and stock membership sales. Charter members of the hall are listed on a plaque hanging in the hall. The membership cost was $5.00 and this entitled them to a share in the hall. If property was ever sold the proceeds of the sale was to be donated to the Orphans Home in Sioux Falls, S.D.; dated March 4, 1918. Many dances were held in this hall. Among some of the early bands were Happy Jack O'Malley and Rosebud Kids from WNAX all out of Yankton, S.D. and the DeVere Standford Band of Gregory.

CREAM STATION AND STORE
The cream station was run by Earl Adrian and later by Borgman. The store owned by Eli Corey and later ran by Borgman. Borgman went into business about 1936. Orr Mundrof bought eggs, cream and poultry on a three day route and then took the produce to this station to sell.

STEELE STORE
This building was the pool hall located north of the Outlaw Store site and was moved in 1927or 1928. It was known as Peters Pool Hall and made into Steele's Store in 1931.

MOORE & REYNOLDS STORE
This was the first store and post office in Clearfield. Professor Oldham was the first postmaster. The Branding Iron Bar owned by Angels was later put in the same location.

BRICK HOUSE
This house belonged to Port Mundorf. Mundorf was a rural mail carrier and also did barbering in his home. Frank Richards later did barbering here.

GARAGE
This garage was located west of the Mundorf home and was run by several people including Lloyd Fast, Jim Meyer, Art Kemp and Mr. Glidden. When Art Kemp had the garage he also ran movies there.

PENTECOST CHURCH
Church was held here and later remodeled into a home.

OLDHAM HOMESTEAD
Mr. Oldham, the first postmaster, lived in this home. Don Steele lived on the place for several years and it was later owned by Ishmauel.

WALT STEELE HOUSE
Located behind the Steele Store. This house was moved from the east side of the street also. On the east side of the street it sat beside the Engelgau home.

SMALL HOUSE
This building used to be the cream station and filling station and was part of the pool hall.

OLDHAM HOUSE
This house was moved from the Oldham homestead. Beieler also lived here. Gilbert Duffy a rural mail carrier from Winner was the last family to live there.

LUTHERAN PARSONAGE 
The Lutheran parsonage is the teacherage moved from the Jerusalem Lutheran church location south of Carter and of course has been added to and remodeled.

REDEEMER LUTHERAN CHURCH 
The Redemer Lutheran Church was organized October 30, 1940. The church originally was a school house located from the Keyapaha S.D. area. Among the ministers were Palecek, Clip, Litzaeu, Wilk, Jacobson, Hardel, Spolos, Matthiesson, and Vecar Don Patten.

TELEPHONE OFFICE
The first telephone office was in the Richard Nelson, Sr., home east of Clearfield. It was later moved to the Joe Engelgau home in Clearfield. The Engelgau house is still standing on the west side of the street. The Dorian Telephone Company was then organized in 1949 and a building built in 1950. It was the first dial system in the county and was owned and operated by the local farmers. Each farmer paid $300.00 to have the telephone system built. Dues were $20.00 and $21.50 the first two years and from then on the dues were $12.00 per year. Because of Winner going to direct dial the Dorian Telephone Company sold the Northwestern Bell Telephone Company part of the equipment in 1963 at a cost of $22,910.00. The remainder of the equipment was then sold at public auction in March 1964; each farmer receiving his $300.00 back after the thirteen years of service. Among some of the telephone operators were Walt Stolenberg, Sam Ziebell, Roy Davis's mother, Mrs. Frank Williams and Birdie Clark.

ENGELGAU GARAGE AND BLACKSMITH
This was the original site of the Joe Engelgau Garage that was moved to the west side of the street. Joe moved the building by himself with the use of house jacks. Among other blacksmiths in the area were Leonard Storms, located 3 miles west; Joe Hartl, three-quarters mile west of Clearfield; and John Vosika, 1 mile south.

WILLIAMS POOL HALL
This was the original site of the Frank Williams Pool Hall. It was torn down and the lumber used to build another pool hall across the street in the year of 1935.

CLEARFIELD BALL DIAMOND
The ball diamond built in 1965, is located west of town.

RODEO GROUNDS
The rodeo grounds located south of Clearfield was started in 1955 through the efforts of the Clearfield Roping Club. Claret Hollenbeck was the first president and instrumental in getting the rodeo to be a yearly event. Other people involved in the organization were Pete Dodson, Ray Kartak and Forest Huddle.

LONE TREE TRAIL
Between marker number 23 and 24 to east is the continuation of the Lone Tree Trail mentioned in our Wewela tour. 0A landmark of lone trees were planted and used for directions and meeting places for traveling people and cowboys.

DENNIS ASSMAN FARM
This originally was the Adolph Prokop place and is noted for the many barn dances held here. The garage on the Assman place was the Prokop School originally located one-half mile south of the farm.

STAR PRAIRIE SCHOOL
This school now located one mile south and one mile east. The Baptist Church members held church and Sunday School in this school for many years. Rev. HansWold who was the Baptist minister at Witten, South Dakota served a circuit pastor for a number of years.
The Star Prairie School moved from the homestead site to this location in 1961. In 1966 Hiserote School was moved and connected to the Star Prairie School and then remodeled into a two room school. Among some of the teachers in this school were Helen Sharkey, Lucille Mann, Lena Storms, and Katherine Mann. Lena Storms and Katherine Mann were the teachers in 1966. Marsha Soderholm and Sharon Littau are the 1981-1982 term teachers.

SHOEMAKER STORE AND POST OFFICE
Turning west on Highway marker 16 three and one-half miles west and two north was the Shoemaker Store and Post Office. This store was opened for business in April 1910. A well stocked store of staple grocery items were carried with new goods being brought in by Overland Freight from Dallas, S.D., the railroad point. Wile Charles Shoemaker was passing out the mail, Mrs. shoemaker and her son , Floyd Cook , were kept busy at the store. The mail was brought from Carter, S.D. three times a week. At one time there were 270 people getting their mail at this post office. In the early days the inland town was the gathering place for the community. Sunday school and church was held in the Shoemaker home. There were barn dances, wrestling matches, ball games and coyote hunting. The Shoemaker Store closed in 1914.

JERUSALEM LUTHERAN CHURCH
One acre of land donated by Robert Jerke to be use as the cemetery was the beginning of the Jerusalem church. The church was located 10 miles south of Carter, S.D. Missouri Synod Lutheran pastors in the adjoining territory visited and began services in this locality. Pastor Weertz, then of Naper, Nebr., organized and established the Jerusalem Congregation. During the period of 1911 and 1920 services were conducted in the homes of various members. In 1920 the congregation purchased another acre of land next the the cemetery. The church was built and dedicated that same year. In1924 it reached its largest membership.

LONGVIEW SCHOOL
The Longview School built on the Mary Ebbe land in approximately 1913. Sam Lucas hauled the lumber from Valentine, Nebr. to help build the school. An addition was built on with a sliding door in the center to divide the lower and upper grades. In approximately 1923 there were 54 children attending the school with a Mr. and Mrs. Johnson as teachers. In 1927 there were 64 children attending with a Mrs. Anderson and Miss Eagelton as teachers. Among the teachers of this school were Grover Meyer (1915-1916), Mrs. Wagner Davis, Sr., Eileen Dillion, Mrs. Don Storms, Claudia Keck (1943-1944), Kathy Meister and Clarice Chancey. Mrs. Clarice Chancey was the last teacher before it closed in 1947. She had four students; three Van Metre children and one Walton child. The school was sold to Bob and Ruth Farnsworth of Carter in 1978 and was moved in 1979. The Farnsworth remodeled the school and made it into their home.

STAR PRAIRIE BAPTIST SCHOOL
The Star Prairie Baptists Church was built on this sight in 1945. Church and Sunday School was held in the Star Prairie School located on the old homestead site. The church celebrated its 70th anniversary of Sunday School in June 1981.

Source: Tripp County Historical Society 11th Annual Auto Caravan Heritage Tour Clearfield Sunday, September 20, 1981

FROM WINONA TO COLOMBE
On June 2nd, 1908 the townsite of Winona was recorded in Book 1, Pages 36 and 66 of Lyman County, South Dakota. This Venture was preceded by a group of speculators including Wm. H. Tackett, H. F. Slaughter, Chris Colombe, and W. R. Meserve. They had purchased a quarter section allotment from Chris Colombe and foresaw the opportunities and need for establishing a town with the opening of the Rosebud Territory. Thus the townsite of Winona was begun. In 1909 the name of the townsite was changed to Colome and the first post office was established. Rapid growth saw many businesses set up and flourishing in that short amount of time and when the Chicago Northwestern Railroad came to town in 1910, Colome became a thriving and growing community.

NEW WATER SYSTEM
In 1911 the town installed a municipal water system at the cost of about $9,000.00 and in 1914 a two-story brick school house was constructed on the present school site. The census in 1915 was shown to be 415 and in 1917 the town voted to grant a company form Walnut Grove, Minnesota the right to erect, operate and maintain electric works for the town. The first graduating class was in 1918 with eight students graduating. In 1920 the Thayer-Waters Post #146 was organized and charted and the census was shown to be which included a mayor and six members to the council, which remains in effect today. The Masons and the Eastern Star organizations were granted charters for the newly formed groups.
A devastating fire occurred in 1923 beginning in the Nick Weis Market, destroying it and seven other businesses, including the Floyd G. Bank, Clothing Store, Blakkolb, Zimmerman Hardware, Cotton & Goldfuss, Bakery, L. G. Vanderboom Jewelry, and the post office. Restoration began almost immediately with brick building replacing the lost ones. The current library is the only remaining “old” building left on Main Street today.

SCHOOL ADDITION
In 1924 a brick addition was added to the school doubling its size and is still presently standing. In 1926 main street was graded and graveled and the new Methodist Church was dedicated to the town and Mabel Koester Reed was chosen as Miss Colome! In 1927 the home belonging to Mr. And Mrs. Chris Colombe was destroyed by fire and the I. O. O. F. (the former Methodist Church) was completed and in 1929, Colome’s first movie theatre introduced talking pictures to the community and the tradition of sounding the noon whistle was established. The dirty thirties saw the closing of the Tripp County State Bank with the census standing at 598 and the state highway was graveled from Dallas to Winner. The drought and grasshoppers were the news and every one suffered the effects brought by them. Chris Colombe died of cancer in 1935 and population had dropped to 531. A swimming pool measuring 17ft. by 40ft. was erected at the H. S. Graham place. In 1939 F. E. Newlon was granted permission by Bridgman & Russell Company to lay out a new city park for the town, which still exists and is kept up by the city.
In 1940 the Colome Auditorium was finished but was destroyed by fire in 1941, the new Veteran’s Memorial Building was completed in 1948. Many sports activities and dances were held in the building through the years. Highway 18 south of Colome was graveled in 1940, the Colome Times was sold and ceased to be printed in Colome. The fire department purchased a new V-8 fire truck and equipment in 1950. The Blizzard of “52” was hard on the entire community and in 1953 the city approved the building of a new street lighting system to be erected by the REA. Ben Reed replaced Gottlieb Korb as Chief of police and in 1960 the census was 398. In 1961, four blocks of main street was hard surfaced and in 1963, the old Tripp Hotel, then housing the school dorm was sold and tore down. In 1969 a $90,000.00 water revenue Bond system was enacted to improve the water system to the city. In 1970, Thayer-Waters Post # 146 constructed a new post home and the census was shown to be 375. A new grade school building was constructed near the existing school in 1971 and 1975 the new post office was built. !9778 the last train passed through Colome and a new city hall building was constructed Skatetown was completed in 1982 and remains an active enterprise today.

COLOME JUBILLEE
Colome celebrated it’s diamond Jubilee in 1983 with a very successful celebration, including a parade, old fashioned dress revue, the selling of special coins, and publication of the Diamond Jubilee book with stories of the town and surrounding communities.
The latter part of the 80’s and the 1990’s saw Colome move ahead with several worthwhile improvement projects. A new football field was constructed as a community effort, including donated funds and labor, and joint cooperation between the city and the school. The little league baseball/softball field was improved as an important part of the sports complex, as well as a new concession stand, rest rooms and bleachers, all a result of community spirit and effort. New lighting was installed on Main street, and street signs were installed to make Colome compatible with 911 regulations, an effort which also included an addressing project. Volunteers worked hard to designate and remove dead trees, and the City sponsored a free tree project, for trees to be placed on city side streets.
1999 saw the City realize the outcome of several years of planning and grant writing to achieve the replacement of the water main system, a $500,000.00 plus project which is still in progress.
The City of Colome has a rich and Varied history, and is looking ahead to an even better future.

Source: Colome Historical Tour, Sunday, September 12, 1999

HAMILL, SOUTH DAKOTA
Roseland ( later hamill) was established as a townsite by the Federal government in Roseland Township, N 1/2 Sec 34, Township 102 N, Range 74 W. The town was started in April 1909 on the east side of No Moccasin Lake. Research indicates the first name of the town was Wamblee and the body of water was Wamblee Lake. Gould was the name the government used when the townsite was plotted, probably for the man who built the only store building on the east side of the creek. The post office was established May 15, 1909 and Roseland was chosen as the towns name. Due to much confusion with other post offices of similar names in South Dakota, the name Roseland was used for less than a year. On March 15, 1910 the postal department changed the name to Hamill after Gail Hamill, who was the first postmaster.

HAMILL COMMUNITY HALL
The Hamill Community Hall was built in 1962. The total cost of the building, cement, insulation, and wiring was approximately $10,000. All the labor was donated.

HAMILL CATHOLIC CHURCH
A the homesteaders came the spiritual needs of the Catholics were cared for by missionary and residential priests. Father Francis Guessen was one of the first priests to serve the Hamill community, coming from Gregory to celebrate Mass in the homes of Wm. McClintock and Charles McElhaneys until Father Anthony O’Hara was assigned to Winner and built the first church on the east side of the street where Noah Taylor’s house was later located. This was in 1910. From the town’s four thriving stores, parishioners in the true pioneer spirit secured wooden packing boxes for the altar which was designed and hand carved by Nick Koos.

HAMILL SCHOOL
Schools and education were important to the pioneers and many of the early rural schools were taught by mothers. In Roseland, the first school was held in the Print Shop and taught by Mr. Thomas and then by Maude Henderson, a homesteader. The first high school (for 9th and 10th grades only) was held in the old Lutheran Hall, just north of the present Lutheran Church.

HISTORY OF THE ROSELAND CEMETERY
Hamill was laid out as townsite on NW1/4 Sec 34 T. 102 R. 74 when Tripp Co. was surveyed and allotted to the Indians in 1908 and people registered in Fall of 1908 and were drawn numbers and in April 1909 were given chances to choose quarters of land and about same time sale of lots in different town sites. Hamill was known as Roseland post office because of wild roses around country. But because of confusion of mail with Rosebud Agency was changed about 1911 to Hamill because G.M. Hamill was postmaster.

THE EARLIEST BABIES WERE BORN HERE
The first white baby in Tripp Co. was Roseland (Condon) Jordan on Aug 20, 1909 to James and Louise Condon in Roseland (Hamill). Shortly after that the baby boy born in Tripp Co. was Calvin Leo born to Tom & Christine Hurd on Feb. 6,1910 at the homestead in King Township.

EDUCATION IN KING TOWNSHIP
Early homesteaders realized the importance of education. To make it possible for no child to have too great a distance to a school, one was built in the center of each 3 miles square and Franklin School District #11 was organized. Each school was named for the home nearest. (Hammon, later called Becket). Hanson, Mahoney, and Auble (Later Bice School). Lars Hanson, Paul Heying and Tom Hurd served for many years on the school board. After completing elementary education students enrolled in the Hammon schools were moved to the southeast corner of the section and was called the King School. It had to be closed in 1989 and there are no school in King Township. the Hanson and Mahoney school building were purchased by Wayne Nelson and moved to their farm near Ideal.

WATER-WATER (WHAT A PROBLEM)
Water quality and quantity was always a major problem for homesteaders in northern Tripp Co. Areas where water could be found for wells were few but they were made available for anyone who could come with barrels on stone boats or however for water. Snow was melted and saved as homes were completed, covered cisterns, made of cement or metal, were dug in beside the house to catch water from the roof. Water would run through the down spouts and charcoal filter and then be pumped out from the top. Water as needed had to be hauled from other sources for the cistern. In later years with roads and vehicles available it was hauled from Winner in large tanks. This was strictly for human use and used sparingly

HOMEMADE SOAP
3 1/2 Lbs. cracklings-1qt. cold water- 1can Levis Lye- 1 qt. hot water
Mix cracklings, cold water and lye and let set until dissolved. Add hot water and stir with wooden spoon until it starts to gel. Pour into mold, cover. Let set overnight and cut into bars. Dry for about a week before using. This was a basic recipe.

WESTMINISTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
In 1910 a group of homesteaders got together to discuss the matter of a church organization. Many obstacles appeared immediately. Among them was a meeting place. The Hugh McEachran family offered the hay loft of their barn for a Sunday School and later in 1911, the church was organized Presbyterians in Winner discontinued their services, the building was offered to the Westminister people provided it would be moved into the country. The McEachrans family offered a plot of ground in the basement was dug & a foundation made and the building was moved. Ministers were shared with Ideal and for a time with Fairview and Pleasant Valley.

ZION LUTHERAN CHURCH-HAMILL
After two attempts that failed to organize a Swedish Lutheran Church at Hamill, the Scandinavians in and around Hamill were called together on May 4, 1913 for a Swedish worship. Immediately after the worship a business meeting was held and Zion became a new congregation in pastorate with Dallas. The first pastor was J.J. Richards and he served both congregations, having some 40 miles to travel between the two congregations. In 1914 two lots were purchased to build a church.

THE PIONEER CLUB OF HAMILL
The Pioneer Club of Hamill was organized in 1910 by 10 ladies-the purpose being to promote social contacts and civic improvement in a pioneer community. Their first objective was to build a hall, which they did and for the next 50 years this hall was the center of many activities. The club stressed recreation and social meetings along with civic duties. Many high school basketball games were played there. Many dances were held in the hall and in the early 50’s and active square dance club was organized.

Source: Tripp County Historical Society, 7th Annual Auto Caravan, Heritage Tour, Sunday, September 18, 1977

During the spring of 1909, a group of people met at the John Katt place and decided to name their new settlement Ideal since this was an “ideal” place for a settlement.

IDEAL POST OFFICE
In 1909, a post office was established with Sigrid Bondesson named postmaster. The office was in here home.
In 1910, the second postmaster was appointed, Florence Patrick (Mrs. Ray Snow). The building she used was moved from Dallas. Soon a store added and became a gathering place for many persons.

Robert Patrick was named postmaster followed by H. P. (Pat) Dixon which moved the building to his homestead. He too kept the store in conjunction with the post office.
Florence Anderson was appointed in 1919. Her father, Ed Anderson, erected a new building on his farm. Another store was added. Florence served as postmaster for 38 years, the her sister, Mrs. George Beardsley was appointed in 1957. The post office was moved again. This time across the road to the Beardsley farm. Lottie died in 1967. Genevieve Frank was appointed acting postmaster and moved the post office to the corner of the Ed Anderson place.
In the winter of 1949 and 1950 mail could not get taken to the mail boxes because of heavy snow. Howard Roosa was the carrier. Charles Heller, Known as our “Flying Farmer” flew over and dropped the mail in the farm yards.

Wilma Calhoon was appointed in 1967 and moved a trailer house one mile west to land owned by the Indian Holy Spirit Episcopal Church. The post office building used by Florence Anderson was sold to Wayne Nelson and moved to their store site, “The Depot.”

The present post office is now located next to the Ideal Presbyterian Church. It was moved to its present location on December 1992. Judy Lantz is the postmaster succeeding Darlene Bell.
A telephone was first installed in Ideal when Jessie Patrick was postmaster. It was moved when Pat Dixon became postmaster. This was a toll phone, but neighbors could call for the doctor or send messages to family and friends at a distance. Later the community organized a telephone company and built lines into winner in 1919. This Ideal Telephone Company served the community until the Bell company installed the dial system in the early sixties.

IDEAL SCHOOL
Ideal’s first school was built in the winter of 1909 and started in the spring of 1910. The first teacher was A. B. Chain followed in the second term by Mary Dooley. Mary rode a horse from her claim in Lone Tree township to teach a 3 month term.

Other teachers were: Jessie Horn Patrick, Mattie Leat, Laura Holly, Francis McElhaney, Clara Volz, Nellie Beardsley Hazzard, Madge Hampson Brown, Maude Henderson, and Raymond Watson, Superintendent. In 1918, the district was consolidated and a new school was built in 1920. The first graduating class was in 1923 with 9 graduates. High school was held until 1944. Grade school continues with a large enrollment of Native American children from the Ideal Indian community.

The pupils were transported from 1920-1942 in horse drawn buses. The barns which housed these horses have been sold and removed, and the Ideal Hall stands on the site. the old school building was remodeled and used as apartments for teachers. The building was later sold to the DeJong brothers and moved to their ranch on the White River by the Kennebec bridge.

IDEAL COMMUNITY HALL
In 1960, the Ideal community Hall was built south of the school. The community help under the guidance of Don Jorgensen. Many community activities, family socials, and 4-H gatherings were held here.

IDEAL PRESBYTERIANS CHURCH
The Ideal Presbyterian Church was organized in 1910 and services held in the school house until March, 1949, and were organized by W. W. Lenker, S. A. Pinkerton, K. D. Curry, Floyd Morgan, and K. Nedenna. Rev. D. D. Cullen of Dallas and Rev. S. B. Cook had charge of the organization ceremonies.

Rev. Albert Kuhn bought the Westminister Church from the Charles McEachran farm near Hamill in 1945 and was moved land donated by Ed Habeger. The church was built originally in Dallas. A basement was dug and much remodeling was done. It was dedicated in September 1949. Terry Lenker was the first person baptized in the church on June 12, 1949. Dorothy Frescoln and Lowell Vanneman was the first to be married on March 19, 1949. In 1980 the congregation voted to enter a shared ministry with the Christian Church of Winner. The Ideal congregation has always had an active and devoted Ladies Aid to help promote the projects of the church.

INDIAN HOLY SPIRIT EPISCOPAL CHURCH
This Episcopal Church was built in the 1920’s. A cemetery was established later. As the Indian community became larger, a Guild Hall was built.

INDIAN COMMUNITY
Later the Rosebud Housing Authority built a number of houses. This is across the road east from the Episcopal Church and post office. Some names of early families that remain in this community include Thunder, Stands, Eagle Hawk, Old Lodge, Felix Bear Looks Back, Gunnysack, and Bad Hand.

IDEAL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH WOMEN
The Timble Club was the first women’s group organized in 1910 with 13 members. Shortly after it became the Ideal Ladies Aid. Membership grew through the years so that the farm homes where they met were bulging.

Now the group has dwindled to 10 active members plus some guests who come regularly. however, they are still devoted group participating in Bible Study and helping with the church activities and projects.

STAR 4-H CLUB
The Star 4-H club was composed of girls from the Ideal-Star Valley community in 1929 and was the first 4-H in Tripp County. Mrs. Thomas Hurd was their leader. There was as yet no county agent, so all instructions and information came directly for the State Extension Office in Brookings. The chief project for girls was sewing and Wilma (Frantz) Calhoon says she still has several articles she made. In the summer of 1929 the girls attended the 4-H camp held at Pierre Indian School. In addition to lessons, demonstrating, games, etc., the girls enjoyed a tour of the State Capitol Building and a plunge in the Pierre Capitol Pool. Those attending were: Margaret (Hurd) Novotny, Ruth (Hurd) Johnson, Marie (Jorgensen) Paul, Helen (Jorgensen) Armstrong, Geneva (Mayes) Miller, Frances (Mayes) Nelson, Nina (Lineback) Peterson, Margaret (Hampson) Thompson, Libby (Kotrba) Mason, Dorothy (Vanneman) Hulton, Anna Heying, Fern (Schueth) Peters, Adalene (Lantz) Parker, and Cora (Heller) Kaiser.

SOUTHERN BELLES COWBELLES
The Southern Cowbelles was organized in November 16, 1962, at the Westside Frontier room with 17 women present. Wilma Calhoon was president and the Ideal director was Mildred Engelmeyer. Cowbelles promote beef and beef by-products through education and public relations and to be of assistance to the South Dakota Stockgrower Association. Some projects are serving an annual Gourmet Beef Fest for the Farm-City promotion, conduction local high school beef cook offs, selling beef certificates, helping 4-H clubs through donations and assistance, supporting Special Olympics, and giving packets of beef literature and recipes to brides.

The organization is no longer Southern belles Cowbelles but Southern Belles Cattlewomen which is a nation wide change form Cowbelles to Cattlewomen. Southern Bells had 52 members and is the second largest club in SD and the largest nationally at this date. Ten members come for the Star Valley and Ideal Community. Three women have been honored by being State Presidents: Rose Paulson (1983-1984), Ardath Ewing (1987-1988), and newly elected Ruth Ann Farnsworth (1997-1998).

IDEAL HOMEMAKER CLUB
Twenty-one home Extensions clubs were organized in 1934. Extension women have been a busy group over the years, going to the State Fair with demonstrations, attending summer conferences at Box Elder, and a State Federation meeting Yankton. The ladies work and donate food for the lunch counter during the Tripp county Mid Dakota Fair at Winner, have bought kitchen equipment for the 4-H center. The women work with the communities raising money for different projects.

The Ideal Homemakers Extension Club was started by the ladies in Star Valley in the late 1940’s. It did involve the whole Ideal area as well. We did follow the homemaker council guide liner, but always had community projects and social events as well. Out club broke up in the later 1960’s when some of the older members passed on and the younger members were getting involved with school and church events with their own children.

Source: Tripp County Historical Society, 9th Annual Auto Caravan, Heritage Tour, Sunday, September 16, 1979

JORDAN HILL
As we glide smoothly along in out present day cars and reach Jordan Hill (just east of the 183-18 junction) it brings back memories of what a feat it was to make Jordan Hill on high in our old Model T Fords.

Near the Junction we come to the site of the old town of Jordan. Jordan was named after C. P. Jordan who was a nephew of General Custer. Col C. P. Jordan married into a family of distinguished Indian blood. For many years the Jordans lived near Wood, South Dakota where they built up a fine ranch home. Mrs. Wm. Colombe of Carter, South Dakota is a granddaughter of the Jordans.

The first building in Jordan was a post office which was operated by a Mr. and Mrs. Doc Ream. In 1910 lots were sold and the Jordan Hotel was built by the Jackson Bros. (Western Townsite promoters). This was a stopping place for most of the freighters. Dad Hale, Mrs. Del Kinsley’s grandfather was a regular freighter.

JORDAN RESIDENTS
Mr. H. L. Antes came in 1910 and built a large livery barn which he operated for several years. His wife joined him as a bride in 1911. Mr. Antes also freighted some during these years. In 1940, he bought a farm north of Jordan and became a farmer. His son, Frank, has continued the farm operation and expanded it extensively.

Other people who lived in the Jordan area and are still in out midst are Margaret Novotny of Winner, Arlo, Dean, and Milo Hansen, Helen Hansen-Massa, Virginia Bell-Meyer, and the Wigstone Bros. The children of Wm Assman Sr. remember when they attended church in Jordan. We know there are others which we have not named and no doubt all these people have tales they could tell about what went on in Jordan.

RED HILL BUTTES
Next we come to the range of RED HILL BUTTES which have a distinguished reddish color in a normal year due to the type of grass that grows on them. The Red Hills are thought to be a part of the Bi jou Hills formation, a series of quartzite-capped buttes, east of the Missouri. They are believed to represent the east-west flowing streams of the Pliocene Age. Buttes of this type were land marks for early day travelers.

Red Hill quartzite has been crushed and used for road beds in the vicinity. A trail made in the 1920’s can still be seen up the butte where crushed rock was hauled down for U. S. Hwy. 18.

Source: Tripp County Historical Society, 6th Annual Auto Caravan, Heritage Tour, Sunday, September 26, 1976

The first school was built at approximately the center of SE 1/4 of Section 16 about 30 rods NW of the present school. About 1916 as more homesteaders came, the need for more schools became necessary. this building was moved to 3/4 mile NW to the SW corner of Section 9. Sometime later about 1920 to 1922, the population of the district kept growing and warranted the building of three additional schools. The NE school became known as the Hiserote School. The SE school was just across the road NE of the St. Boniface’s Catholic Church and was known as the Churchside School. The SW school was built on the NE corner of the Bob Farley farm and was known as the Farley School. in the fall of 1926, Vern started to school at the Farley School. There were about 18 pupils and 6 of these were in the first grade. in those years, the teachers boarded with a family close to the school and many walked to school in all kinds of weather, built the fire, and had the school warm by the time the pupils got there. The Hiserote School burned in 1931 and was rebuilt, but only remained open until 1933. the Farley School was also closed at that time. In 1962, it was decided to centralize the schools in the Star Prairie District. After a cote, it was decided to move the Hiserote School (the newer building) to the present location. It was run as a one room school for several years, then the original building was dismantled, the floor moved to a foundation annexed to the east end of the Hiserote building and the salvage lumber was used to make the present day two room school. when the new building was completed, the Churchside School was closed and sold.

STAR PRAIRIE BAPTIST CHURCH
The Star Prairie Sunday School was organized in 1911 by a Methodist minister, Rev. Lane Nelson’s Murray’s, Keszler’s, Hansen’s and other were among the people who attended. Mrs. J. P. Hansen was the first Sunday School superintendent and Carl Keszler was the first Sunday School teacher. The members came from different denominations as Star Prairie was pretty much interdenominational Sunday School.

1920 members of the South Crystal Springs Sunday School, including Schaer’s, Meyer’s, Berry’s, and Mrs. Underwood joined the Star Prairie group were meeting in the NW Star Prairie School House. Their minister was Rev. Keepers, who lived in Carter and served the Carter Church. When Rev. Keepers moved, about 1925, the group asked Rev. Wold from Witten, SD, to stop by and preach as he went to Keyapaha. These services were held about every other Sunday afternoon. rev. Wold cont8inued to serve until he retired in 1944 due to failing health. many remember the big tent he would bring down for special meetings.

Over the years this Sunday School had a great influence on young people, bringing them to Christ. In 1928, a young people’s group with Carl Keszler as a sponsor, was organized and was active for many years. The Vacation Bible school has also been a project of the Sunday School.
In 1945 we purchased a school house north of Carter, that Henry Wentz had located for us, and moved it to the location on NE corner of the Carl Keszler farm. Curtis Gatson came by to candidate and had the dedication of the corner stone June18, 1945.

Rev. Gatson continued to serve us many years, even through this time we were still a missionary church with assistance from the American Baptist denominations. In 1945 we organized into a church and adopted a constitution and had a preaching ministry every Sunday. Pastors Howard Remmick, David Lydeeker, Harley Henderson, David Stratton, and Francis Hubbel were later ministers.

Star Prairie celebrated the 70th anniversary of the Sunday School in 1981. With rural population declining and many young people leaving the community, attendance dropped. however, many people continued to be influenced by the Sunday School. On June 3, 1984, the doors were closed with a special service and in 1992 the church building was sold to replace the 1000 year old historical Ascension Chapel.

LONGVIEW SCHOOL
The Longview School was built on the Mary Ebbe land in about 1913. Sam Lucas hauled the lumber from Valentine, Nebraska to help build the school. An addition was built on with sliding doors in the center to divide the lower and upper grades.

In approximately 1923,there were 54 children attending the school with Mr. and Mrs. Johnson as teachers. In 1927, there were 64 pupils with Mrs. Helen Anderson and Mrs. Eagelton as teachers. In the early years, the basement was used to house the teacher.

Among the teachers of this school, were Grover Meyer (1915-1916), Mrs. Frances Davis, Eileen Dillon, Leona Storms, Claudia Keck (1943-1944), Kathy Meister and Clarice Chancey.
Mrs. Clarice Chancey was the last teacher before the school closed in 1977. she had four students; three Vanmetre and one one Walton.
The school was sold to Bob and Ruth Farnsworth of Carter in 1978 and was moved in 1979. the Farnsworths remodeled and the school was made into their home.
There was a South Longview school that stood on the NW corner of the NW 34-97-79. some of the teachers were: Alice Dougherty, Helen Storms DeLeeuw, Merle Meyer Jorgensen, Velva Davenport Mapes, Rose Kunde Diez, Elizabeth Lawler Muth, Mary Jane Legge Devish, Irene Yerke, and Detta Menke.
The school was closed in 1977.

DORIAN BUTTES
The Buttes were named after an Indian named Dorian. It was the site of the 1944 plane crash during World War II. The crew bailed out so no one was injured but it was an awesome sight and was witnessed by John Welsh, Jr.

According to the Winner Advocate of Oct 5, 1944: Heavy Bomber Crashes Near Clearfield Late Last Thursday Afternoon Sept. 28, 1944. “The big plane passed over the Lyle Nelson’s ranch and was reported burning before it crashed. A prairie fire was started but was put out by neighbors and area ranchers. All the members of the crew bailed out. Before the crash, nine bailed out near Misson and the pilot bailed out near Carter. One member of the crew was reported to have suffered a broken leg in jumping and was taken to the Valentine Hospital for treatment. The bomber was from Kearney, Nebraskan Airbase and was in route from the Rapid City Airbase. The plane was completely demolished and scattered over a considerable area. Three big army trucks loaded with wreckage of the plane passed through Winner on Oct. 4, 1944.”

DORIAN STORE
Dorian Store with a post drop was located nine miles west of Clearfield or one mile west and one mile due north of Dorian Meadows School.

The store was built on the Mr. Walker’s land which he got as a Soldier’s Declaratory. Worth Holsclaw helped build this store in 1910. Mr.. Holsclaw came to this country in 1893 and worked at the Curtis Ranch for several years. earl Fraizer put in groceries for the first store and a year or so later sold the store to matt Boyle of Millboro and Wallace Moffit. They served the people by buying eggs and cream.

Tom Reynolds, who had the post office appointment for Clearfield, tried to get a post office appointment for Dorian, but failed. he sent young Tom Reynolds over to Dorian several times a week with the mailbag for the people in that area. matt and Wallace had rental boxes for the people and they came to the store to trade and pick up their mail. Bringing over the mail and delivering the mail was all free gratis by the Reynolds. About 1915 or 16 Worth Holsclaw bought the store. Charlie Hakings had a barber shop and John Welsh, Sr. did the freighting for the store.

Dorothy Holsclaw Lamprecht told about Ben McKaffney losing a team of horses in Kelly Creek west of the store. While Ben was at the store, the horses ran away hitched to a wagon and went into a deep pond and the wagon pulled them under. that was a big loss in those days. after World War I, the store was owned by Mr. and Mrs. Verne Legge and continued to operate for some time. No appointment was ever made for a post office there.

DORIAN MEADOWS SCHOOL
The following by Leona Quick Storms and John Welsh:
The Vanderpol House Movers of Corsica, SD moved the Dorian Meadows Schoolhouse in Jan of 1974 to the museum town site of Tripp County. L. V. Anderson was county commissioner at the time and did a lot to coordinate the moving of the school. Those on the museum board that were in charge of directing the moving were: Harold Anderson, Pres.; Harry Jorgensen; Jack Lapp; Selmer Nelson; and Harry Schueth.

The school was built in about 1923 by Roy Rohm. Some of the teachers were: Ruth Sundall Charbeaneau, Nellie May, Merle Meyer Jorgensen, Harry Muth, Mary Jane Legge Devish, Mrs. Bell Lyons, Georgia Ewing Nahnsen, Anna Dougherty, Mary Dougherty Johnson, Katherine Sell Mann, Ruth Harter Swartz, Arlene Huber, Frances Davis, Rita Quick Carr, Edna Lawler, Lena Emme Storms, Darlene Meyers, and Darlene Huddle. The school was closed about 1968 and donated and moved to the Historical site east of Winner and represents an early rural school in Tripp County.

MILITARY FREIGHT TRAIL
This trail was used to freight supplies to the forts.

Tales of the military trail by Wes and Donnella Ross:
George D. Huggins known as “Curly” Huggins helped gather and move the Sioux Indians from Fort Laramie, Wyoming to Yankton, South Dakota. In Fort Laramie he met his future wife, Louise Moran, who was Cheyenne. when Curly helped walk the Indians from Yankton to the rosebud Reservation, he state, “There was a killing in camp most every night.” many horrible things happened but he would never talk about it. He said, “No one would believe him.” When Curly hauled freight for the Army, he liked this country. During his travels, he decided to settle here, which is now New Huggins Township in Tripp Co., SD.

Louise Huggins Arens, Curly’s granddaughter, said south of the Huggins house there were stone markers that marked the trail. Her grandfather said they had been there since he had lived there.
Irene Huggins Ross state that her father, Curly Huggins, imported the first Galloway cattle from Scotland to this area. The George Huggins family known as “Curly” had a thriving horse and cattle ranch along the Shadley creek in Southwestern part of Tripp Co. before land was open to homesteaders.

Norman Strain also stated there was a trail between the Harkin land and his land that the military used, that went to Fort Randall to For Niobrara. Bob Huggins, Curly’s son, told Norman the military used to camp by the Curly Huggins place where Bob lived. there is a spring there that they could water from on Shadley Creek.

Charles Mahaffa filed on Section 17-95-78 on Sept. 14, 1909 on land of Mr. Huggins had told him about. this is the quarter, the Shadley Valley Church sets on today. Mr. Mahaffa was one of many homesteaders that Curly directed to good land.

Story as told by Wes Mason Woods: “A relative of Wes, was an Indian scout for the Army. all the Indian scouts got invited to attend the Officer’s Ball. During the Ball, one of the Officers got drunk and told about attacking an Indian village along the Keyapaha River, killing women and children. The drunken Officer was spouting about the men doing the killing and who they were. Shortly after that the Officers and all the Army personal involved in the massacre were murdered. The Indian scout went to Canada.”

Mrs.. Francis (Wood) Davis tells about when she and her brother, John Wood, were children. they used to like to play on the Military Trail by jumping and hopping across the deep tracks. Their parents soon put a stop to that as the rattlesnakes liked to lay in the deep tracks and sun themselves.

GOOBY POST OFFICE AND STORE
Gooby established as a post office March 16, 1910 It was located in the Holsclaw Township in the SW corner of Section 25 in the homestead store building of Mr. and Mrs. William Gooby.
The Gooby’s came to Tripp Co. in the fall of 1909 from Carthage, SD where Mr. Gooby ran a store for 26 years. he shipped a carload of grocery stock from the old store, along with furniture and livestock to Valentine, NE., where it was freighted to their homestead in Gooby. Their living quarters were in the upstairs over the store.

Mrs. Della Gooby went to Valentine to make application for the establishment of a post office and received the appointment as postmaster on March 16, 1910. The name of Gooby was chosen by the postal department as there was no other post office with a similar name.

Dave Peipgrass, the first mail carrier, brought the mail from Sparks, NB, three times a week. After the railroad was extended from Dallas to Colome the route was changed. The mail left Gooby about 7 AM and added mail at Clearfield and McNeely and then at Colome and arriving back at Gooby at 6 PM. Bill Parkjurst was mail carrier and later Art Phillips was the carrier. About 80 people received their mail at the Gooby post office.

The Post office at Gooby was discontinued on June 20, 1920 and moved to Keyapaha. Gooby’s operated this store until the mid 1940’s when they moved to Colome. Mr. Gooby was a jeweler and carried a good stock of rings and other jewelry. He fixed watches, pulled teeth, and did many services for the early settlers. Mr. Gooby played the banjo and can be remembered sitting on the north side of his store in the summer evenings and entertaining the young folks.

GOOBY CEMETERY
As the pioneer community progressed, the people in it found a need for a cemetery. The James White family lost a baby daughter, Clara Ollie white, about 1915 and was buried in the SE corner of their homestead (NE of 23-96-79). In 1918, Myrtel Gooby, a 15 year old daughter of the William Gooby’s was buried there also. the cemetery was named after the town of Gooby.

KEYAPAHA STORE AND POST OFFICE
Keyapaha is the Lakota word meaning “Turtle Butte”. The town is located in section 24 of Holsclaw Township in southwest Tripp county. No one is sure why it was built where it was but some people believe that it was built there because it was near the Keyapaha River and because there was a wagon trail for supplies a few miles away. This wagon trail carried supplies from Fort Kearney Nebraska to Fort Bennett in western South Dakota. It is also said to have been the trail that was followed when the Indians were moved from Fort Laramie Wyoming to Yankton South Dakota, and then from Yankton to the Rosebud Reservation. Sitting Bull was said to have been born on this trail in 1831.

The town site was donated by Walter Braden. E. H. Lawler built the store in 1918. In 1920 the post office that was in the town of Gooby was move to Keyapaha.
E. H. Lawler owned the store and his family operated it for 50 years.

In the 1920’s, two brothers, Andy and Chris Jensen, operated the garage, next was Frank Smith who sold out to Ed Smith who ran the garage in the early 1930’s. In 1935, Mr. E. H. Lawler bought the service station and Dan Lawler ought the repair service part of the garage from Ed Smith. Dan and his wife, Alice, ran the store and locker during the 40’s and 50’s. Walter and Lucy (Lawler) Stoltenberg took over the store about this time. Dan sold the garage to Newelll McCoy and Newell sold it to Sam Zibell. The Dan Lawlers and the Stoltenbergs moved to Billings, Montana.
Martin and Edna Lawler then took over the store and their daughters, Joanne and Janet helped with running it. Marie Lawler was the postmistress from 1929 to 1976 when Edna was appointed officer in charge.

The books in the library were from the Tripp County Library in Winner and were exchanged once a month when the book mobile would come around. The book mobile would also visit the schools. Marie also had her own books that she had gotten on her many trips and would occasionally lend them to people. her personal library was located in her beauty parlor. The walls were lined with shelves.

The egg and cream station was a place for people to come and sell their eggs and cream. the eggs and cream money is what families use to buy their groceries. The eggs and cream were later picked up and take to town in the mail truck.

The garage was a place that anyone could bring any kind of machinery and Martin would fix it for them. It has also been told that the rooms at the back of the garage were at one time used as a place to show movies.

The old store is no longer there because when the road was put in the side of the hill was cut out. In the old store martin and his family lived in the upstairs.
Marie worked in the beauty shop, post office, cream station, and the library. Edna ran the store most of the time especially when Martin was working in the garage. When the girls had free time they also helped with the store. Edna was also a schoolteacher in the schools of the area. At one time there were 3 schools in Holsclaw Township.

In 1981 Leon Storms bought the town from the Lawlers. he ran it until 1989 when he sold it. His wife Connie was the Post Mistress, and Patty Duffy ran the beauty shop and was assistant in the post office from 1985 until 1989.

The people Leon sold the store to only worked there for about a year. It is rumored that while they worked there they secretly stole goods. Then after they supposedly stole a vehicle from one dealer in Winner they packed up all the goods they can and ran off. The told everyone that they were going on a fishing trip. They never returned and warrants were put of for their arrest in all the states from here to Washington but they were never found. after they disappeared Keyapaha was considered a ghost town due to the fact that there were fewer people in the area and the roads wee better, so they could then travel to Valentine or Winner.

Source: The information for this section was gathered by Christine Keierleber from Shelly and David Storms; Leona Storms; Patty Duffy; Angela Keierleber; Ramona Keierleber Sheely; Jocelyn Keierleber Blume; and Joel Keierleber

SAND CREEK SCHOOL DISTRICT 31
The Sand Creek School was a framed building built in 1910, 1 1/2 miles west and a 1/2 south of the Gooby store and post office. Miss Laura Moffett, a homesteader’s daughter taught the first term beginning in Sept. 12, 1910. There were around 30 pupils. my sister Violet Gooby, age 15 and myself Lily age 9, attended 3 days. We were town children and had lived 2 blocks from school. The long walk and the change to country school seemed too much, so we quit. The second year, Sept. 19, 1911 with Mary Hodges as teacher. We started again and attended when the weather was fit. Violet took eighth grade and I took fourth grade catching up.

Miss Elizabeth Braden was the teacher from 1914-15. In 1915-16, Sand Creek had two teachers that year: Ruth Maynard who taught two months and quit because of illness and Miss Braden, who finished the term. Margaret McNair taught in 1916-17 then Irma nelson in 1917-18, and Elizabeth Braden from Nov. 25, 1918 to June 5, 1919. Schools were closed through Nov. 1918 because of the flu epidemic. This was also the year of WWI.

Lily Gooby Bowles taught the north school in 1918-19 which was a sod school and was located south of the George (Bud) Mann’s place. James Welsh recalled going to school in the sod house and taking the seventh and eight grade with Miss Agnes Kavanaugh as a teacher. It was decided by the school board to move the school south several miles across the Keyapaha River and close the sod schoolhouse. The board made plans and built a new schoolhouse with a basement on land donated by William Gooby in 1920-21.

Martin and Lawrence Lawler recall some of their teachers in the 1920s: Miss Nelson (was Mart’s first teacher), Miss Braden, Lara Larson, Bob Young, Miss Lockhart, Lynn Dick, Marian McCart Rears, Nellie May in the 30’s, James Lyons in 1935-36, Elizabeth Lawler 1938-41, Helen Weaver 1941-43, lima Sjoblom Peterson 1943-46, Audrey Schmitz 1946-47, John Welsh Jr. 1947-49, Mary Dougherty 1949-50, Gene Lawler 1950-51, Dorrian Meadows 1962-64, Darlene Steele Huddle 1964-67, and Lena Storms 1967-68.

Dick Lyons recalled that his brother James Lyons taught Sand Creek in 1935-36. He rode to school about 4 miles and received $35 a month for salary.

During the 60’s their were so few pupils in the district that the board alternated school. The first half at Sand Creek (South School) and the second half at Dorrian Meadows (North School). Then reversed the term for the next year. This saved tax dollars and the school closed in 1968.

At one time the population in Holsclaw Township warranted 3 schools. the first school was moved to the SE corner of Section 16 and was known as the Volmer School. There was high school at this school in the late 190;s and early 30;s. After the Volmer School was closed, it was used as a 4-h clubhouse or meeting place for the local Keyapaha Wranglers 4-H club. The other school was Dorrian Meadows.

LINDEN PIONEER CEMETERY
The cemetery is located in Huggins Township in the SW 40 of NW Section 7 on the homestead land of Ludwig Kirschmannn. The cemetery plot contains approximately two acres of land. in 1915, Dick Grant passed away and was buried in the cemetery. Lester Jaynes died in 1918 in the flu epidemic and was also buried there. Over the years sever were buried there and in 1966 a group of interested citizens in the Keyapaha community formed the Linden Cemetery Organization to renovate the Old Linden Cemetery. The plot has been cleaned up, fenced and many of the tombstones have been restored.

LINDEN STORE AND POST OFFICE
Linden was located in the corner of the NE 1/4 Section 3 on a homestead of Gus Linden about 1/2 mile south of the cemetery. He built a homestead shanty in 1910, and in 1911 built a building to be used as a store and post office. The post office was established in Oct. 19, 1911 with Gus Linden as postmaster.

Dave Peipgrass carried the mail from Sparks, NE to Linden and Gooby. Later the mail was carried by the route carrier from Colome post office.

Mr. Linden organized a ball team and the Saturday afternoon ballgames were well attended. One of the early 4th of July celebrations is said to have attracted a crowd of 1500. The post office was discontinued Aug. 31, 1918.

SHADLEY VALLEY SCHOOL AND CHURCH
Mrs. Roy Wiles was the first teacher, she was paid on Oct. 28, 1910 at $45 per month for 8 months. On Oct. 2, 1911 Ervilla Short was paid $45 and again on Oct. 30, 1911 Ervilla was paid $52.50. Then Eva E. Mahaffa became the teacher and was paid Dec. 15,1911 through May 25, 1912.

Fred Roberts bought the lumber for the coal shed and outbuildings for the sup of $71.29. Fred freighted the school desks for a sum of $30.24. In Oct., Fred got coal, stove, and fence for the new school. He also did the first school census for the payment of $5.00. In the year of My 1910 there were 40 school children from the ages 6-19 from 16 different families.

In May 1911 the census was totally 42 children in the Township and in 19121 a total of 53 children. By 1913 there was a total of 76.
at a meeting on June, 17, 1913 a motion was made to move the Shadley Valley School to the NW 1/4 of Section 17, Township 95 Range 78 in Tripp Co., SD.

One of South Dakota’s first hot lunch program was carried on some 43 years ago when a 2 year high school was held by special permission at Shadley Valley, a remote community located in the far SW corner of Tripp Co. by Miss Mary E. Hodges.

The Shadley Valley schoolhouse was used for a host of many events, today we would call it a community building. Sunday School was taught on Sundays, anniversaries were held, and after 1955 this school became a nondenominational church.

Teachers: Mrs. Roy Wiles (1910-11), Ervilla Short (2 months in 1912), Eva E. Mahaffa (1912-13), Mary Hodges (1914-20), Mrs. Ellis Clover (1920-21), Josephine Lawler (1921-22), Mabel Holfeldt (1922-23), Hattie Mahaffa (1923-35), Raymalee Adams (1935-36), Helena Sprechles (April and May of 1936), Ruth Taft(1936-37), Robert Bentz (1937-39), Frances Larsh (1939-40), Francis Larsch Peterson (1940-42), Tana O’Dell (1942-43), Ardath Hopkins Ewing (1944-46), Amelia Haytford Monroe (1946-47), Nellie Soles/bud Soles (1947-49), Ann Doughtery (1949-50), Doris Jorgensen (1950-53), John Welsh Jr. (1953-54), and Frances Wood Davis (1954-55)

THE TOWN OF SMITH (SMITH’S STORE)
Mr. and Mrs. Art Smith moved to this country in 1910 and started this store. their children were: Maude, Loretta, Mary Ellen, Gene, James, Edward, Tom, Sue, Agnes, John, and Leo.
The Smiths put up ice and stored it under the store. they got the ice from Hayford’s Lake 2 miles south of the Nebraska line. they first dug a well by hand about 100 feet east of the store, then later in 1920 had a man from Valentine drill a well east of the house.

Art Smith freighted lumber to many homesteaders from Dallas to the area to build their homes. Their frame house cost $500 including the labor in 1928. They quit operating the store in 1925.

BEAVER CREEK SCHOOL
Beaver Creek School, District 39 was begun in 1910. The first building was a small square structure built late in the fall of 1910. the township voted a $500 bond and let a contract to Eder McCormick, a homesteader in the township. According to the records, the first school board members were Andon Jenson as chairman. V. G. Morrow as clerk, and Dave Piepgrass as treasurer.

Due to the large number of children, school was held at the Dave Piepgrass home for a time to accommodate them all. His home was located near what is now Sundell Lake. This was approximately 1918. according to the District’s clerk’s annual report of 1919-20, the enrolment was 30 pupils.

In 1926 the school census showed 45 children from the age of 6-17 and 5 children from the age of 17-20. They had outgrown the little school and it was torn down and a much larger one was built. This school was 44′ x 40′ with a full basement. The school was divided in half, one side for 1st through 8th grades and the other for high school classes. The basement held the coal furnace and served as a boarding room for teachers and some high school student s who came from a distance. also at this time a barn was built to house the many horses that were ridden or driven to school each day. The construction of the school and barn was under the direction of E. H. Lawler of Keyapaha.

The first teachers in the new school were Nelle D. Metzger teaching the elementary grades and J. E. Metzger teaching the high school. High school classes held at Beaver Creek included the ninth grade at all times and the 10th and 11th. they did not always have all three grades every year. The last high school classes were held during 1943-44.

When a fire completely destroyed the building on January 7 1952, classes were held in the tenant house of Forest and Eva Huddle until the end of the school term.

The school board entered into an agreement with R. S. Swenson of Wakefield, Nebraska to build the structure for $12,665. the new school was ready for students for the 1952-53 school term.
many changes have occurred since the new building was built. Reorganization of all the schools in Tripp County occurred in 1970. This was the end of the local school boards for each school. with reorganization came the first indoor plumbing for the school. It now has tow indoor bathrooms. The outhouses were torn down in 1995.

SUNDELL DAM
Sundell Lake and Dam was constructed as a WPA (Works Progress Administration) project. It was begun in the summer of 1934 and finished in the spring of 1935. The WPA was one of the programs of the New Deal set forth by President Franklin Roosevelt to help employ needy people in the depression days of the United States. Some jokingly referred to them as the “We Poke Along” workers.

The lake bed was excavated by using a scraper pulled by 4 horses. The Fresno scrapers as they were called were furnished to the workers by the township. the workers brought their own work horses and those who could not, brought their shovels and strong backs. One person would drive the horses and one would ride the scraper, using the long handle to set the tilt of the scraper so it would dig dirt. When the scraper was full, it was pulled to the top of the dike an dumped. One person was the timekeeper, and called out every half hour to stop and rest the horses. At the noon break the horses were fed and watered, and the men ate their lunches. Approximately 20-30 people worked on this project. nearly everyone in the township was thus employed. checks were issued to the head of household. Hours of work required from each family determined by family size.

Charles Borland was the WPA foreman for the building of the dam. A large crew did the cement work for the spillway according to plans set forth by the state. The first spillway plans had the spillway set too high in the dike. the resulting level of the lake was too high nearly reaching R. E. Sundell’s barn and almost going over the dike. Some of the local people dug out a ditch on the west side of the spillway to relieve some of the pressure of the high lake. About 2 years later, the county used a caterpillar and scraper to make a new spillway just east of the old one. The spillway was set lower, and the level of the lake dropped to an acceptable level. The old spillway was filled in and became part of the dike. The dike was raised and widened at this time.

On July 4, 1935, Ruth Sundell, daughter of R. E. Sundell who lived on the west side of the new lake, was rowed out to the middle of the lake. She wore a large full dress of red, white, and blue. She threw flowers into the lake as she christened it Sundell lake. This was the beginning of the community celebration which included a bowery dance on temporary wooden floor set up Southeast to the spillway. pole were set up and across the floor and branches were put across them for shade for the people as they had dinner there. Many ball games were played in the afternoon and evening concluding the dance.

The lake has been a favorite fishing spot for many years. It is fed from the south by Sand Creek, a live running stream. Today it is still used for fishing and recreation, mostly swimming below the spillway and sliding down the spillway on tubes. It provides good ice fishing in the winter as well and a source of thick clear ice for harvesting in the years before refrigeration.

ST. ANN’S CATHOLIC CHURCH
Soon after May 15, 1910 it was discovered that there were a number of Catholic families among the homesteaders. The first Mass in the area was performed by the D. B. Lyons home in the summer of 1916 by a Jesuit priest form St. Francis named Father Sialm.

In the fall and winter of 1920-21 the first church in the Keyapaha area was built. Roy Rohmn was the carpenter in charge. He also built St. Boniface Church near Clearfield. St. Ann’s church is located 1 1/2 miles west and 2 1/2 miles south of the Keyapaha town site. it stands on a portion of the D. b. Lyons ranch.

A priest named Father Eardly was sent here to serve both churches. he left during the winter of 1920-21 and was replaced by Father Quilligan who was followed by Father Groel. When Father Groel was sent to Edgemont, Father Bonner came and served until the time of his death in 1949.

On June 24, 1930, St. Ann’s was completely destroyed by a tornado. Marie Storms and James Welsh had been married in the church in the morning of that day. the parishioners decided to rebuild as soon as they could. This time E. h. Lawler was the carpenter. The church was rebuilt by October of that same year. The extension Society paid for the altar in the new church.

Some of the early members were the Joe Storms family, the Mike Sharkey family, D. B. Lyons family, andrew Kinney family, John Volmer family, Mrs. Fred Roberts and family, Steve Sieler family, Ed Sieler family, and Harold Glidden family. Today second and third generation people attend the church.

Other priests who served this parish included: Father Doyle, Father Conner, Father Kruswicki, Father Stroh, and Father Burger. Services had not been held at St. Ann’s for the seven years before Father Burger came. Father Burger served the church for over 20 years before his retirement to Wisconsin in 1992. After that the parish was under the administration of Father Brian lane of Winner, and was served by priests from St. Francis, and Mission. Father Walleman, Father Gill, and Father Paul Strittmatter have also served the church.

With the help of a $500 grant applied from the Extension Society, a new steel roof was put on the church in the winter of 1994-94. In September 1995 the interior of the church was painted and vinyl siding was used to replace the old siding. This job was completed in the spring of 1996. the old carpet was replaced. St. John’s of Witten donated their large crucifix and their altar, as well as a statue of St. Anthony upon closure of their parish in the spring of 1996.

Source: Tripp County Historical Society Annual Auto Caravan and Heritage Tour, Keyapaha Community Historical Tour, Sunday, September 15, 1996

FIRST TOWN
Lamro was the 1st town in Tripp County, South Dakota located in the exact center of the million acres opened for settlement. It was designed to be the capital, the county seat and the metropolis of the Rosebud. At one year of age it had twenty-six business houses, a public school, progressive citizens, and daily mail.

Lamro was organized in August 1907, under the incorporation of the Lamoreaux Townsite Company with H. F. Slaughter, H. W. Thomas and Oliver Lamoreaux as directors. Lamro was located on the NW1/4 of section 31, Township 99, Range 76. It was situated between Dog Ear and Mud Creeks and had an abundant supply of running water on each side of splendid wells of water at a depth of 20 feet.

DOG EAR CREEK
Dog Ear Creek on the west, 16 feet in depth, furnished a splendid outlet for perfect sewage and water power ample for electric lights and a mill. Lamro, surrounded by the best land in Tripp County, offered the best business openings to lively businessmen in the northwest.

FIRST BUILDING
The first building in Lamro was erected by W. R. Roe. who established a general merchandise store. The post office was established on October 1, 1907 with A. B. Brown as the first postmaster. In the land drawing, he received a homestead allotment in Greenwood Township. Because of the great distance from his homestead to Lamro, SD he resigned as postmaster, and C. E. Talbot was appointed postmaster in the summer of 1910.

LAMRO ADVOCATE
The Lamro Advocate was started by W.E. Bridgeman in July 1907, but was discontinued a year later. In October 1908 the first issue of the Tripp County Journal was published by James W. Putney and in the same month the first telephone was installed. The first resident doctor was Dr. Charles L. Legg, who arrived there on October 29, 1908. The first school was held in 1908 with Mrs. Arthur Brown as teacher. No church was ever built in Lamro. A Catholic priest came our from Gregory once a month and conducted services in a store. Other denominations had community services in an available building.

Source: Tripp County Historical Society, Conducts Auto Caravan, Heritage Tour, Sunday, September 19, 1971

The Millboro townsite was platted by C. W. Rose who planned to build a mill on the Keyapaha River, hence the name Millboro, and expected a railroad to come from Ainsworth, Nebraska. The mill and the railroad never materialized but the little town of Millboro became a thriving community center. The church and school still are the focal points for the community.

SCHOOLHOUS
The original schoolhouse was built in 1921. Beech Hayes was the carpenter.

BOYS DORMITORY
The dormitory was operated for a short time while W. A. Powers was superintendent.

IDDING STORE (HUGGIN STORE)
The first store in Millboro was built by Joe Idding and Bob Elliot. Dell Sealey who homesteaded the Len Hofeldt land hauled the lumber. He also had some groceries on the first load of lumber and Arlie Mahaffa is reported to have been the first customer with his purchase of cheese and a box of crackers.

Idding later traded his store to George Huggins for some horses. Huggins ran the store until the early 30’s when they sold out. Selma Larch also had her Post Office in the lean-to building on the side of the store. The building was torn down.

FRED JERRED GARAGE
Fred Jerred ran the garage for several years. Others who ran a garage in the building were Percy Haggard, Elmer Haggard, Einar Peterson, and Fred Harvey.

W. H. WOOD STORE
This was the second store in Millboro. It was a large two story building with living quarters in the second story. Their daughter, Ruth, married Matt Boyle, a homesteader, who later became one of the county’s first commissioners. In 1912, the store was sold to Mr. & Mrs. Pearl Jones who operated the store for many years. Jones sold the store to Adams and Vern Faubions ran the store for Adams while a new building was built. Later when Elmer Wise was running the store, the building burnt down.

PRINT SHOP
Charlie Rose started the paper “The Millboro News” with Bob Elliot as the editor. The building was later sold and moved to the Ernest Heath farm.

ADAMS STORE
Vern Faubion ran the store for Adams and later bought the store. Vern was the Postmaster and had the Post Office in the store building for several years. The store was sold to Dale Huddle and in turn to Elby Huddle and later to Vern Thomas. Thomas owned the store. Frank Richard had a barber shop in the store while Faubions owned it. He barbered two or three days a week. The building burnt down.

POST OFFICE
Bob Elliot was the first Postmaster and had the Post Office in a building here, and also ran a cream station. Elmer Sala had a harness shop and shoe repair in this location. Ross Carter and Martin Lawler bought the building and ran a cream station and grocery store for several years. Martin Lawler moved to Keyapaha and Ross Carter tore down the building and built a block building after the Faubion Store burnt Down. Ross ran a store in the block building for several years and Faubion had the Post Office there until he retired in 1959.

BEATRICE CREAM STATION
Vern Faubion ran a cream station here when he first moved to Millboro. Later Elby Huddle had the cream station. The building was torn down.

HARDING CREAM STATION
Run in turn by Gerald Johnson and Bill Thompson and probably others. The building there now was built by Read Harvey for a cream station.

FARMERS CO-OP STORE
Was built probably in the early 1920s. Ed Lewis and Charlie Lampitt were among those who ran the store. Elby Huddle ran a store in this building and Fred Harvey later had a pool hall. Donald Haley ran a store and had a dance hall in this building and later moved the building to Winner to build his home.

MILLBORO TELEPHONE COMPANY
In 1912, twenty-seven families feeling the need for close and better communications got together and after much discussion decided to forma community telephone line for the south central Tripp County and extending one mile into Nebraska. This is believed to be the first telephone system in Tripp County and was named “Rock Butte” line. The men cut oak and ash poles on the Niobrara River and soon had a one-line telephone system.

Other telephone lines were formed and the Rock Butte line was extended to Colome through the effort of Charlie Rose and the business men of Colome.
The first switchboard was installed in 1914 in the P. C. Jones Store and Mrs. Jones was the operator. Later operators were Mrs. Fern Hill, Mrs. Gerald Johnson and Mrs. Allen Jerred. The central office had been moved to the parsonage.

In November 1924, Mr. and Mrs. H. L. Faubion took over the operations of the central office, which was moved to their store. They also installed a switchboard in their home for night and Sunday use. The name was also changed to the Millboro Telephone Company.

In 1941, it was voted to change the main line from Colome to was moved to the Faubion home, where the Faubions ran the switchboard until the Dial System of the northwestern Bell Telephone was installed on December 21, 1962. Mr. Faubion and Mrs. Ross Carter were the operators during the last several years.

MILLBORO SCHOOLS
The first school in the Millboro area was held in the winter of 1909 in the Ascension Chapel with Inez Tabor as teach. The following year four schools were built in the district: Millboro. Jerred, Painter, and Lost Creek. At first each school had from 25 to 40 pupils, as there was a family on every quarter section of land. Early teachers in Millboro included Elsie Wagner and Charlie Rose. There Jerred School was closed in 1952 and in 1956 the building was sold to Robert Burnham, who moved it 1.5 miles west and converted it into a house. The Painter School was closed in 1962 and later moved to Millboro and added to the west side of the original building to make it a two-room school. The Lost Creek School was closed in 1948. The building was later sold and moved to the farm on Rock Hill, south of Winner.

From 1928 to 1942 a high school was held in Millboro. The highest enrollment was 60 students with four teachers. Classes were held in the Millboro Church building. To the west of the church a dormitory for girls was located and one for boys was established on the highway.

MILLBORO CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH
In 1913 Mr. Charlie Rose invited two Sunday School groups; one in the Lost Creek area and one in the Willow Creek community to join a group at Millboro. In 1923, John Peterson was hired to oversee the construction of a church building.

Besides serving the spiritual needs of the members, the church building has also served as a community hall. From 1928 to 1942, high school were held in it and various community meetings and programs have been held in the basement.

Source: Tripp County Historical Society, 12th Annual Auto Caravan, Heritage Tour, Sunday, September 26, 1982

WEWELA’S POST OFFICE
It was established under the name Augusta. The postmistress being Miss Augusta Niehus. Later the postmistress resigned and another appointed; this being the time the name changed to Wewela. Wewela is a Native American word meaning “The sign of a spring”.
The first postmistress of the post office was Augusta Niehus. Later Elmer Pelletier had the post office; it was also a printing shop and library. Clark Briggs put out the Wewela Records in approximately 1912. Mrs. Jim Graham was postmistress for 33 years in Wewela.

LIVERY BARN
It was originally owned buy John Rames and Bob Welsh. Later, Welsh sold his interest to Nels Haakus and it was renamed the Rames and Haakus Livery Barn. In later years, the stables were turned into a Ford Garage and ran by John Wahe. A tornado destroyed in in June of 1930.

WEWELA STATE BANK
Built buy the Jackson brothers of Dallas, SD, in 1909, it was a branch of the Dallas Bank. Loyd Mengel was the first cashier and banker. Charles St. John ran it until approximately 1931. In 1918 the Wewela State Bank had a capitol of $5,000 and surplus and undivided profits of $6,000. Nellie Bowles kept books in the bank from 1923 until St. John moved to Colome. He sold the building to Reason Didier to use as a residence.

R. P. BROWNS BILLARD PARLOR
It was built in 1912. They sold fine candy, cigars, and tobacco, but no liquor was sold. Brown later mad it into a garage. Approximately 1927 John Rames tore it down and took the lumber to Mission where he built a garage.

HRABANEK SALOON
It was ran by Bill Hrabanek before 1918. This building was also used as a meeting place, church, and school house. While it was a school house in 1923, there were 53 kids in the Wewela schools and grades first through fourth. The population of Wewela was at this time was 153. The saloon now is in the center of the Cole building and the Post Office is located there.

WEWELA HOTEL & RESTAURANT
It was run by Gene Wallace. Also Jim Clark ran it for a while; however, he did not serve meals. Later Kylers took over and they again served meals along with the hotel. In the early 1900’s there was three doctors in town. Dr. Hood had his office in this hotel. There was some dentistry work done from this building, but the name has not been recalled. However, the medical doctors did pull teeth, so this may have been the case.

BARTLETT SALOON AND POOL HALL
It consisted of a variety and clothes shop. The play, Deacon Dubbs, was presented in this building.

JIM CLARK & SON DEPARTMENT STORE
At one time dances were held in this building before the store expanded. As the store did expand many lines were added including implements and hardware. The store was later sold to a co-op which consisted of several area businessmen.

LOU DUGAN RESIDENCE
Mr. Dugan was the town veterinary and worked with horses, being the mode of transportation.

BROOKS BLACKSMITH SHOP
It was later ran by a Mr. Foster in around 1920.

BARCUS GARAGE
It was ran by Elmer Barcus. Elmer carried mail for a number of years and put their home by the highway. Elmer quit carrying mail and built a repair shop. He also did wiring and sold Norge washing Machines. Lyla Barcus organized the Do-A-Deed Aid, which put money together to build the present church building. They left Wewla in 1963. Harold Jerred now owns the buildings.

WEWELA BALL PARK
It has always been in its location and in the early years the first team was organized by Elmer Smith with five of his sons playing. The improvement of lights had been added.

WEWELA HALL
Wewela being in need of a community hall put their efforts together in 1926 and built the hall.

WEWELA PARK
The trees around the park were planted by Charles St. John. The lilacs were planted by Wm. Weickum in approximately 1930 and brought by horse back from the George Weickum homestead. A large bandstand, build after 1927, stood on the south end of the park.

WEWELA BAND
It organized by George Weickuym would play here many Saturday nights. Some members of the Wewela Band were Tom Bowles, Paul Grieau, Henry Grieau, John Wahe, Mr. McPhadden, Floyd Achenback, Orie Kenaston, Millie Kenaston, Jim Kenzer, Bic Weickum and Bill Weickum. Vic Weickum remembers playing on this stand and receiving a silver dollar from Mr. Mullen for payment. The coin he still has. George Weickum later formed a band called the Hungry Five consisting of George, Vic, Bill, Weickum, Henry Grieau and John Wahe. George Weickum traveled from Mills, Nebraska to the Black Hills playing his fiddle and came to Wewela in 1909 to homestead. He was also the band teacher in Colome.

LOGAN KENASTON STORE
Dr. Haggard practiced from this building. The Kenaston Store was destroyed by fire.

MADSEN STORE
The Congregational Church currently stands in its place. Mr. Madsen died of pneumonia and the store was then run by Axel Holst. Mr. George Mullen later managed the store.

WEWELA COMMUNITY CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH
It was first organized in 1911 with six members. Most of the members moved away so it re-organized in 1920 with 21 charter members. A strong Ladies Aid, organized and established a strong Sunday School and Do-A-Deed Aid, organized and established a strong Sunday School and helped in building a new church. A new church was built and dedicated on August 25, 1957 under the able leadership and efforts of the Rev. Arnold Brown. It was a joint effort of the church members and community.
Sixty-seven babies have been baptized; there have been four weddings and three funerals in the church. Dick Richey. member. was the first baby baptized. The church aid still serves a supper every fall and has a bazaar as they have for more than 25 years.

Source: Tripp County Historical Society, 8th Annual Auto Caravan, Heritage Tour, Sunday, September 17, 1978

Wewela – Then and Now

Mrs. Donald Turnquist

Wewela – land of many springs – Pioneer Town
Founded in the Rosebud in nineteen nine.
Nestled beyond the Turtle Butte, along the murmuring Keya Paha
Land of peaceful paradise, said the pioneers, it is mine.
They built a bustling little town
With stores of every kind,
Whatever might be needed
In Wewela, you could find.
No railroad came and the dirty thirties
Were forces some could not bear
And many had to move away
To start anew elsewhere.
Now seventy years later, the town is small
But the memories and spirit will stay,
In the busy, active community known
As Wewela, so hats off to you, today!
Written in 1978

ocated in south central South Dakota along Highways 18, 183 and 44, Winner is the county seat of Tripp County. With a population of 3,137, the city covers approximately 922.5 acres and is 1,920ft. above sea level. Winner was part of the famous Louisiana Purchase of 1803 and later part of the Dakota Territory, which was established by an act of Congress and a proclamation by President Abraham Lincoln in 1861. Winner was so named because it was the "winner" in the struggle to establish a town along the railroad right-of-way when the Chicago North Western began moving west from Dallas, SD in 1909.
At first Lamro, which was then the county seat, was believed to have the best chance but the railroad survey missed the established township by only two miles and immediately a new town was organized and was given the name Winner.

Winner is a good place to do business having the best utility rates in the state. Over 300 businesses are active in the Winner community. The Winner School district is rated level 1 by the South Dakota Division of Education with the High School accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and High Schools. Winner is home to a Regional Healthcare Center and two modern assisted living centers. Recent capital improvements in the city include a new main street, a new 4,500ft. concrete runway at the airport, and a new Fire Hall / Ambulance building facility with training room.
Source: winnersd.com

A TOWN IS BORN – WINNER
The wind-blown prairie of the Rosebud Indian Reservation, which had been opened to settlement and named Tripp County, gave little promise of developing into the present city of Winner. It was not set as a gem in the midst of fertile farm lands and livestock production, nor could the most vivid imagination conceive of the industrious and enterprising settlers, who would come from all parts of our great country to establish homes here; make the virgin soil blossom as the rose; and the dream of a smiling and self-sustaining land a reality.

The first county-seat of Tripp County was at Lamro, a town platted in July, 1907, by the Lamoureaux Townsite Company, on Dog Ear Creek two and a half miles southwest of the current city of Winner. It was put here in anticipation of the time when the Chicago and North-Western railroad would extend its line west of Dallas. The town grew rapidly and had a court house, post office, school, hotel, and stores. Arthur B. Brown was the first post master, but Atty. C. E. Talbott was the first presidential appointee by Taft in 1910.

When the railroad missed the town, running its survey two miles north, its aggressive citizens saw only one solution to their dilemma. Their solution was to move the town to the new location. Opinion was divide, and while eventually they all did move, the smoldering embers of this feud lived for many years.

The Western Townsite Company at Winner offered special inducements to those willing to move, and gave sites for the Methodist, Episcopal, and Catholic churches; two entire blocks for a city park, and a block where the Middle School Building now stands, and the courthouse block.

A lot sale was held in December of 1909 and many Lamro buildings were moved, but the business at the courthouse and stores in Lamro, still drew much trade there during 1910. A spirited election on November,8, 1910 as to where the permanent county seat should be located. After solicitors had combed every homestead shack for votes, the result was 1553 votes for Winner, 1010 for Colome, and 141 for Lamro.

J. L. Lynn using a steam engine with Jack Ogden and George Best assisting with 72 horses, moved the courthouse from Lamro to Winner, amid deep snows, and set it on the north corner of Third Street at Madison. On January 15, 1911 it burned, destroying all records of the Auditor and Treasure. Some frame buildings were then assembled on the courthouse block across the street to the east, and served the county in a makeshift way This new building was hard to heat and leaked. Later a new $200,000 courthouse was built when John G. Mackaman, O. E. Farnsworth and A. G. Ivers were the county commissioners.

The first post office was a small building on East Second Street, with Don Sinclair as postmaster. He also took care of a few telephones until Miss Olive Pitshford came over from Lamro. She then had the distinction of being the first telephone manager in Winner's first telephone office which was in a building on East Third Street.

The Lamro schoolhouse, was placed on the schoolhouse block. As the town grew other building were rented for school purposes, until the Central school was built. Miss Lottie Hilliard was the first teacher.

A bird's-eye view of Winner's west Main Street in early years, would have shown at the corner of Fourth and Main, south, the Smith and McGreevy Grocery. Beyond it a frame building was half occupied by the Doherty and Talbott law firm, the other half by united States Commissioner, F. M. Ziebach, who issued government deeds to the homesteaders. The next building was the G. P. Love Jewelry store, Mr. Love being also a Justice of the Peace. Opposite the Smith Grocery, north on Main Street was the Kisling Store, later known as the Cross-Road Store.

A newspaper owned by W. E. Bridgman in Lamro was moved to a building on Second Street in Winner. After a succession of owners it was called The Tripp County Journal, the first Winner newspaper. Willis Grieves soon started another paper, The Winner Advocate. This was started in a building north of the Kisling store, and for twenty six years the two editors worked together for the good of the community.

Next came the Shaver Hardware Store, the Toggery Pool hall and Miller's Drug Store. Dr. Miller and Dr. Hooker were the pioneer physicians. Geo. Bailey later bought this store. The Smoke Shop, Anna Hamm's millinery, the Klos Meat market and Winner Hotel completed the block. To Third Street were a few doors to the west, C. O. Hilliard had opened a tin shop. From Third Street north, the buildings were Buckios Sweet Shop, an office building, a bank, and the Wagner Drug store which was operated in Lamro by Wagner and McCann , but moved to Winner. A Variety Store, the Beaulieu Hardware, the Fish Furniture Store, the Roe General Store, Kendall's Restaurant and the Dewell Clothing stores, and a frame building at the corner of Second Street, completed that block. In 1913 a fire burned most of this block, but it was soon rebuilt.

Across the street east of the Z. Smith Grocery on Fourth Street stood the Mitchell Bank, and across to the north, the Ketchmark Store, Cosmo Theatre owned by Clark Lakin, DeBuhr Bakery, Pullman Cafe, Reads Bowling Alley and Pool Hall, Thomas and Sleezer Saloon, J. H. Philips Hotel, Matson Clothing Store and the Security Bank, where George Kares opened the first Insurance Agency. This bank was later taken over by the Farmers State Bank of Witten, of which W. H. Rahn was president.

North across Third Street stood a dwelling house, where the Chas Owen family lived many years. Mr. Owen had a land office and Insurance business. Next came a two story brick built by Nick Milosh, then the Leinhart Photo Studio, Admanson's Meat Market, Antiseptic Barber Shop, and a building where M. K. Nolan sold farm implements. The north side of the structure was occupied by the Keller and Sjoblom Real Estate office. Others in this block were Koch's Saloon, Asquith and Pugh Clothing Store, Red Arrow Garage, and Beck's Spot Cash Store. After the Barnum building was built the Bank of Winner stood at the corner of Second and main Street, while across Second Street north was a frame building moved in from Jordan which was also a bank. The Fauble Furniture Store was also on this block.

E. G. Barnum erected the large brick building at the corner of Main Street as the principal thoroughfare of Winner. He was also the originator and booster for Winner's excellent water system. His idea of piping water seven miles south of Winner from springs, took several years to appear feasible. The housewives of our city who were using water, had Jim Woodward haul the water from Lamro in a tank and deposit it at their back doors in barrels. These women were Barnum's ardent supporters and year later his accomplishment called forth a well deserved tribute, written by the late Dr. L. C. Davis and published in a city directory by the Tripp County Journal.

When J. H. Daily was Mayor of Winner, aided by the Winner Women's Club, and John Conway, the development of our city park began.

THE NEW TOWN "WINNER"
If the railroad misses you hit the railroad has been the policy of the pioneer town builders of the Rosebud country.
Lamro was moved two and a half miles to the Jim Biggins allotment which was purchased by the Western Townsite Company, (Jackson Bros.), and the wisdom of each move is now a matter of history. There is no country where people are more loyal to their town than the Rosebud country.
While Lamro was fighting to keep their town from moving, a group of Winner boosters held a meeting to decide on a name for the new town. It was E.G. Barnum who told the fellows to be careful about naming, because he thought this town would be the winner, therefore it should be a good name.
Claude Maule said it was then decided to name the town Winner, which was the luckiest of all towns in Tripp County.
Next was the fight for the County seat which was a bitter one. Many of the detail are given in the Dennis B. Lyons story. In other words Winner has been accused of staling the records, than moving the court house.
November 4, 1910 – The commissioners listened to the petition of more than twenty representative citizens of Tripp County to place Winner on the ballot a candidate for county seat; the law said they should act, and they acted. From rumor, only the board knew that Lamro and Colome were candidates for like honors but not officially and they were acting in an official capacity. They directed the county auditor in his official duties but he balked. The Colome men invoked the injunction to prevent the board’s action becoming operative.

TEN REASONS WHY WINNER SHOULD BE THE COUNTY SEAT
October 7, 1910-

1. Winner is in the exact geographical center of Tripp County and is on the railroad and is the only town near the center of Tripp County on the railroad.
2. Winner is nearer the center of population of Tripp County than any other railroad.
3. Winner has a greater trade territory than any other town in Tripp County.
4. Winner has the finest water to be found in Tripp County and an abundance of the same.
5. The roads leading into winner are the best roads to be found in Tripp County.
6. The location of the county seat and at Winner will eliminate future contents and save the tax payers thousands of dollars by eliminating needless county seats fights.
7. Winner is owned by her on businessmen whose business locations have cost them more than $100,000 and today has the greatest property valuation of and town in Tripp County.
8. The citizens of Winner have donated an excellent site 300 feet square in the business center of the town for the location of the court house and this will cost the country nothing.
9. Winner will be the distributing point for 50 per cent of the people of Tripp County and will be the distributing point for the largest number of inland towns of any railroad town in the county.
10. The location of the county seat at Winner will eliminate entirely and future questions of county division, thus saving thousands of dollars to the tax payers and elimination useless and silly fights.

 
WINNER WINS COUNTY SEAT FIGHT
November 11, 1910 – Winner and her citizens are delighted. The result of the county seat contest could not have been more satisfactory. Winner had a just claim to the permanent county seat location and in a hard fought battle presented her claims in a manner which withstood every assault and by an overwhelming vote was rewarded by favorable consideration from the people of Tripp County. The returns show that she has won by 261 majority over her opponents. The majority is decisive and should settle the fight for all times to come.

MOVED TO WINNER
Some of the first businesses to move to Winner were: Lamro State Bank, Kisling Store, Sas and Ketchmark, Smith and McGreevy, Hall and Grieves, S. N. Opdahl and Jay Weaver.

There was much history packed into the first decade of this century, into that little triangle of Gregory and Tripp counties and the field is wide open for an historical novel in which Lamoureaux, the short lived, will furnish a very exciting chapter.

COURT HOUSE IS BEING MOVED
1910- The work of moving the court house from Lamro to Winner was begun. The Register of Deeds and Clerk of Courts have moved the records into the Security Bank, where the offices will be until the Court House is moved. The rest of the officials will move over when the building arrives.
The building was erected by Oliver Lamoureaux during the summer of 1909 and was leased to the county for a term of three years, but after the county seat was located at Winner, the contract was cancelled by the county board in order to allow Mr. Lamoureax to move the building after which it would again be leased to the county.

COURT HOUSE HERE
The court house was moved over from Lamro and placed at the northwest corner of Madison and Third Street. The building is the largest that has been moved from Lamro, and it required two 40-horse power traction engines to move it. The commissioners met and renewed the lease which had been cancelled in order that Mr. Lamoureaux might move the building.
The auditor had advertised for bids for moving the jail and vault, but it is not likely that the vault will be moved, as it is built of concrete and it would be impossibility to move.

COURT HOUSE IS BURNED
Friday January 20, 1911 The court house at this place was destroyed by fire early Sunday morning. The fire was discovered about six o’clock by Geo Nessal, who resides in the east part of town. He immediately gave the alarm and a huge crowd was soon on the ground, but owing to the fact that Winner has no fire protection of any kind they were unable to do anything but watch the large building go up in smoke but with what little water was available, at that early hour in the morning, saved a small building on the next lot west, also belonging to Mr. Lamoureaux.

The records of county auditor, county treasurer and superintendent of schools were totally destroyed. The records of the county attorney were in the building but were all saved. The county commissioners had rented a vault for the use of the auditor and treasurer and up to the present time no reason had been given as to why their records had not been placed in it. McGreevy, the newly elected treasurer, was to have taken charge of the office Monday.

An investigation was held the first day of the week by States Attorney O’Hollaren. Mr. Nessel W. Harris, E. Crook and several others who arrived before the fire had gained much headway, were examined and all were of the opinion that the fire was the work of incendiaries. However, there seemed to be a difference of opinion as to whether the fire was started in the building or under it.

The building was owned by Oliver Lamoureaux and was moved over from Lamro soon after Winner had been chosen as the permanent county seat of Tripp County. It was insured for $2,000, but it will be a big loss to Mr. Lamoureaux as he was receiving over one hundred and fifty dollars per month rental.

Among those who sustained losses of personal property are G. O. Van Meter, who estimates his loss at $500, Judge Callender, who says his loss will reach $50; and R. F. Taylor and Stephen McGreevy, each lost some clothing. The Methodists also lost and organ and some hymn books, which were in the hall on the second floor.

BUILDING BOOM IS STARTED
(Spring 1911)- The prospects at present are that Winner will enjoy quite a building boom during the coming summer.
Work will soon begin on the Butterfield and Barnum building… The Superior Lumber and Coal Company will soon begin the erection of a large lumber shed a half block west of Main Street.

Louis Vlasak is erecting a fine residence… Leroy Nicholson’s house in east Winner is nearing completion… Chas Roe has let the contract for a new house on Prospect Hill.

The Winner Garage Company has recently completed a large addition to their garage… Geo. Roane is also installing a private electric light plant, which will furnish light for the hotel and livery barn.

Will Fulwider will erect an automobile garage as soon as he can secure a suitable location. The Heckman Furniture Company is at work on a foundation for an addition to their store on north Main Street.

Wm Miller has just completed a handsome cottage in the west part of town. B. A. Krieger is

CENSUS WILL GIVE WINNER 900 SOULS
July 2, 1915 The population of Winner according to the census this year will be upwards to 900. J. I. Grimes, who is securing the names of the residents of our city, has at present about 850 names on his books and expects to finish up his work some time next week.

$100,000.00 LOSS BY FIRE
”Biggest Fire Ever Had In Rosebud Country-May 23 1913”

May 30, 1913 Before the blaze had entirely died away last Friday a large force of men and teams were at work clearing away the debris so that work could begin immediately on the erection of a new brick structure which will be modern in every respect equipped with a large steam heating plant and lighted with electricity. A large basement will be…walled up with concrete or cement blocks.P. O. Beaulieu has moved into the building formerly occupied by the firm of Brownlow & Stangland… The Wagner Drug Co. has moved to the building formerly occupied by the Gem Theatre Building…J.H. Dailey has received a shipment of furniture and is moving into the building formerly occupied by Joe Koch…Dewell Clothing Company are repairing their building.

Important Events in Winner

RED HILL…OLD WITTEN…NEW WITTEN
Early promoters and settlers of Western South Dakota had big dreams as the 19th century moved into the 20th century. It was the era of President Theodore Roosevelt whose optimistic enthusiasm for this country’s greatness caught the imagination of most Americans. He was a risk taker and so were the settlers of the Witten community who pursued their own individual visions of the so-called “American Dream” as homesteaders set down roots in the newly-opened Rosebud Area.

Carl Gunderson in July 1983 surveyed the land in south central South Dakota which now includes Tripp County and in December 1906 a bill was introduced in the U.S. Congress proposing the opening of one million acres of land on the Rosebud Indian Reservation for homesteaders. President Roosevelt issued the proclamation declaring the land open to settlement on August 26, 1908. The U.S. government established the townsite of Witten in the North 1/4 of Section 21, Township 100, Range 78 West on April 1, 1909. The government platted the land and lots were sold at public auction in Gregory, SD, on June 7, 1909. The townsite was named after James W. Witten who was in charge of of filling for the newly opening lands in the Rosebud Area.

But Witten was not the only town competing for prominence in the area. No one at the time could have imagined that in months “Old” Witten would have beat out rival Red Hill, a town which had been established first just across the road to the north of the new townsite. Nor could they have forecast that two decades later they would have to pull up stakes and move their buildings two miles further south to a newer townsite location, because of an arbitrary decision by a railroad.

But in those days chance, disaster, or even a flip of a coin could decide your fate as it did for the very first white settlers of the area–David Cole and Daniel Smith–who left their homesteads in Gregory County in 1907 before Witten was formed. Both were interested in buying a half section of land from the Indians. The call of a coin flip decided that David Cole would but the North 1/2. They built homes on the land and moved in late 1908. The land owned by the Smiths and the Coles bordered the north line of what was to become “Old” Witten. Other early settlers included Adam Adel, Louis Reinke and L .V. Anderson.

Dan Smith was one of three promoters to form the Red Hill Townsite Co. in the Southwest 1/2 of Section 16 just across the road from the first Witten. His pre-homestead house, well and storm cellar are still standing. The original Cole home burned down.
Orville Smith, now 94 who may have been the first white male born in Tripp County, can still recall Indians by the score arriving in the evening with horse drawn wagon teams and pitching their teepees for the night on the creek south of the Smith house as they journeyed to pick up meat at an Indian Agency ration station on further west.

The Smith house was also a stopover for homesteaders on their way to settle their 160-acre claims. Smith also hired out to locate homestead sites for the settlers and to haul lumber and other supplies on the treeless and windblown prairie where summer temperature could reach 110° and winter temperatures could go to 30° below zero. Five Smith family members were born in the tiny house. One of the homesteaders, on his way to his claim, died in his sleep on a mattress in the attic from measles. A few weeks late, infant girl, Edna smith, who would have been Orville’s older sister, also died of measles. Orville was born in the house two months later. Orville and Luevern Smith’s daughter, Darlene, was born in the same house in 1937. Clearly, this part of the West was not for the fainthearted. Only those who preserved survived. The others left after a year or two.

MORE ABOUT RIVAL RED HILL
Red hill, west of the Dan Smith pre-homestead home, was the first contender for a town in the area, with promoters selling lots starting on March 3, 1909. Several business places were up and running before the Witten lot sale began on June 7 of that seam year. Red Hill businesses included, The Farmers State Bank, The Ewing Store, The German-American State Bank, The Hollenbeck Grocery and Meat Market, two lumberyards, and two livery stables (one owned by George McDonald and the other by Frank Moeller), two saloons (one owned by the Flynns) and Drees Brothers General Merchandise Store. Red Hill also had several small offices and a schoolhouse, but no post office was ever built there.

THEN CAME “OLD” WITTEN
Dorwood Mercantile Co. proclaimed itself the first store in what was eventually to be remembered as “Old” Witten. The Wells Hardware Store was another of the earliest stores in the first Witten. “The Tripp County Index,” newspaper volume 1, number 1, began publishing in “Old” Witten on July 1, 1908, before the commission had even approved the Witten plat. W. E. (Doc) Bridgman, its publisher, and come to Witten from Lamro (which had been beaten out for county seat by Winner, also on an arbitrary decision by the railroad to bypass an existing town.) The same newspaper, now called “The Witten Index”, a year later noted Witten’s population had grown to 210. It was running ads from Vanderzee and Bailey Hardware, Dorwood Mercantile Co., Hotel Tripp, Nelson Hardware, Atlas State Bank, Farmers State Bank, Montgomery Lumber Co. and several other businesses.

By now the thriving town also boasted of a land office, an auctioneer, a physician Dr. C. H. Swett, a drugstore, a blacksmith shop, Drees Brothers Store and three saloons. Businesses just built across the road north from the George Worcester home, now owned by Harold Bridgman, moved down the hill and southeast to “Old” Witten’s Main Street. State Bank (later purchased by the Atlas State Bank) The move into “Old” Witten’s Main Street businesses section were wells Hardware Store, Vanderzee and Bailey Hardware and the Atlas State Bank. Harold Bridgman, present mayor “Old” Witten, is the only remaining resident. The half section of the original town site on which he lives is still assessed, showing taxes paid on lots instead of acres.

Farmers State Bank, which was chartered in Red Hill on June 15, 1909, had its own series of misfortunes even adventure. Started by Ed Hood, the bank was moved to “Old” Witten with the rest of Red Hill’s businesses. Werner H. Rahn had moved to Witten from Ponca, NE, and purchased Farmers State Bank in 1913. In 1915 the bank burned to the ground, but the Rahn brothers rented a saloon building and returned to business as usual. One morning in the early 1920s as Werner Rahn opened the bank he smelled cigarette smoke, so as a precaution he propped open the front door. As he walked to the rear of the building a man with a gun batted him over the head. Partially stunned, the banker broke for the door and fell outside and called for help. The would be robbers got nothing and sped away in a Buick car, with the Rahn brothers and now alerted townspeople in pursuit. Unfortunately the culprits made a clean getaway and were never heard from again.

Other businesses that moved from Red Hill to “Old” Witten included Joe F. Healy’s real estate office, Dr. Dehart (who also had a drug store in addition to being a physician), Longworthy Saloon, a pool hall, the Dorwood Mercantile Co. and Doane Sear Lumber Co. Those moves from Red Hill did not come without pain, but the bitter rivalry was settled somewhat when the Witten chamber of Commerce finally agreed to pay moving expenses.

Also in “Old” Witten was a hotel owned by Mrs. Ida Fettinger, which served meals; the Howard Long restaurant; the Ray Eveleth Meat Market; Fred Rahn Ford Agency; and J. A. McDonald Store. Mrs. Eveleth (Mae) for a short time also ran a restaurant. Lewis Kennedy (father of Keo Kern) bought the Vanderzee Hardware Store and implement business in 1911 and ran that business for several years. His wife, Irene Kennedy, was a midwife and delivered many babies in Tripp County.

Fires in those days were devastating. The Joe F. Healy Real Estate Office and the adjourning building, known as the Gran-Rity Building, burned to the ground on Jan. 17, 1913. Then, on July 1915 a fire fed by strong wind and intense heat, destroyed 10 of the best business buildings in town, including The Atlas State Bank, Farmers State Bank, Dehart Drug Store, German-American Bank, Dorwood Mercantile Co., Boardman Office Building, Adel Building, Longworthy Hollenbeck Building, and the Short Building. Loss, estimated at $50,000, was termed the “most destructive fire in the history of the Rosebud area”. Most of the businesses that were lost, however were rebuilt or started up again in other buildings. A new school house, built in 1921-22, burned to the ground after having been used for only six weeks. A new school building was started immediately.

Businesses and land were often sold over and over, making keeping track difficult and often confusing. Frank Harter and Frank Smith, who ran a hardware store, later sold out to Fred Kern and Fred Dusek. Dusek also worked at Framers State Bank. Lewis Kennedy sold his hardware store in “Old” Witten to the Klappals and his implement business to J. G. Evers George Thatch and John Schwarting, a son-in-law of the Fettings, were carpenters. Schwarting built the Fettinger Hotel. Foley Allison had a service station. Ray Ballenger was a garage mechanic but also had worked at the Kautz Garage. George and Charles Worcester owned the Atlas Short ran a butcher shop. Charles Dewes and Joe Bachmann both had blacksmith shops. Both Martin Reinke and Dick Bridgman ran separate pool halls. Mrs. Ada Burns bought the Witten Hotel in August 1929. Adam Adel, who had a farm west of town, also operated a saloon. In September 1922 Lewis Kennedy died of a heart attack while fighting a prairie fire near Witten. Joe Long and Ray Moore ran a freight line that was later sold to Harry Kern and H. W. Abbey.

NEW WITTEN
The decision in 1929 to build the extension of the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad line from Winner to Wood on a path that missed “Old” Witten by about two miles to the south sealed the fate of “Old” Witten to the dustbin of history. The Shirley-Caldwell Co. was the contractor for the railroad grade to a point five miles west of Winner. The contractor further west was England Construction Co. Mules were used to haul the dirt for the rail bed. Morganfield Brothers Engineering, contractors from Winner, employed over 300 men to build the railroad bridges from Winner to Wood during the summer of 1929.

Despite having survived the “Great Depression” and World War II, the railroad gradually lost out to truck freighting, automobile travel, a declining population and a changing rural economy. Rail service from Winner to Wood was abandoned on January 27, 1960. The depot was sold to Milo Hanson who moved it to his farm. The section house was sold several years prior to that and moved to the Otto Pochop farm east of Witten.

THE GREAT MIGRATION SOUTH TO THE RAIL LINE
Witten Townsite Co., banking on economic growth, despite hard economic times, bought land for the site of “New” Witten at a land sale on May 25, 1929. Lots were allocated and their initial sale was held Sept. 17, 1929.

By the summer of 1930, most of the buildings in “Old” Witten had been moved to “New” Witten, leaving only Atlas State Bank’s cement bank vault, a school house and a few homes at the “Old” Witten site. In early 1930s the “Old” Wittten School, built in 1924-25, was moved to “New” Witten.

With Elias Foster as the supervisor and John Schwarting as helper, using Work Progress Administration labor, each segment of the school was marked, then dismantled and hauled to “New” Witten where it was reassembled. The building served as a high school until 1969 when students were sent to Winner or Wood. Today it still serves Witten grade school students.

A block of new brick buildings were also built in “New” Witten. The Farmers State Bank, which later moved to Winner, owned one of the buildings. Farmers State Bank in Winner sold a recently constructed back to Northwestern Bank in the 1990s. After a few years First National then sold the back to Well Fargo, present owners. Two new elevators, two new lumberyards also were built in “New” Witten located side by side on Main Street and were in business for several years. “The Witten World”, which started in 1930, wasn’t so lucky closing after only a few years of operation.

“Old” Witten’s three churches–St John the Baptist Catholic Church, the Baptist Church, and St. John’s Lutheran Church– were moved to “New” Witten. The first Catholic Church burned down shortly after it was moved, so the congregation latched on to the Carter Baptist Church that had been moved to Witten and converted into a hall and they reconverted it into a church. The Witten Catholic Church closed its doors in the late 1990s, but the main altar and large crucifix went to St. Ann’s Church in Keyapaha. The original Baptist Church was moved to Rosebud Valley when the new Baptist Church, presently serving Witten, was built. The Baptist and Lutheran Churches are still active in Witten.

POSTMASTERS, MAIL CARRIERS & DEPOT AGENTS
The “Old” Witten Post Office was established June 12, 1909, with Henry M. Carrol as the first postmaster. He served until Oct. 10, 1919, when Tom Worsely, who served until July 1930, was appointed postmaster. Worsely, had the distinction of serving in both the “Old” Witten and “New” Witten post offices. Other postmasters included: George Worcester, Harry Kern, and Frances Einkoff. Josie Richards served from 1943 to 1961; Roseland Jordan from May 1, 1961, until June 30, 1980, and Gayle Long, from July 1, 1980 to the present.

Bill McManigal was an early mail carrier. Harry Kern who retired as postmaster in 1937 to become a rural carrier served the Witten route until he retired on Feb. 5, 1970. Kern died in January 1984. The route was then consolidated with the Ideal route and the Late Don Roosa from Ideal was the carrier until the route was again consolidated with Winner Rural Route 2. 2 was then carried by James Osborn, then Alvin (Jake) Holthus, and presently by Allan Croston.

Depot agents included H. W. Abbey, appointed in November of 1929, Fred Deffenbaugh, Sarah (Mrs. John) Meyer, Don Auld and Betty (Mrs. Paul) Abbey. Betty served from 1946 to 1950. Maxine Chambers served in 1950 and then Betty returned to serve from 1951 to 1960.

Rural communities are different nowadays with greater spaces between settlements, but Witten can still get a crowd of a couple hundred to a potluck supper, a benefit for the volunteer fire department or out to watch its magnificent 4th of July fireworks display, put on by the fire department. So , despite all that’s happened, it’s still a community with just more breathing space than those places with population explosions.

 
Source: Tripp County Historical Society, Heritage Tour, Witten Area, Sunday September 21, 2003.