Lake Co., SD - Description and History, 1884 This file is a complete transcription of the descriptive information about Lake County as found in A. T. Andreas' "Historical Atlas of Dakota", 1884. LAKE COUNTY This county is situated between the Big Sioux and Vermillion valleys, one county removed from the Minnesota line, and bounded on the north by Brookings and Kingsbury counties, on the south by McCook and Minnehaha, on the east by Moody, and on the west by Miner County. The seventh guide meridian of the surveys passes through the center of the county. The county is theoretically an exact square, containing sixteen congressional town, with an area of 576 square miles or 368,640 acres. The topography is described by one writer as being "nothing if not picturesque." The county was named from the fact that it includes a large number of small lakes within its boundaries. The largest of these is Lake Madison in the southeast part of the county, covering an area of about 2,000 acres, and abounding in fine scenery. It is about four miles in length and affords great sport for hunters and fishermen, its waters being stocked with excellent fish, and in the proper seasons swarming with wild fowl. The other principal bodies of water are Brant Lake in Town 105, Range 51, covering a section or more, with much the same characteristics as Lake Madison, and Lake Herman in Town 106, Range 53, about the same size as Brant Lake. Groves of timber are found around the margins of these lakes, and the shores are either beautiful sandy beaches or abruptly rising banks. The principal streams are Battle Creek, which drains the northeastern portions of the county and discharges into the Big Sioux River in Brookings County; Skunk Creek, another branch of the Big Sioux which drains the southeastern portion, and the east fork of the Vermillion River, which drains the western portions and unites with the west fork at Parker in Turner County. The county generally is a rolling or gently undulating prairie, broken by the river and creek valleys, and the basins of the numerous lakes. The soil is a dark-colored sandy loam with the usual substratum of clay, and very productive, every kind of small grain and vegetables doing well. Stock raising is a specialty along the Vermillion River, where there are some large ranches. SETTLEMENT.--The history of the early settlements in this county is somewhat obscure, and not altogether reliable. According to some authorities the first permanent settlers were William Lee, H. N. Luce, W. H. Luce, Henry Miller, Henry Whipple, John Walker, John Hare and Wm. J. Baker, the first two having located claims in June, 1870. The first dwelling, a log cabin, was built by William Lee in the northeast quarter of Section 27, in Town 106, Range 52. These parties were from Minnesota. In 1875, the population of the county had become considerable, and in 1878 immigration set in briskly and nearly every acre of government land was taken within a year or two. The county is at the present time well settled and very prosperous. ORGANIZATION.--The first board of County Commissioners, appointed by the Governor to organize the county, was composed of H. N. Luce, John T. Hare and a third whose name we have been unable to learn. Their first meeting was held at the house of William Lee, where they met on the 6th of October, 1873, and appointed Wm. J. Baker, Register of Deeds; Wm. Lee, Sheriff; Wm. H. Luce, Treasurer, and John Walker, Surveyor. Old Madison was finally made the county seat in 1875, but when the new town was laid out on the railway in 1880 the county seat was removed there. The present county officers are: Register of Deeds, J. A. Trow; Clerk of the Court, W. F. Smith; Judge of Probate, R. A. Murray; Sheriff, William Lee; Coroner, S. M. Jenks; Treasurer, Alex. McKay; Supt. of Schools, F. R. VanSlyke; Surveyor, John Gregor; Assessor, John A. Johnson. The county has no public buildings as yet, but preparations are being made to provide them. MADISON.--The oldest town bearing this name in Lake County, and known as "Old Madison," was laid out on the 13th of July, 1875, by Wm. VanEps, of Sioux Falls. The town was named Madison from the similarity of the site and surroundings to those of the capital of Wisconsin. It was located on the shore of Lake Madison, about four and a half miles southeast of the present capital of the county. Soon after the town was platted Messrs. Brooks & Styles, of Sibley, Iowa, erected a building and opened a general stock of merchandise, making this a regular trading post. When Old Madison was made the county seat, the town increased quite rapidly, and it became a good business point, but when the railway was completed to the county early in 1881, and the new Madison was laid out on the line, the business and prestige of the old town departed to the more fortunate location. The new town is finely situated between lakes Madison and Herman and near the geographical center of the county. The original town plat was laid out on the 6th of July, 1880, by Wm. VanEps, P. H. Harth, O. E. Batchelder and William Lee. Additions have since been made. The original town plat was laid out on the northeast quarter of Section 7, Town 106, Range 52, constituting at that time the homestead of Charles B. Kennedy, whose interest was purchased by the proprietors. The first stock of goods was opened by J. W. Davison. The first railway train reached the place on the 12th of January, 1881. The town is liberally laid out, its streets being one hundred feet wide, with sidewalks ten feet in width. The place has grown steadily in population and business since the advent of the railway, and is now one of the best towns in this part of Dakota. It was incorporated as a village on the 1st of May, 1881. Its present population is probably over one thousand. NEWSPAPERS.--The oldest paper in the county is the Madison "Sentinel," which was established at Old Madison in April, 1879, by J. H. Zane and F. L Fifield. The latter sold to W. H. Smith, in March, 1880. In May following, Smith sold his interest to his partner Zane, and in June of the same year, W. H. & A. M. Jones became interested in the paper. W. H. Jones subsequently became sole proprietor. Mr. L. H. McCargar is editor and publisher. The "Sentinel" is a six-column quarto, got up in handsome style and filled with interesting matter; ranking in every respect with the most prominent papers in south Dakota. The "Leader" was established in June, 1879, at Herman, six miles west of Old Madison, by F. C. Stowe, who removed the office to the new town in November, 1880. In September, 1881, the establishment was sold to E. A. Fuller and J. M. Preston. Fuller & Co. succeeded these gentlemen, with J. M. Preston as editorial manager. J. F. Stahl is the present proprietor. One of the most important institutions of Madison is the Lake County flouring mill of B. D. Sprague. This establishment was erected at a cost of $20,000, in the summer 1881. The mill is fitted up with the roller process machinery, and has a capacity for manufacturing 100 barrels of flour daily. H. A. Snyder was for some time the miller in charge, and the mill has achieved a wide and enviable reputation. RELIGIOUS.--There are five or six church organizations in Madison, including Presbyterians, Baptists, Congregationalists, Methodists and Catholics. The Presbyterian Society was organized at Old Madison, in 1877. The Baptist organization was later. The Congregational Society was organized in 1881. The Methodists had an organization at Old Madison. Most of these denominations have comfortable houses of worship. SCHOOLS.--A fine graded school building, costing $4,000, was erected in 1881. It is a first class building, with modern improvements, and well arranged for school purposes. One of the Territorial Normal schools is located at Madison. The school building is a three- story brick structure, costing about $15,000, and one of the finest in the Territory. HERMAN.--Was laid out about the same time as Old Madison, on a fine site on the east side of Lake Herman, on Section 11, Town 106, Range 53. It was at one time a considerable village, with quite a lively country trade, but its distance from railway connections prevents it from becoming an important town. A large share of its former business has been transferred to the new Madison. WENTWORTH.--This flourishing town is situated on the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway, about eight miles east of Madison in a fine agricultural country. The original town was laid out in 1880 by Mr. R. R. Wentworth, on Section 9, Town 106, Range 51. Mr. Wentworth first settled here in 1876 on a homestead claim. The town is a busy one and growing rapidly. It contains a German Lutheran Church; a two-story frame school building costing $2,500; one of the best flouring mills in that portion of Dakota; about twenty business establishments; a new railway depot; a fine three- story hotel--the Van Dyke House--in process of construction, and a population of several hundred. Several additions have been made to the original town. The newspaper is the Wentworth "Bond," established by the Bond Printing Company in May, 1883. The company is composed of Messrs. William Beach and George W. Bagley. The paper is a well conducted and handsomely printed five-column quarto, and doing a good business. The office is in a fine building, one portion of which is occupied by an excellent library. WINFRED.--This place is situated on the Chicago Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway near the west line of the county, and near the east fork of the Vermillion River, on Section 7, Town 106, Range 54, twelve miles from Madison. The town site is a fine one. The place was laid out in 1882, by F. W. Thaxter, of Forestburg, and named after his son. It is a considerable business point. Other post offices are RUSSELL, on the railroad; WICKLOW and LAKE, on or near Lake Madison; PROSPECT, in the southeast; ORLAND, in the south; GILMAN, NAKOMAS, and TOWLE, in the northwest; BADUS, BATTLE CREEK and PRAIRIE QUEEN in the north. The first school building in the county was erected on the south bank of Lake Madison, and the first school was taught in it by Miss Fannie Baker, in 1873. The first marriage was that of George Runyon and Dollie Jenks, in 1872. The first birth was Herman Luce, a son of W. H. Luce. The first death, a child of Henry Hall. The Dakota & Great Southern Railway passes diagonally through the southwest corner township of this county.