Watertower, Madison, South Dakota
Posted by: 
NGComets
N 44° 00.570 W 097° 07.196
14T E 650709 N 4874646
One of several watertowers in a medium sized town. This one is located in the northwest part of Madison on Union Ave.
Waymark Code: WM6FQT
Location: South Dakota, United States
Date Posted: 05/27/2009
Views: 5
This watertower is about two blocks from where my wife grew up. She attended the school right across the street from the watertower.
Madison is the County Seat of Lake County, South Dakota. The population in July 2007 was 6319, a 4.6% decrease from the 2000 census.
The town was incorporated on March 12, 1885.
Ancestries include German, Norwegian, Irish, English, and Dutch peoples.
Historic Prairie Village, two miles west of Madison, SD on Hwys 34 & 81, has forty restored buildings, agriculture displays, steam tractors, a sawmill, operating railroad with turntable and round house, steam carousel and chapel car "Emmanuel." Camping is available with 150 electrical sites, modern showers, and dump station. Prairie Village provides a Gift Shop, daily carousel rides, and train rides during special events; the church can be rented for weddings or facilities for picnics and family reunions.
A lifelong resident of the Madison, South Dakota area, John C. Green has earned recognition in the art community through his faithful rendition of outdoor and scenic images that capture the spirit of his native state. He is an established artist with superb credentials. He recently celebrated his 30th year as a professional artist. John has received recognition in many art contests across the country. He is a three time state duck stamp competitive winner and received the Judge's Award of Merit for his painting of mallards at the National Wildlife Art Show. The South Dakota Hall of Fame also selected him as State Artist of the Year in 1991. Though he has over 55 sold out limited editions already to his credit, John C. Green's career is just beginning! John's studio is located in downtown Madison.
Lake Herman State Park is two miles west of Madison off SD Highway 34. The park is nestled along the shoreline of Lake Herman and offers 72 campsites and 2 camping cabins, boating, fishing, water sports and picnicking along with various natural and cultural programs and events. Walkers' Point recreation area is located on Lake Madison, east of the city and offers many of the same activities at a 42-site campground, managed by the South Dakota Game Fish and Parks Department.
The present town of Madison was developed from the merging of two villages – Madison and Herman. The old village of Madison was first established along the south shore of Lake Madison. William Lee and John Walker were the first settlers of that area. The village of Herman was originally settled on the north shore of Lake Herman. Herman Luce and his son, William Luce, were the first settlers there.
In January of 1873, Lake County was established. In the fall of 1873, Governor Burbank appointed three county commissioners to organize the county. The first business of the county commissioners was the selection of old Madison as the county seat. The town was platted and named in July of 1875. William Van Eps, the Sioux Falls townsite promoter, named the town and Lake Madison because the lake and lake shore reminded him of his former home, Madison, Wisconsin. The town of Herman was platted in June of 1878 and grew to be a rival of Madison.
In March 1878, Mr. and Mrs. C.B. Kennedy came to Dakota Territory - ninety miles beyond the operating line of the railroad. Kennedy secured a homestead and tree claim of 320 acres. At that time there were only about nine families in the county, all located in the lake area.
In 1880, a survey was made for an extension of the southern Minnesota division of the Milwaukee Railroad to near the center of Lake County, crossing Kennedy’s land. The survey missed the old town of Madison by three miles, but passed through the town of Herman. Bitter rivalry grew between the two towns for the county seat. Wentworth was also a contender for the honor.
Kennedy had little difficulty convincing the people of old Madison to relocate their town on his land. Negotiations were made and he immediately platted the town, which he named new Madison. They made a proposition to the townspeople of Herman that they could have an equal number of lots in good locations if they would move their businesses to the new Madison. The Herman residents made a similar proposal, so little progress was made. A committee made up of three members of each town met to arbitrate the issue. After a meeting that lasted all night and several following meetings, still nothing was resolved.
About this time, the people of Madison learned that three buildings at Herman were for sale. Kennedy and two others quietly purchased the buildings and began moving the first one to the new Madison. When the people of Herman realized what was being done, they turned out in large numbers, many armed with weapons. But Kennedy and his associates had anticipated trouble and had a sheriff and several deputies on duty. The people of Herman realized opposition would be useless. When they saw the second and third buildings go, their worries deepened. When the committee met again, it was decided to let the railroad officials make the decision. When the officials decided in favor of new Madison, most of Herman agreed to move to new Madison on the original terms. The move to the town of Madison began in August of 1880.
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