Sheridan, SD
N 43° 58.052 W 103° 29.100
13T E 621530 N 4869382
A 1958 South Dakota historical marker stands near the southeast end of Sheridan Lake, noting that the town of Sheridan stood here from 1875 until it was submerged by this lake in 1942.
Waymark Code: WM12G9J
Location: South Dakota, United States
Date Posted: 05/22/2020
Views: 1
You can fish here, but be careful to not snag your hook if you head northeast. The historical marker was placed by William and Clara Williamson and the State Highway Commission. It has identical text on both sides and provides some history:
Sheridan, located 1/2 mile NE, now 30 feet under water, was named for General Philip Sheridan and founded in 1875 on Cheyenne-Deadwood Trail, as Golden, in the belief that fabulous placer gold existed here. Still Indian Country and everybody a trespasser until 1877 Sheridan was named county seat of Pennington County on April 19 and in October of that year Judge Granville G. Bennett held first term of Court in Black Hills there. The first gold seekers here came in early July 1875 and were Andre J. Williams, Ernest Barthold, John W. Allen, J. Carlin, Ed Flaherty, Frank Bethune, William Nasten, Ezekiel Brown and Deacon Dillard. Williams got $2.00 in gold in first pan on July 18 and hastened to Custer to apprize his partners and on return found his own claim jumped.
Up the creek a short distance was the intake of a 17 mile flume, built of lumber milled on the job from the adjacent forest. It went down Spring Creek and took water to the Rockerville placer, operations 10 miles away, from 1881 to 1884, where over half a million in gold was recovered. James Redpath was first postmaster on October 22, 1877 and Ernest Barthold, the last, on June 13, 1913.
The dam creating Sheridan Lake submerged its remains in 1942.
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Wikipedia notes that fire destroyed a significant number of the town's buildings in the 1800s, and by 1920, dwindling output from the local mines had essentially put paid to the settlement. Apparently, one house was rescued before the waters came down, relocated to a site six miles from here. That would be an excellent addition to the gallery if it still stands.
Reason for Abandonment: Economic
Date Abandoned: 01/01/1942
Related Web Page: [Web Link]
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