Ben Clare, Ghost Town of the Dakota Prairie - rural Valley Springs, SD - Ghost Towns on Waymarking.com

The town of Ben Clare was established in 1888 after the Illinois Central Railroad came through this area. Part of Dakota Territory, this community was named after the two sons of founder, Benjamin Richards: Benjamin and Clarence. The fast-growing town soon boasted a post office, two grain elevators, two grocery stores, a lumber yard and hardware store, a blacksmith and stockyards. The railroad was central to shipping livestock and grain to Chicago, a good feature for growth. During this time Ben Clare joined the ranks of many other Dakota prospering communities.

The Methodist-Episcopal Church was established in 1890, and the church building was constructed four years later. It was known for tent meetings and revivals in its early time. The town also had a marching band; the literary society added to the culture by sponsoring plays, musical events, and debates.

The town’s success was short lived, however, when Richards sold the town site to a cantakerous Frank Bowen in 1892. Practices such as high land prices and numerous lawsuits increased the anger and animosity of the townspeople, and Bowen was finally shot to death in 1903. Many of the businessmen had already left town to start elsewhere, and Ben Clare was never the same. The post office finally closed in 1912, the buildings were demolished, and the streets were plowed up by area farmers. Only the Methodist Church remains as a testament to what might have been the boom town of Benjamin Richards’ dreams.

Reason for Abandonment: Economic Date Abandoned: 01/01/1912 Related Web Page: Not listed

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