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546:. Belle Fourche was founded on May 1, 1891. Bullock offered free land to Minneselans and their businesses. Despite the hostility between the two towns' residents, most people accepted, and Belle Fourche grew rapidly. One of the first buildings to move was the Butte County Bank. In 1894, the two towns competed for the county seat. Belle Fourche offered to build a courthouse for free and collected over 100 outside voters. They kept some voters in the town by giving them work; others were kept in town by the saloons. Through this strategy, Belle Fourche won the election for the
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42:
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were set up on the SB Ranch. The stage line failed after only a few trips, and the line shut down; however, the saloon remained open, to the disapproval of many
Minneselan women. The last building on the De Mores station site burned down in 1888. Minnesela experienced severe winter weather; the snow
522:) asked Bullock to negotiate with the railroad company on their behalf, to which he agreed. At the meeting, railroad owners said that they wanted donated land and preferred an 80-acre spot south of Minnesela that was open for filing. Resident Douglas Sayre left the meeting and went to
534:
from
Whitewood to Rapid City. Carter met Sayre in the land office and offered Sayre $ 500 for the land; instead, Sayre laughed and said that his price for the "Golden 80" was climbing over $ 5,000. By the time Sayre raised it to $ 10,000, there were no takers.
589:
The
Minnesela Hotel is the only building still standing. The townsite is now a small farming community just outside Belle Fourche. In 1999, a sign was placed by the Butte County Historical Society on the former spot of the Minneselan post office and store.
541:
donated a large amount of land on his ranch to allow the train depot to be built on the former site of the De Mores
Station. On August 14, 1890, the last rail between Whitewood and the Middle Creek stockyards was laid, and the railroad began shipping
386:
gradually settled the area. After
Spaulding left, his cabin was used by many settlers in the area until the late 1930s. Minnesela was plotted in 1881 by D. T. Harrison and
1120:
1115:
586:, and in 2006, the house was moved to the Tri-State Museum. The house was again remodeled in the spring of 2007, and the cabin opened to the public on June 14, 2007.
518:. Minnesela expanded its town site in preparation for the arrival of the railroad, with new land ready for purchase. The new board of trade (established before the
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1234:
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882:
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In 1882, about 100 people were living in
Minnesela. The town began its steady population decline in 1891, and by 1901, the town was abandoned.
508:
418:
church, bank, hotel, and flour mill. The school was built from the
Minnesela jail. Minnesela had two newspapers, one of which was known as the
1244:
379:; the logs were then hauled to the site. The house was made up of a living room, parlor, kitchen, children's room, and a main bedroom.
1090:
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975:
667:
414:. The town flourished, and by 1883, its residents had built a post office, two saloons, about six stores, Commercial Club, school,
338:. The railroad's decision to bypass Minnesela and to continue on to Belle Fourche in 1890 caused the town to be abandoned by 1901.
960:
58:
1239:
390:. In early 1882, after the population of the area reached 100, the community decided to build the town on the east bank of
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32:
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This cabin housed
Spaulding; Davis; Davis's wife, Lucinda; and the Davis' children. During the next five years,
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527:
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John T. "Buckskin Johnny" Spaulding and his brother-in-law Thomas J. Davis built the first home, a two-story
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334:, United States. Minnesela was founded in 1882 and was located three miles southeast of present-day
523:
372:
159:
453:
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515:
831:
Lucca, Marion (July 24, 1993). "Things you thought you knew about Belle
Fourche... but didn't".
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376:
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destroyed farmers' crops and ranchers' livestock. By 1887, the
Minneselans had turned to the
429:, Minnesela was an ideal place for a trade center. Minneselans called their town "the future
578:
In 1957, the town's flour mill was torn down. In 1960, Spaulding's cabin was donated to the
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1038:
503:
sometimes covered windows 2-stories high. In 1886, a hot, dry summer and a powerful winter
495:
280:
8:
1186:
1158:
1148:
519:
461:
422:. The cemetery, which has 102 interments, was created in 1887 to the north of the town.
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returned the books until an official transfer could be made. By 1901, Minnesela was a
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The founders of Minnesela standing on the balcony of the Minnesela Hotel in 1889.
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of the Black Hills and the midland city of the United States" and the "coming
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in 1879. This ranch grew to become famous throughout the West for its
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Because it was then the only town on the prairies just north of the
504:
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rode to Minnesela and stole the county books. The Belle Fourche
551:
474:, and in the spring of 1881, Bullock planted the first crop of
946:. Spearfish, SD: Black Hills Pioneer (published April 3, 2013)
287:
266:
864:(1st ed.). Chicago, IL: The Swallow Press. p. 136.
1059:
1025:
394:, at a location one-half mile south of Spaulding's cabin.
693:. Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press. p. 287.
569:
Historic marker at the site of the post office and store
526:'s land office on his fastest horse. After the meeting,
582:
in Belle Fourche. The house was then remodeled by the
514:In 1890, the railroad began laying track north of
796:
1226:
889:. Deadwood, SD. Winter 2000–2001. Archived from
359:, two and a half miles southeast of present-day
691:Native American Placenames of the United States
509:Fremont, Elkhorn, and Missouri Valley Railroad
976:
919:. Tri-State Museum in Belle Fourche, SD. 2008
852:
410:In 1882, Minnesela became the county seat of
801:. Spearfish, SD: Northern Hills Publishing.
767:. Tri-State Museum, Belle Fourche, SD. 2008
618:. The town was located on the banks of the
478:in the Western United States. In 1884, the
983:
969:
573:
346:
78:Location of Minnesela within South Dakota.
602:, approximately three miles southeast of
18:Ghost town in South Dakota, United States
755:
753:
751:
749:
668:United States Department of the Interior
564:
396:
1255:Populated places disestablished in 1901
1250:1882 establishments in Dakota Territory
1235:Geography of Butte County, South Dakota
937:
826:
824:
822:
820:
818:
816:
814:
812:
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799:Minnesela: The City That Never Happened
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1260:1901 disestablishments in South Dakota
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940:"Gateway to the Northern Black Hills"
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1245:Populated places established in 1882
877:
875:
873:
871:
805:
797:Benedict Richards, Marjorie (1972).
779:
614:. It is about 10 miles north of the
498:. A few shacks, a stage barn, and a
452:, moved into the area and built the
326:and was the first settlement in and
931:
843:
659:Geographic Names Information System
643:
13:
1047:
991:Municipalities and communities of
697:
14:
1271:
868:
98:
65:
938:Swisher, Kaija (April 5, 2013).
97:
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57:
40:
664:United States Geological Survey
629:
363:. It was constructed from logs
682:
1:
637:
550:. In celebration, a group of
114:Show map of the United States
111:Minnesela (the United States)
833:Belle Fourche Post & Bee
598:Minnesela is located on the
593:
7:
1240:Ghost towns in South Dakota
10:
1276:
994:Butte County, South Dakota
913:"History of Belle Fourche"
448:and his business partner,
341:
332:Butte County, South Dakota
233:3,173 ft (967 m)
143:44.6416511°N 103.8588148°W
1200:
1177:
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1058:
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492:Northern Pacific Railroad
456:at the confluence of the
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761:"Johnny Spaulding Cabin"
689:Bright, William (2004).
530:man T. G. Carter took a
148:44.6416511; -103.8588148
81:Show map of South Dakota
883:"The Tale of Two Towns"
862:Black Hills Ghost Towns
654:"Township of Minnesela"
574:Later history and today
516:Whitewood, South Dakota
494:, which passed through
347:Settlement and founding
1052:
570:
488:Deadwood, South Dakota
402:
1051:
835:. Belle Fourche, SD:
568:
400:
279: • Summer (
1213:United States portal
670:. September 23, 1986
620:Lower Redwater River
528:railway right-of-way
496:Medora, North Dakota
486:in order to connect
322:; "red water") is a
1206:South Dakota portal
944:Black Hills Pioneer
728:"Minnesela, SD USA"
520:Chamber of Commerce
462:Belle Fourche River
441:Decline and disband
139: /
1053:
837:Rapid City Journal
734:. February 5, 2007
571:
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243: • Total
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887:Deadwood Magazine
622:, over which the
437:of the Midwest."
420:Butte County Star
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46:Minnesela in 1890
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580:Tri-State Museum
511:for expansion.
480:Marquis de Mores
353:American pioneer
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469:trotting horse
458:Redwater River
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392:Redwater River
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1034:Belle Fourche
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1016:Belle Fourche
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999:United States
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674:September 10,
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604:Belle Fourche
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388:Azby Chouteau
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361:Belle Fourche
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164:United States
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124:Coordinates:
122:
93:
60:
50:
43:
38:
34:
29:
22:
16:
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1013:
948:. Retrieved
943:
933:
921:. Retrieved
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907:
895:. Retrieved
891:the original
886:
861:
832:
798:
769:. Retrieved
764:
736:. Retrieved
731:
690:
684:
672:. Retrieved
657:
633:
630:Demographics
612:South Dakota
608:Butte County
600:Great Plains
597:
588:
577:
539:Seth Bullock
537:
513:
466:thoroughbred
446:Seth Bullock
444:
424:
419:
412:Butte County
409:
384:homesteaders
381:
350:
319:
311:
310:
175:South Dakota
15:
1179:Ghost towns
1164:Castle Rock
1151:communities
1108:territories
1106:Unorganized
1009:County seat
950:January 15,
616:Black Hills
548:county seat
427:Black Hills
369:Black Hills
328:county seat
256:Minneselans
146: /
134:103°51′32″W
1229:Categories
1121:West Butte
1116:East Butte
732:Waymarking
638:References
584:Lions Club
560:ghost town
532:locomotive
524:Rapid City
484:stage line
482:created a
431:metropolis
373:Crook City
324:ghost town
320:mni šeyéla
302:feature ID
238:Population
131:44°38′30″N
33:Ghost town
1192:Minnesela
1083:Townships
1068:Fruitdale
626:crosses.
594:Geography
544:livestock
416:Methodist
357:log cabin
351:In 1876,
312:Minnesela
262:Time zone
230:Elevation
218:Named for
209:Disbanded
105:Minnesela
72:Minnesela
25:Minnesela
923:July 31,
897:April 3,
860:(1974).
771:July 31,
738:July 22,
505:blizzard
472:breeding
460:and the
454:SB Ranch
450:Sol Star
377:Deadwood
371:between
1073:Nisland
556:sheriff
552:cowboys
490:to the
476:alfalfa
435:Chicago
367:in the
342:History
305:1173792
252:Demonym
201:Founded
160:Country
1169:Hoover
1039:Newell
1026:Cities
500:saloon
406:Growth
365:felled
316:Lakota
223:Lakota
182:County
1187:Mason
1159:Arpan
1149:Other
1091:Union
1060:Towns
288:UTC-6
267:UTC-7
187:Butte
170:State
1139:Vale
1096:Vale
952:2014
925:2013
899:2008
773:2013
740:2013
676:2013
375:and
300:GNIS
212:1901
204:1882
196:1876
1131:CDP
330:of
292:MDT
281:DST
271:MST
1231::
1012::
997:,
942:.
915:.
885:.
870:^
856:;
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318::
984:e
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901:.
839:.
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678:.
314:(
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290:(
283:)
273:)
269:(
246:0
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
