Bridgewater in McCook County, South Dakota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)

Bridgewater

1880

August 22, 2021

1. Bridgewater Marker

Inscription. The Milwaukee, building from Marion to the Missouri, in 1880 soon reached Nation, platted in 1879 by Robert and J. B. Nation, with Orlan K. Bullard its postmaster on 5 January 1880 and when changed to Bridgewater on November 20th he continued to serve. The election that year shifted the county seat from Cameron to Bridgewater, 119 to 109, when the canvassing board threw out 76 votes for Montrose on the pretext that it was nonexistent. The Cameron pioneers flocked to Bridgewater and to Melas, (Salem in reverse), and County Clerk H. H. Pierce took the records to the new Courthouse in Bridgewater on the corner of Poplar & 3rd Streets. Tabor & Berry, storekeepers at Cameron, shifted to Bridgewater too and had their store S of the tracks where the Shannard elevator now is located and all went through the terrific blizzard winter of 1880-81 without a train from January to April. That spring J. P. McKee's general store and W. J. Bollinger's hardware were put up on Poplar and Nation's bank at 3rd & Main. Salem won the county seat in the 1882 election. The school was moved from south of the tracks and a fine new 36 x 40 building

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erected in 1883 as well as the Catholic, Methodist & Presbyterian Churches. The Tribune was started in February 1881 and E. C. Kibbe ran the "Cricket" as an opposition paper. Thus for 80 years Bridgewater has been a good place to live and gets better every year.

Erected 1959 by Bridgewater City Commission and State Highway Commission. (Marker Number 275.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Settlements & Settlers. In addition, it is included in the South Dakota State Historical Society Markers series list. A significant historical date for this entry is November 20, 1880.

Location. 43° 32.977′ N, 97° 30.148′ W. Marker is in Bridgewater, South Dakota, in McCook County. It is at the intersection of North Main Avenue and State Route 262, on the left when traveling north on North Main Avenue. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Bridgewater SD 57319, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in East River

and in Greater Sioux Falls.

It is also in the American Midwest,

in the Lewis & Clark Corridor,

in the Corn Belt,

on the prairies,

and on the Northern Plains.

Bridgewater Marker in Bridgewater image. Click for full size.

August 22, 2021

2. Bridgewater Marker in Bridgewater

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once Rupert’s Land

and also the Louisiana Purchase.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 14 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Bridgewater Cemetery Veterans Memorial (approx. 0.4 miles away); Salem Rest Area (approx. 9 miles away); Purple Heart Memorial Highway (approx. 9.2 miles away); Our Congregations (approx. 9.4 miles away); Spencer Tornado Memorial (approx. 13 miles away); Roll of Honor (approx. 13.1 miles away); St. Mary's Catholic Church (approx. 13½ miles away); McCook County Courthouse Veterans Memorial (approx. 13.6 miles away).

Credits. This page was last revised on August 23, 2021. It was originally submitted on August 22, 2021. This page has been viewed 717 times since then and 99 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on August 23, 2021. • Mark Hilton was the editor who published this page.