Near Hill City in Pennington County, South Dakota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
Sheridan
1875–1942
Photographed By William J. Toman, August 8, 2010
1. Sheridan Marker
The marker is topped by the Dakota Territorial Seal: "Liberty and Union, One and Inseparable Now and Forever"
Inscription.
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, Ezekial 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.
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, Ezekial 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.
Erected 1958 by William & Clara Williamson and State Highway Commission
Location. 43° 58.075′ N, 103° 29.092′ W. Marker is near Hill City, South Dakota, in Pennington County. Marker is on U.S. 385, 0.3 miles north of Calumet Road, on the left when traveling south. The marker is at a Highway 385 pull-off next to Sheridan Lake. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Hill City SD 57745, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Credits. This page was last revised on October 28, 2021. It was originally submitted on August 10, 2010, by William J. Toman of Green Lake, Wisconsin. This page has been viewed 1,381 times since then and 33 times this year. Last updated on October 22, 2021. Photos:1, 2. submitted on August 10, 2010, by William J. Toman of Green Lake, Wisconsin. 3. submitted on October 28, 2021. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.