Near Browns Valley in Roberts County, South Dakota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
Travare
Straight ahead 2¼ miles
October 30, 2021
1. Travare Marker
Inscription.
Travare. Straight ahead 2¼ miles. Until 1883, Grant County extended N to the S end of Lake Traverse and out to the Sisseton Reservation line. With the creation of Roberts County, Governor Ordway appointed Major Crissey, Sisseton Agent, Frederick Dittes and Reuben E. Hall to organize it. Dittes lived S of the Little Minnesota and at his house, the County was organized on August 6, 1883. There, Travare was platted and on the 27th, named as County seat; the Courthouse near Dittes home. The Wilmot Journal was the official county newspaper. Wilmot had a railroad, a more central location and a yen to be county seat. In 1884, new commissioners were elected and a red hot county seat contest ensued. Travare then had its own newspaper, the Dakota Sun, and the editors blasted away. The legality of the Courthouse contest was disputable and Judge Smith denied Wilmot's suit for possession twice. The Travare guards, celebrating the second court victory too well , neglected their duty and a sleigh load of Wilmotians, led by one German, took the county safe and records over to Wilmot. The 1885 Territorial legislature, in an afterthought to an act bounding Richland county, took the matter away from the court by declaring Wilmot the county seat, and Travare wasted away. Today, a few rocks and a hole in the ground where the Courthouse stood are its sole vestige. The place is marked and a trip E 2 miles to a "Travare 1.3" arrow on Browns Valley's main street will lead you there.
Until 1883, Grant County extended N to the S end of Lake Traverse and out to the Sisseton Reservation line. With the creation of Roberts County, Governor Ordway appointed Major Crissey, Sisseton Agent, Frederick Dittes and Reuben E. Hall to organize it. Dittes lived S of the Little Minnesota and at his house, the County was organized on August 6, 1883. There, Travare was platted and on the 27th, named as County seat; the Courthouse near Dittes home. The Wilmot Journal was the official county newspaper. Wilmot had a railroad, a more central location and a yen to be county seat. In 1884, new commissioners were elected and a red hot county seat contest ensued. Travare then had its own newspaper, the Dakota Sun, and the editors blasted away. The legality of the Courthouse contest was disputable and Judge Smith denied Wilmot's suit for possession twice. The Travare guards, celebrating the second court victory too well — neglected their duty and a sleigh load of Wilmotians, led by one German, took the county safe and records over to Wilmot. The 1885 Territorial legislature, in an afterthought to an act bounding Richland county, took the matter away from the court by declaring Wilmot the county seat, and Travare wasted away. Today, a few rocks and a hole in the ground where the Courthouse stood are its sole vestige. The place is marked and a
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trip E 2 miles to a "Travare 1.3" arrow on Browns Valley's main street will lead you there.
Erected 1960 by Dybdahl, Christofferson, Nelson, Roth and Dickenson, Roberts County Commissioners and State Highway Department. (Marker Number 290.)
Location. 45° 37.191′ N, 96° 51.679′ W. Marker is near Browns Valley, South Dakota, in Roberts County. Marker is on an unnamed road, 0.2 miles east of State Highway 10, on the left when traveling east. Accessible via a short gravel road going east from SD-10, ¼-mile north of 122nd Street. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Browns Valley MN 56219, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 10 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Ancient River Warren Channel (here, next to this marker); Wadsworth Trail (approx. 1.6 miles away in Minnesota); Browns Valley (approx. 1.6 miles away in Minnesota); Samuel Jerome Brown (approx. 1.9 miles away in Minnesota); Sam Brown Log House (approx. 2 miles away in Minnesota); Browns Valley Man (approx. 2.7 miles away in Minnesota);
Credits. This page was last revised on November 4, 2021. It was originally submitted on November 4, 2021. This page has been viewed 343 times since then and 46 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on November 4, 2021. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.