Taopi Township in Colton in Minnehaha County, South Dakota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)

John Edmund Colton
⎯⎯⎯
Founding of Colton

November 26, 2021

1. John Edmund Colton / Founding of Colton Marker (Side one)

Inscription. John Edmund Colton John E. Colton was born in Wisconsin in 1857. In April 1878 he moved to Minnehaha County, Dakota Territory, where he filed a preemption homestead claim to 160 acres of land. He remained on the land for 90 days, as required by law. When satisfied that the title was clear, he returned to Wisconsin and married Paulina J. Miller. In March 1879 the newlyweds moved onto the claim and built a one-room wooden shanty home five blocks south of here. A son, Charles, the first of nine children, was born in October 1879.

In June 1897 John Colton and others opened the Taopi Creamery near this site. It was an immediate success with area farmers, and a small village soon sprang to life as other businesses were drawn to the creamery. The Colton post office was established in 1898. John started The Colton Courier in 1901 and was its first editor. He also was an incorporator and first president of the Colton Telephone Company.

John and Paulina were charter members of the Taopi and Colton Methodist Churches. John held several township offices, was county superintendent of schools, and was instrumental in attracting

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the South Dakota Central Railroad to the village. His life was one of optimism, vision, and action. John Colton died in 1910.

Founding of Colton In January 1899 John E. and Paulina Colton filed a town site plat for the original village of Colton. Part of their farm was surveyed into blocks, streets, and avenues. They soon expanded the town site to 16 blocks in size with First and Second Additions. Within three years the population grew to 100 residents, and the number of businesses increased to 30 with nearly all of the commercial buildings located along Main Avenue.

Paul F. Sherman, a Sioux Falls businessman, teamed with John Colton in 1904 to bring a railroad to the town. Because the south end of the original town was low, wet, and was subject to flooding, a decision was made to move the business district to higher ground. John and Paulina platted Third Addition which they sold to the newly formed South Dakota Central Land Company of which John was a director. Local businessmen bought lots; then twenty buildings were moved from the original town site to 4th Street, east of the railroad tracks. Three blocks of residential lots

John Edmund Colton / Founding of Colton Marker <i>(Side two)</i> image. Click for full size.

November 26, 2021

2. John Edmund Colton / Founding of Colton Marker (Side two)

also were sold.

Funds received from the sale of lots, together with pledges from local farmers, were used to build the new South Dakota Central Railroad. John Colton's dream was realized in the summer of 1905 when the first train steamed into the village.

Erected 2004 by the Minnehaha County Historical Society.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1857.

Location. 43° 47.403′ N, 96° 55.849′ W. Marker is in Colton, South Dakota, in Minnehaha County. It is in Taopi Township. It is at the intersection of South Main Avenue and West 1st Street (County Road 110), on the right when traveling south on South Main Avenue. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Colton SD 57018, 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.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

John Edmund Colton / Founding of Colton Marker, from the north image. Click for full size.

November 26, 2021

3. John Edmund Colton / Founding of Colton Marker, from the north

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 7 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Colton Public Schools (approx. 0.2 miles away); South Dakota Central (approx. 0.2 miles away); Taopi (approx. 3 miles away); Bethania Lutheran Church (approx. 3 miles away); Huntimer (approx. 3 miles away); Lyons High School (approx. 5.6 miles away); Willow Creek Lutheran Church (approx. 6 miles away); Hartman, 1899-1916 (approx. 7 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Colton.

John Edmund Colton / Founding of Colton Marker, from the south image. Click for full size.

November 26, 2021

4. John Edmund Colton / Founding of Colton Marker, from the south

Credits. This page was last revised on November 29, 2021. It was originally submitted on November 27, 2021. This page has been viewed 676 times since then and 83 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on November 27, 2021. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.

John Edmund Colton⎯⎯⎯Founding of Colton

John Edmund Colton
⎯⎯⎯
Founding of Colton