Keystone in Pennington County, South Dakota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
Carrie Ingalls Swanzey
Free Walking Tour
| — | 3 Blocks East on Highway 40 | — |
Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., September 21, 2026
1. Carrie Ingalls Swanzey Marker
Carrie Ingalls Swanzey, sister of Laura Ingalls Wilder, lived in Keystone for thirty-five years. Coming here from De Smet, SD Carrie ran the local newspaper until 1912 when she married David Swanzey, a widower with two young children, Mary and Harold. Carrie was active in the Keystone Congregational Church and Eastern Star. Mr. Swanzey was a prospector, mine owner, and depot agent for the CB&Q Railroad. According to Carrie their home was located on a "quiet country lane" which is now Winter Street and Highway 16A through Keystone to Mount Rushmore. In 1926 Carrie's blind sister, Mary, moved to Keystone following the death of their mother. Mary died here in 1928. During the 1930s Laura started writing her "Little House" books with Carrie as one of the principle [sic] characters. Laura and Almonzo Wilder visited the Swanzey home in Keystone several times. David Swanzey died in 1938 and Carrie died in 1946. Some of her belongings and Ingalls family memorabilia are on display in the historic Keystone School and Museum located at 410 3rd Street.
[Photo captions, clockwise from top, read]
• Laura and Almanzo Wilder
this page online
• The Ingall[s] Family · Ma, Carrie, Laura, Pa, Grace and Mary
Erected 2005 by Keystone Area Historical Society.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Communications • Industry & Commerce • Settlements & Settlers • Women. A significant historical year for this entry is 1912.
Location. 43° 53.581′ N, 103° 25.558′ W. Marker is in Keystone, South Dakota, in Pennington County. It is on Winter Street (U.S. 16A) south of Swanzey Street, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 117 Winter Street, Keystone SD 57751, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in West River, in the Badlands, and in Greater Rapid City. It is also in the American Black Hills, in the Lewis & Clark Corridor, on the prairies, and on the Northern Plains. 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
Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., September 21, 2026
2. Carrie Ingalls Swanzey Marker
On the shop wall
Also see . . . The Story of Carrie Ingalls in the Black Hills (South Dakota Public Broadcasting, 2022). (Submitted on October 4, 2026, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.)
Credits. This page was last revised on October 4, 2026. It was originally submitted on October 4, 2026, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio. This page has been viewed 10 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 4, 2026, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.
