Near Stockholm in Grant County, South Dakota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
Brown Earth Church
May 6, 2022
1. Brown Earth Church Marker
built in 1877
on the homestead
of the first pastor,
Daniel Renville.
Image:
Brown Earth Church, circa 1910
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Churches & Religion. In addition, it is included in the National Register of Historic Places series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1877.
Location. 45° 7.329′ N, 96° 46.321′ W. Marker is near Stockholm, South Dakota, in Grant County. Marker can be reached from 156th Street, half a mile west of 472nd Avenue, on the right when traveling west. Located on Brown Earth Church in Grant County. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Stockholm SD 57264, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 6 other markers are within 10 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Brown Earth Indian Church (approx. 1.2 miles away); Legend of Punished Woman's Lake (approx. 8.3 miles away); Grant County Court House Veterans Memorial (approx. 9.4 miles away); Gen. A. A. Humphrey Post (approx. 9.4 miles away); American Legion Junior Baseball Monument (approx. 9.8 miles away); Grant County Veterans Memorial (approx. 9.9 miles away).
Related marker. Click here for another marker that is related to this marker.
Also see . . .
this page online
Statement of Significance (from 1984):(Submitted on July 2, 2023.)
"The Brown Earth Presbyterian Church is important in the areas of both early settlement and architecture. As the first church in Grant County, both Indians and White men worshipped here. The building is also architecturally significant for it is one of the few remaining log churches in South Dakota.
The Brown Earth Colony was important because it was one of six late nineteenth century agricultural colonies in the country in which groups of Sioux Indians surrendered tribal affiliation to accept homestead privileges. In 1875, a small group of Santee Sioux Indians took up homesteader's rights off the south edge of the Sisseton Reservation on the prairie of Brown Earth. About thirty families lived in the area from 1875 until 1878 where they farmed successfully under the aegis of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions. In 1877, the Reverend Daniel Renville opened the Brown Earth Presbyterian Church and served as minister there for many years. Later, his wife was buried in the adjoining cemetery. As the first whites settled in the area, the Indians became friendly with them and often the two groups worshipped together. The church was abandoned in 1883, however, when many of the Indian families moved back tothe Sisseton Reservation.May 6, 20222. Brown Earth Church & Marker, from the south
The Elim Evangelical Covenant Church used the building from 1892 to 1899 and the Evangelical Free Church from 1901 to 1905. Soon after this time, the church and the surrounding two acres was deeded to the county. The county then turned over responsibility of the property to the American Legion Post #171 in 1931.
Although there have been a few minor changes made to the building including replacing the mortar around the logs and changing the four pane windows to six panes, the Brown Earth Presbyterian Church appears today as it did over one hundred years ago. The building, with its dovetail notching, represents one of the last and best preserved log churches in South Dakota."
May 6, 2022
3. Brown Earth Church
May 6, 2022
4. Inside Brown Earth Church
May 6, 2022
5. National Register of Historic Places Marker
National Register of Historic Places
by the United States Department of the Interior"
Credits. This page was last revised on July 2, 2023. It was originally submitted on May 9, 2022. This page has been viewed 90 times since then and 18 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on May 9, 2022.
