These 6 South Dakota Towns Have The Best Historic Districts

While South Dakota might not come as readily to mind as New York or Virginia when thinking of American history, its own turbulent and exciting past deserves all the same recognition as any other state. Its rugged terrain and rolling hills are a true Wild West landscape, and people have been calling this expansive territory home for hundreds of years. To wit, here are six South Dakota towns that have the best historic districts.

Deadwood

It may seem like an obvious choice, but this small-yet-lively town is steeped in American history. Founded as a gold rush town Deadwood soon became the epitome of the Frontier, and today, remnants of its gunslinging past are along every street and in almost every building. Visitors can even attend the graves of famous outlaws Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane.

Much of the town is a National Historic Landmark, and the historic downtown is saturated with offerings. Walking tours, some of which are immersive like the Lawman's Patrol tour, take you through the steps of the town's earliest law enforcers. Historic buildings are everywhere, too. The Adams Museum was founded in 1930 and sought to preserve the history of the surrounding Black Hills. Old-timey establishments, like Bloody Nose Saloon, are great places to enjoy a meal.

Deadwood has much more both within and without, so on a tour of historic South Dakota towns, this one makes for the perfect starting point.

Lead

Lead is an old mining town at its core, founded just a handful of miles away from Deadwood. The Homestake Mining Company, once flourishing, is now shut down, but Lead contains several attractions that are thriving in the modern day. Historic Main Street offers several buildings of both age and interest: the Black Hills Mining Museum, which showcases the history of the area's gold rush; the Homestake Opera House, which hosts year-round tours, concerts, dances, and educational events; and the Sanford Lab Homestake Visitor Center, a family oriented outing that takes a deep dive into the history of the region, its peoples, and the ongoing scientific research conducted in its own underground laboratories.

Brookings

It is hard to pick one historic district in Brookings to discuss, since there are multiple. Brookings Commercial Historic District, however, is the heart of the town and deserves a close look. Visitors are encouraged to embark on a self-guided walking tour, following a handy brochure that leads from one landmark to another.

The College Theatre represents over a hundred years of entertainment and opera. The Masonic Temple is the oldest building in the district. Dating back to 1894, this impressive monument is Romanesque in style and features Monominee sand-rolled red cherry bricks.

Aberdeen

Like Brookings, Aberdeen has multiple historic districts: the Hagerty & Lloyd Historic District; Aberdeen Highlands Historic District; and Aberdeen Commercial Historic District. This last focuses on Main Street, which blossomed after Abderdeen, originally a railroad town, grew steadily. The historic Western Union Building represents the towns economic surge, while the district's six churches and multiple schools show its early strengths as a flourishing town.

There are modern attractions, too. Storybook Land is a park that features several attractions from different children's storybooks, making it a perfect way for a family to spend an afternoon. The park contains a castle, petting zoos, and characters from The Wonderful World of Oz.

Vermillion

Downtown Vermillion's Historic District consists of 34 contributing buildings. Similar to Aberdeen, Vermillion underwent a period of substantial and quick growth, but interestingly its historic district represents a variety of architectural styles.

Classical Revival can be found in the earliest of the district's buildings, while Early Commercial style took over shortly thereafter. The First National Bank, located at 1 East Main Street, is a towering property in Romanesque Revival style. The Muenster Building, at 100 East Main, is Early Commercial, while the beautiful, sprawling First Baptist Church of Vermillion is across the street at 101 East Main.

Best of all, since the majority of the town's historic district can be found on Main Street, residents and visitors alike can enjoy the variety of architectural brilliance all at a leisurely pace.

Mitchell

Mitchell's primary claim to fame may be that it has the world's only Corn Palace, but this small town's historic commercial district is a popular place for a day trip or fine dining. Woolworth's Caramel Apples have been around since the 1950s, but Main Street has more offerings, too: The Dakota Discovery Museum showcases the city's beginnings, the region's indigenous people, and the development of the area. Its exhibits include also a historic village, replete with era-representative buildings and displays of early life not just in Mitchell, but in South Dakota overall.

Explore South Dakota's Best Historic Districts

The six towns on this list and their historic districts are examples of South Dakota's establishment as a Great Plains state. Many of these towns were founded to serve an economic purpose, and those purposes are captured today in mines and museums and railyards. Leaning into its own past, these six towns have done their best to capture their own roots and identity, making sure that visitors can experience what life was like in the nascency of historic South Dakota.