“Old Madison – First County Seat”
(Note: any text in italics has been taken from the official SDSHS records.)
Marker Text
3/4 Mile East
Lake County was started October, 1873 when Herman N. Luce and John T. Hare, the first qualified County Commissioners, met at the cabin of William Lee near the site of old Madison, to organize. William Van Eps platted the old town of Madison June 1874 and in the fall of 1874 the County Seat was located there by election. Old Madison was County Seat until the railroad came to the present site of Madison in 1880. The safe and county records were secretly moved at night, changing the County Seat to New Madison without an election. William Lee was the first postmaster, appointed in March 1874.
Location
Lake County, 1.5 miles south of junction of 34 and 19, approximately 1.5 miles east of Madison (1988)