“Oakwood Lakes-Big Sioux River-Volga”

OAKWOOD LAKES, called by the Sioux, Te-tonka-ha, meaning the place of the Great Summer Lodge, lie in a scenic state park 7 miles N and 3 W. First visitors of record were Nicollet & Fremont July 8, 1838.

During the Indian Disturbances of 1859, Capt. D. Davidson with 2 companies 2nd U.S. Inf. from Ft. Randall camped at these lakes and probably built the breastwork, still visible, on the North shore of Round Lake. Later, during the War of the Outbreak 1862-65 they were used by a small detachment of soldiers.

Byron E. and Warren Pay in 1875 settled on the east shore of these lakes. While celebrating the 4th of July, Hattie, wife of Byron, christened their claim Oakwood, which became the name of the lakes and also of the Village, which in 1877-79 flourished for a time until the advent of the railroads made it a ‘ghost town.' James S. Cummins 4 May 1877 was first P.M.

THE BIG SIOUX RIVER, 2 miles E. was the western limit of the Sioux Cession made by the Treaty of Traverse des Sioux in 1851 and the eastern limit of the Yankton cession of 1858 which extended west to the Missouri.

VOLGA was the 1879 terminus of the Dakota Central and on 2 December Erick Nelson became its first postmaster. From Volga, as a supply base, the ‘race for the river’ between the Milwaukee from Marion Jct. and the Dakota Central (North Western) was staged in 1880.”

Brookings County, Highway 14 just west of Volga (2006)