“Watertown and Vicinity”
(Note: any text in italics has been taken from the official SDSHS records.)
Marker Text
1835 Joseph LaFramboise had trade post at Two Woods Lake (Chanopa). 1838 Nicollet & Fremont , explorers, visited Codington County.
1840 Rev. Stephen Riggs enroute, Lac Qui Parle to Ft. Pierre, traversed the area. 1856 Capt. Alfred Sully surveyed the road.
1858 Kintzing Prichette, Special Indian Agent, counciled with Yankton Indians at Lake Kampeska (Shining Shell).
1860 Capt. W.M. Gardner, 2nd U.S. Inf. passed Kampeska enroute Ft. Randall to Ft. Abercrombie.
1862 Lt. Col. Wm. R. Marshall, 7th Minn. Inf. pursued and captured fugitive Indians near Goose Nest Lake west of Kampeska.
1869 Sisseton & Wahpeton triangular reserve established with S point at Lake Kampeska. 1871 James P. Warner, itinerant trapper, at Lake Kampeska. David D. Keeler also at Lake in 1872 as was Joel B. Montgomery, first permanent settler.
1873 Winona & St. Peters RR Co., to secure land grant laid rails to Kampeska outlet and ran excursion from Chicago on September 15th.
1874 First postal service, Gary to Kampeska.
1877 Codington County, named for Rev. G.S. Codington, created by legislature from parts of Grant, Clark and Hamlin Counties.
1878 Mrs. Oliver H. Tarbell, first white woman in county, arrived with husband April 4th and settled east shore Kampeska. Kemp P.O., Oscar P. Kemp, P.M. Est. March 28th. County organized July 19th and county seat fixed at Kampeska near outlet, but moved to Watertown, newly established in October.
1879 Watertown P.O. Frank Howard P.M. Est. March 28; Kemp P.O. discontinued April 14 and Kemp aptd. P.M. Watertown.
1880 Commissioners set May 20th for election on incorporation of Watertown and an unanimous vote being reported duly incorporated town on July 5th.
Location
Codington County, near intersection of Highways 81 and 212