“Travare”

Straight Ahead 2¼ Miles

Until 1883, Grant County extended N to the S end of Lake Traverse and out to the Sisseton Reservation line. With the creation of Roberts County, Governor Ordway appointed Major Crissey, Sisseton Agent, Frederick Dittes and Reuben E. Hall to organize it. Dittes lived S of the Little Minnesota and at his house, the County was organized on August 6, 1883. There, Travare was platted and on the 27th, named as County seat; the Courthouse near Dittes home. The Wilmot Journal was the official county newspaper. Wilmot had a railroad, a more central location and a yen to be a county seat. In 1884, new commissioners were elected and a red hot county seat contest ensued. Travare then had its own newspaper, the Dakota Sun, and the editors blasted away. The legality of the Courthouse contest was disputable and Judge Smith denied Wilmot’s suit for possession twice. The Travare guards, celebrating their second court victory too well – neglected their duty and a sleigh load of Wilmotians, led by one German, took the county safe and records over to Wilmot. The 1885 Territorial legislature, in an afterthought to an act bonding Richmond County, took the matter away from the court by declaring Wilmot the county seat, and Travare wasted away. Today, a few rocks and a hole in the ground where the Courthouse stood are its sole vestige. The place is marked and a trip E 3 miles to a Travare 1.3’ arrow on Browns Valley’s main street will lead you there.

Roberts County, Hwy 10, 10 miles east and south of Sisseton (1988)