“The Town of Valley Springs”

Adeline Jenney, Second Poet Laureate of South Dakota and long time Valley Springs resident, wrote ‘They Were Able’ to honor the memory of the New England and Scandanavian immigrants who followed schooner trails into the favorable Minnesota Territory Valley from 1868 to 1873. This area was officially opened for settlement by the Homestead Act of 1862 and adventurous pioneers traveled the stage road (now Cliff Avenue) into town. At that time, two stage coach routes crossed near the east side of present day Cassidy Park. The unpopulated area was attractive to settlers because of the many underground springs that supplied Beaver Creek. Valley Springs derived its name from the springs that were located in the valley. Before suitable

timber was available, initial construction consisted of dugout homes and the first commercial building served as a store and lodging for travelers. Eventually, lumber was hauled from Sibley, IA, on a crudely marked freight trail.

Jonathan Dunham, known as the “Father of the Valley Springs’, made application for the post office in 1873, and initiated the town’s incorporation in 1878. Private homes acted as schools and churches until 1878 when a school building and church were erected. This same year saw the arrival of the first passenger train in Dakota Territory from the East. With the introduction of the railroad, the town’s ‘Boom Years’ began. Four hotels were built and two newspapers were published. A newly organized fire department offered the town and surrounding area protection from deadly prairie fires. The ‘Air Dom’, a uniquely constructed dance hall, was a social gathering spot. For ventilation, the sides of the dome were raised.

In the late 1800’s, Valley Springs was the area’s largest grain and livestock shipping point. Rich, fertile land helped agriculture flourish. The town’s major industry was the Valley Springs Rolling Mill Co., a four story plant with an output of 200 barrels of flour per day. The mill, first in the county to be run by steam, shipped four brands of flour to the East and overseas daily.

With the introduction of the automobile and the loss of passenger trains to the area, industry declined. Valley Springs remains a quiet and friendly residential community with a rich history. Erected in 1994 by the Citizens of Valley Springs, the SD State Historical Society, Mary Chilton Chapter DAR and Lutheran Brotherhood Branch #8607.

Minnehaha County, Minnehaha County Route 138, North of valley Springs (2006)