Dakota Life heads to Madison, South Dakota December 14th. Here is a preview of some of the stories you will find in the episode that premieres at 8 p.m. (7 mountain) on SDPB TV-1, Facebook and YouTube. Plus, a look back at some of the past stories we have brought you on Dakota Life.
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In 1870, the arrival of William Lee and Charles Walker in the Dakota Territory, led to the establishment of the town of Madison on the southwest side of Lake Madison. Both the lake and the town were named after Madison, Wisconsin which was near Lee and Walker’s previous hometown. . Three years later, Madison was designated as the county seat for Lake County, which was actually two years before the town was even platted. In those early days, newly established prairie towns often competed to be named the official county seat and here, a controversy over the county seat would continue for another decade.
In 1878, C.B. Kennedy came to Dakota Territory and homesteaded between present-day Lake Madison and Lake Herman. Two years later, the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad was extended west from Flandreau, first to Wentworth and then to C.B. Kennedy's homestead which was five miles north of the town of Madison. Because of the railroad, Kennedy issued an invitation to the Madison residents to move to his homestead. They took him up on the offer and started "new" Madison where it is located today. The only building left in "old" Madison was the one with the safe which contained all the county records. The year after the move, the first train arrived in new Madison on January 18, 1881.
Since its beginning, Madison has always had a reputation of being a city of schools and churches. In 1881, C.B. Kennedy, who was by now the local representative to the territorial legislature, was successful in securing for Madison the Dakota Normal School, the first teacher education school in the territory. Known today as Dakota State University, the school has prepared thousands of educational professionals across the country. Education is still the University’s heritage mission, but a signature mission of technology was added by the state legislature in 1984 to specialize in programs in computer management, computer information systems, and other related undergraduate and graduate programs. Today, Dakota State houses four academic colleges: The College of Education, The Beacom College of Computer and Cyber Sciences, the College of Arts and Sciences, and the College of Business and Information Systems.
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The endless prairies and rolling hills of South Dakota are even more endless when seen from above. Perhaps that scenic beauty has driven so many South Dakotan's desire to take to the skies. In fact, our state’s rich aviation history dates back to the early twentieth century and aviation has played a significant role in the development of the region.
The popularity of aviation in South Dakota can be traced back to the pioneering efforts of early aviators like Charles Lindbergh and Clyde Ice. Lindbergh made several visits to the state during his barnstorming years. He captivated audiences with his skillful aerial displays and inspired many future pilots.
In the 1920s and 1930s, the state of South Dakota recognized the potential of aviation and began investing in infrastructure.
In the 1950s, the state established the South Dakota Aeronautics Commission which focused on improving airport infrastructure, promoting the aviation industry, and providing training opportunities for aspiring pilots.
On January first, 1965, FAA activated the Madison Municipal Airport, connecting the community to the world of aviation.
In 2011, then Governor of South Dakota, Dennis Daugaard made national news when he agreed to skydive after local Dairy Queen owner DeLon Mork challenged him to a jump if his store sold more than 32,000 Blizzard treats during Dairy Queen's national Miracle Treat Day fundraiser. The store the goal and the Governor hit the skies, landing safely at the Madison Municipal airport in front of a crowd of about 100 people.
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The original Madison was established in 1875, the nearby town of Herman was established in 1878. The two towns became bitter rivals for the naming of the county seat. When settler C.B Kennedy established New Madison, existing residents of old Madison were eager to make the transition. Herman residents were less enthusiastic, many of them putting up a formidable resistance, but eventually, most of the town agreed to the move. Today, the nearby lakes are still named Lake Madison and Lake Herman, but the town of Herman, like so many prairie towns of the 1800’s, no longer exists.
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From the very beginning, Madison has been a progressive community and a center for culture and the arts. In 1891, the Madison people built the Lake Madison Chautauqua on the northwest shore of Lake Madison, an institution which brought culture, education, inspiration, and entertainment to an appreciative audience. At first, the Chautauqua visitors came by horse and buggy and by a narrow gauge steam railway. Later, the Milwaukee line that ran from Sioux Falls to Madison built a spur into the Chautauqua. Thousands of visitors from a four-state area came to be entertained by the Chautauqua performers of national and international renown.
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Looking at a map of the area, it’s easy to see how Lake County got its name, with beautiful lakes within its boundaries. The town of Madison is nestled between the two largest lakes, Lake Madison and Lake Herman, making the area a great place for outdoor recreation. Melting glacial ice formed these lakes thousands of years ago.
Lake Herman has been a popular campsite for hundreds of years. Before white settlers entered the region, it was popular among Native Americans traveling to nearby Pipestone quarries.
The first European settlers at Lake Herman were Herman Luce and his son, William. They settled the timberland on the east side of the lake.
Today’s Lake Herman State Park is on a peninsula and offers visitors spectacular views of Lake Herman, as well as camping, boating and fishing in the summer, and cross country skiing in the winter Visitors also come here to observe wildlife in the native oak woodlands and prairie grasses that are home to a variety of birds and animals.
The log cabin in the park was built by Herman Luce in the summer of 1871. The cabin is made of sturdy oak logs hand hewn to fit snugly and chinked to keep out the cold. Luce's cabin briefly served as a U. S. Land Office, with Herman Luce in charge. In 1977, the Herman Luce Cabin was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
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The town of Madison is home to just over six thousand residents, and while many towns this size struggle to support an active arts community, here, the arts thrive. This is due in part to the vision of passionate community leaders who saw the need for a focused arts organization back in 1964 and incorporated the Community College Arts Association. In 1992, The Community College Arts Association officially became the Madison Area Arts Council and since then has actively served the city of Madison, Lake County and surrounding communities, comprising some 15,000 people within a 30-mile radius and beyond. In 2009, they established the BrickHouse Community Arts Center to better serve community with innovative, community-oriented programming. Today, the BrickHouse Community Arts Center also serves as organizational offices and archives and holds monthly public meetings and provides gallery and studio spaces for educational programming.
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The Madison Master Singers are a talented mixed choir that entertains audiences throughout the area with winter and spring concerts. The town has a community band made up of volunteers who perform throughout the summer. Madison has recently started a community theatre. Known as Mad Arts Theater, it is billed as a free-range theater company, and the town continues to look toward the future with an improved and updated movie theater, and the local library continues to evolve and adapt to changing demographics by offering bilingual activities.
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Don't miss Greetings from Madison, Thursday, December 14th at 8 p.m. (7 mountain) on SDPB TV-1, Facebook and YouTube. You can catch up on past seasons of Dakota Life HERE.