Commercial Historic District

Commercial Historic District (HM29DT)

Location: Watertown, SD 57201 Codington County
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Country: United States of America
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N 44° 54.022', W 97° 6.802'

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Inscription
Watertown was platted by the Winona & St. Peter Railroad. The uptown district, consisting of six square blocks, was divided into narrow lots intended mostly for commercial use running parallel to the railroad tracks. Important noncommercial buildings arranged on the edges of this area act as a buffer between the commercial and residential districts and include the courthouse, municipal buildings, a lodge hall, and two churches.

The construction of the Mellette and Granite Blocks at the corner of Broadway and Kemp established a new financial center. This drew development beyond the traditional "main street" area built near the railroad tracks. The construction of two such prominent buildings reflected the optimism and confidence that characterized Watertown in the 1880s. The opening of the Sisseton-Wahpeton reservation in 1892 and the arrival of new settlers further encouraged development along Kemp Avenue.
Avenues and streets were originally named for prominent men in Watertown's formation, trees, and animals. This system caused confusion because it did not allow for distances or directions. In 1906, most street names were changed to a numerical order for simplicity.
1. Kemp Avenue looking west.
2. West side of Broadway (Oak Street) looking south in 1879.
3. East side of Maple Street looking



north from Kemp Avenue.
4. West side of Broadway (Oak Street) looking north.
5. Kemp Avenue looking east.

Sponsored by the Deadwood Historic Preservation Commission, a Preserve America grant, and the South Dakota State Historical Society.
Images courtesy of the South Dakota State Historical Society and the Codington County Historical Society.
Details
HM NumberHM29DT
Tags
Placed ByDeadwood Historic Preservation Commission, a Preserve America grant, and the South Dakota State Historical Society
Marker ConditionNo reports yet
Date Added Monday, July 16th, 2018 at 10:01am PDT -07:00
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Locationbig map
UTM (WGS84 Datum)14T E 648953 N 4973613
Decimal Degrees44.90036667, -97.11336667
Degrees and Decimal MinutesN 44° 54.022', W 97° 6.802'
Degrees, Minutes and Seconds44° 54' 1.3199999999999" N, 97° 6' 48.12" W
Driving DirectionsGoogle Maps
Area Code(s)605
Which side of the road?Marker is on the right when traveling East
Closest Postal AddressAt or near 23 E Kemp Ave, Watertown SD 57201, US
Alternative Maps Google Maps, MapQuest, Bing Maps, Yahoo Maps, MSR Maps, OpenCycleMap, MyTopo Maps, OpenStreetMap

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