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Corson County, South Dakota

38 topographic sheets cover 18 settlements here, and 4 properties are on the National Register of Historic Places.

Research this county

From the record

4 National Register listings published here.

Sources: the National Register database, National Park Service

South Dakota within the United States
Corson County within South Dakota

What the record shows

  • 131 topographic sheet readings cover the county's settlements.
  • 4 properties here are on the National Register of Historic Places: 2 buildings, 1 object and 1 structure.
  • The Geographic Names Information System records 18 populated places in this county; 18 are covered by at least one topographic sheet.

Places on the National Register

4

Every property in this county listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with the year it was listed and the federal nomination document.

Photograph PropertyType ListedReference
Harding Schoolhousebuilding198989000832
Holy Spirit Chapelbuilding199595000817
Sitting Bull Monumentobject200606001008
South Dakota Dept. of Transportation Bridge No. 16-570-054structure199393001279

Wildfire, 1992 to 2020

1,608 fires

Every wildfire the federal occurrence database records inside this county: 1,608 of them, burning about 109,442 acres. 271 started naturally and 196 were recorded as arson. Each settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it.

Reported cause Fires
Missing data/not specified/undetermined344
Natural271
Equipment and vehicle use256
Arson/incendiarism196
Fireworks163
Debris and open burning161
Misuse of fire by a minor111
Other causes42
Power generation/transmission/distribution19
Recreation and ceremony18
Smoking13
Railroad operations and maintenance13
Firearms and explosives use1

The five largest, by the area the report gives. None of them was recorded as arson.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
21 October 2000Missing data/not specified/undetermined12,000 acresStanding Rock AgencyTRIBLE
18 July 2006Natural10,691 acresStanding Rock AgencySTONE MAN CHURCH
28 July 2006Natural8,060 acresStanding Rock AgencyLIGHTNING COMPLEX
19 July 2006Natural7,829 acresDakota Prairie National GrasslandsBLACK HORSE CREEK
31 October 1999Power generation/transmission/distribution6,500 acresIsabel Volunteer Fire DepartmentPAT PETERSON
31 October 1999Power generation/transmission/distribution5,703 acresStanding Rock AgencyHELLSGALE
19 September 2000Missing data/not specified/undetermined5,300 acresStanding Rock AgencyFTMANUEL
17 September 2000Natural5,000 acresMeadow Volunteer Fire DepartmentMILES

Every settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it - see the settlement index below.

Storms, 1953 to 2025

60 of 626 shown

The NOAA Storm Events Database holds 626 reports for this county, causing no deaths, 4 injuries and about $407,780 in recorded property damage. Each settlement page carries the reports that name it.

Kind of event Reports
Hail310
Thunderstorm Wind235
Flood36
Tornado23
Flash Flood14
Funnel Cloud4
Wildfire3
Lightning1

The most serious of them, by death, then injury, then recorded damage. The accounts are quoted exactly as the forecast office filed them.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
May 1953Tornado (F2)not stated2 hurt, $250,000no account filed
April 1955Tornado (F0)not stated2 hurt, $2,500no account filed
July 1994Thunderstorm WindMcLaughlin$50,000Hail broke some windows and damaged crops, while strong winds demolished a shed and part of a catwalk and blew down numerous tree limbs and branches. The damage occurred on the edge of a swath that extended largely north of the northern border of South Dakota. Most of the damage in South Dakota occured in or near Lemmon.
July 1994HailPerkins and$50,000Hail broke some windows and damaged crops, while strong winds demolished a shed and part of a catwalk and blew down numerous tree limbs and branches. The damage occurred on the edge of a swath that extended largely north of the northern border of South Dakota. Most of the damage in South Dakota occured in or near Lemmon.
March 2009FloodWakpala$50,000no account filed
August 1993Thunderstorm Windnot stated$5,000Strong thunderstorm winds damaged tents at a fair.
April 1955Tornado (F0)not stated$250no account filed
June 1983Tornado (F0)not stated$30no account filed
May 2025Thunderstorm WindWatauga-A farmer estimated winds at 60 mph but no damage was noted.
June 2025Thunderstorm WindBlack Horse-The caller states that estimated wind gusts to 60 mph caused some wind driven small hail damage.
June 2025Thunderstorm WindMc Intosh-A trained spotter estimated thunderstorm winds topped out at about 70 mph.
June 2025Thunderstorm WindMc Laughlin-A trained spotter estimates wind gusts topped out at 60 mph.
September 2025Tornado (EFU)Wakpala-Storm chasers reported a brief tornado touchdown over open land, roughly 8 miles northeast of Wakpala, SD. No damage was reported.
May 2024Thunderstorm WindWatauga-A trained spotted estimated wind gusts at 60 mph.
June 2023Thunderstorm WindMorristown-A personal weather station 6 miles south of Morristown recorded a wind gust of 70 mph.
June 2023FloodWakpala-Oak Creek near Wakpala, at the WKPS2 gauge, rose into minor flood stage of 10.0 feet at 3:00 pm MDT on June 25th, crested at 11.8 feet at 7:45 pm MDT on the 25th, and then fell below flood stage at 7:15 am MDT on the 26th. Agricultural land was impacted.
June 2023Thunderstorm WindMc Laughlin-A personal weather station 6 miles west-southwest of McLaughlin recorded a wind gust of 62 mph.
September 2023Thunderstorm WindMahto-Thunderstorm winds downed several tree branches at a residence 8 miles northwest of Kenel, SD which sits just south of the North Dakota state line. Another residence just over the border had siding removed by these strong winds.
September 2023Thunderstorm WindMorristown-Thunderstorm winds downed trees and power lines at a residence 5 miles south of Morristown. The power outage from wind damage to power lines extended back to the northwest as far as Keldron, SD.
May 2022Thunderstorm WindTrail City-A fire department employee estimated 70 mph wind gusts, which downed a nearby large cottonwood tree.
June 2022Thunderstorm WindMaple Leaf-Severe winds damaged a garage door.
July 2022Thunderstorm WindBlack Horse-The public reported many trees uprooted.
June 2022Thunderstorm WindWatauga-Estimated 60 mph winds blew dirt and moved hay bales. The time of the peak wind was estimated based on radar.
July 2022Thunderstorm WindBlack Horse-The public reported extensive damage to a large outdoor storage building due to high winds.
August 2021Thunderstorm WindLittle Eagle-Sixty mph winds were estimated.
August 2021Thunderstorm WindWalker-Estimated 60 mph winds blew down a tree limb.
August 2021Thunderstorm WindBullhead-Estimated 100 mph winds took the roof off a barn. A nearby mesonet station recorded a wind gust of over 100 mph.
August 2021Thunderstorm WindBullhead-Estimated 100 mph winds took shingles off a home and tin off an outbuilding along with downing many large tree branches. A nearby mesonet station recorded a wind gust of over 100 mph.
June 2021Tornado (EF0)Little Eagle-A tornado touched down and tracked northeast briefly in eastern Corson County. No damage was reported.
June 2021Flash FloodBlack Horse-Thunderstorms produced very heavy rains of up to 10.35 inches 4 miles north of Firesteel in central Corson County during the evening hours of June 8th. As a result, water ran over a county road, stock dams were overtopped and planted fields were completely washed out. Several reports of flooded basements were also documented.
June 2021Thunderstorm WindBlack Horse-Small tree limbs were downed by estimated sixty mph winds.
July 2020Thunderstorm WindTrail City-Estimated sixty-five mph winds occurred.
July 2020Thunderstorm WindKeldron-Estimated eighty mph winds knocked some trees and branches down.
July 2020Thunderstorm WindMorristown-Estimated seventy mph winds downed several trees and many limbs.
July 2020Thunderstorm WindMorristown-Estimated sixty mph winds brought some tree limbs down along with moving a children's playhouse across the road.
August 2020Thunderstorm WindKeldron-Estimated sixty mph winds downed some large tree branches onto power lines causing power outages.
August 2020Thunderstorm WindMorristown-Estimated seventy mph winds downed several trees and took out the power in the house.
June 2020Thunderstorm WindMahto-Sixty mph winds were estimated.
June 2020Thunderstorm WindMorristown-An estimated sixty mph wind downed an olive tree.
March 2019FloodThunder Hawk-Many roads were flooded in the county and on the Standing Rock Indian Reservation.
June 2019Thunderstorm WindAthboy-Sixty mph winds brought several branches down.
August 2019HailLittle Eagle-Large hail and severe winds began a destructive path of crop and grassland damage from near Little Eagle and to the southeast before moving into eastern Dewey county.
August 2019Thunderstorm WindWatauga-Sixty mph winds were estimated.
August 2019HailTrail City-Quarter size hail piled up to near 5 inches in spots with the corn stripped.
August 2019HailTrail City-Quarter size hail stripped a lot of corn.
September 2019Thunderstorm WindMc Intosh-Estimated seventy mph winds downed some trees in Mcintosh.
July 2019Thunderstorm WindThunder Hawk-Estimated sixty-five mph winds downed many branches.
July 2018Thunderstorm WindMaple Leaf-An empty semi trailer was tipped over by estimated seventy-five mph winds.
July 2018Flash FloodLittle Eagle-Heavy rain caused flash flooding of the streets in and near Little Eagle.
July 2018Thunderstorm WindMahto-Numerous trees were downed by estimated eighty mph winds.
July 2018Flash FloodWakpala-Very heavy rains caused flash flooding on Oak Creek near Wakpala. Oak creek rose 10 feet in a short period of time reaching 15 feet in the early morning. The creek then crested at 16.34 feet in the mid morning hours to just over major flood stage. Oak Creek then fell slowly into the afternoon and evening hours to below flood stage. Some agricultural land and roads were flooded.
June 2018Thunderstorm WindKeldron-An estimated seventy mph wind damaged a small 5 by 5 foot deck attached to the house.
June 2018Thunderstorm WindLittle Eagle-Sixty mph winds were estimated.
July 2017Thunderstorm WindTrail City-Sixty mph winds were estimated.
July 2017Thunderstorm WindAthboy-Sixty mph winds were estimated.
July 2017HailBlack Horse-Ping pong sized hail damaged or destroyed some crops.
June 2016Thunderstorm WindAthboy-Eighty mph winds pushed over a semi truck and trailer along with moving some farm equipment slightly from its original position. Some heavy steel feeders were also moved from 250 to 500 yards.
August 2016Thunderstorm WindMc Intosh-Seventy-five mph winds brought many power poles down from Mcintosh to several miles south on Highway 65. A Quonset was also blown across Highway 65.
August 2016Thunderstorm WindLittle Eagle-Sixty mph winds were estimated.
July 2016Thunderstorm WindMorristown-Sixty mph winds were estimated.

Mines and quarries

10 recorded

The Survey's mineral resources record lists 10 workings inside this county. 3 still produce and 7 are closed or unrecorded. Each settlement page carries the workings within five miles of it.

Commodity Workings
Sand and Gravel, Construction10

The least common of them first, because a county's hundredth gravel pit says nothing its first ten did not.

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Sdg - Morristown Quad - Deposit 5Sand and Gravel, ConstructionProducerTERRACE
Sdg - Morristown Quad - Deposit 6Sand and Gravel, ConstructionProducerTERRACE
Sdg - Morristown Quad - Deposit 7Sand and Gravel, ConstructionProducerTERRACE

Every populated place in the county

18

Named settlements recorded in the Geographic Names Information System, each with the topographic sheets covering it. Villages, hamlets and abandoned places alike. Each is shown with the nearest named watercourse or landform and the survey quadrangle it falls on.

The vanished settlements of Corson County: the places named above that are no longer on the map.

Provenance

  • Topographic sheets. USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection, county index, measured from the bulk metadata.
  • Fire insurance maps. Library of Congress Sanborn collection, faceted to this county.
  • Photographs. Each place queried individually against the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs search.
  • Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
  • Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
  • Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.