BlockFrom the record
19 National Register listings published here.
Sources: the National Register database, National Park Service
Perkins County, South Dakota
29 topographic sheets cover 18 settlements here, and 19 properties are on the National Register of Historic Places.
Research this county
What the record shows
- 122 topographic sheet readings cover the county's settlements.
- 19 properties here are on the National Register of Historic Places: 17 buildings, 1 site and 1 district.
- 5 of the 19 listings were added during the 1970s.
- 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
19Every property in this county listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with the year it was listed and the federal nomination document.
| Photograph | Property | Type | Listed | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Donald Beckon Ranch | building | 1987 | 87000551 | |
| Bethany United Methodist Church | building | 1987 | 87000559 | |
| Carr No. 60 School | building | 1987 | 87000560 | |
| Anna Carr Homestead | building | 1978 | 78002566 | |
| Duck Creek Lutheran Church and Cemetery | building | 1987 | 87000561 | |
| Foster Ranch House | building | 1987 | 87000557 | |
| Golden Rule Department Store | building | 1976 | 76001752 | |
| L. F. Harriman House | building | 1976 | 76001753 | |
| Immanuel Lutheran Church | building | 1987 | 87000555 | |
 | Lemmon Petrified Park | site | 1977 | 77001254 |
| G. E. Lemmon House | building | 1976 | 76001754 | |
| Ole Quamman House | building | 2015 | 14001188 | |
| Richards Cabins | building | 2003 | 02001769 | |
| Rockford No. 40 School | building | 1987 | 87000549 | |
| Sittner Farm | district | 2008 | 08000055 | |
| Sorum Cooperative Store | building | 1987 | 87000556 | |
| Sorum Hotel | building | 1987 | 87000552 | |
| Spring Creek School | building | 1987 | 87000554 | |
| Thomas J. Veal Ranch | building | 1987 | 87000558 |
Wildfire, 1994 to 2020
393 firesEvery wildfire the federal occurrence database records inside this county: 393 of them, burning about 51,459 acres. 161 started naturally and 1 was recorded as arson. Each settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it.
| Reported cause | Fires |
|---|---|
| Natural | 161 |
| Equipment and vehicle use | 130 |
| Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 67 |
| Debris and open burning | 23 |
| Power generation/transmission/distribution | 6 |
| Smoking | 3 |
| Misuse of fire by a minor | 2 |
| Arson/incendiarism | 1 |
The five largest, by the area the report gives. None of them was recorded as arson.
| Date | Cause | Size | Reported by | Name on the report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 April 2013 | Debris and open burning | 10,680 acres | Dakota Prairie National Grasslands | PAUTRE |
| 18 July 2006 | Natural | 5,133 acres | Montana/Dakotas State Office | KELLY |
| 5 October 2011 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 3,700 acres | South Dakota Wildland Fire Suppression | BLOMBERG |
| 17 September 2000 | Natural | 3,500 acres | Isabel Volunteer Fire Department | LADUE/ WESINGER |
| 17 September 2000 | Natural | 3,208 acres | Dakota Prairie National Grasslands | PASTURE 9 BURN |
| 31 July 2007 | Natural | 2,442 acres | Dakota Prairie National Grasslands | HAY CREEK |
| 24 July 2007 | Equipment and vehicle use | 2,256 acres | Dakota Prairie National Grasslands | HARRIS |
| 14 July 2002 | Misuse of fire by a minor | 2,000 acres | Montana/Dakotas State Office | CEDAR CANY |
Every settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it - see the settlement index below.
Storms, 1957 to 2025
60 of 727 shownThe NOAA Storm Events Database holds 727 reports for this county, causing no deaths, 4 injuries and about $7,033,450 in recorded property damage. Each settlement page carries the reports that name it.
| Kind of event | Reports |
|---|---|
| Hail | 337 |
| Thunderstorm Wind | 309 |
| Tornado | 45 |
| Flash Flood | 14 |
| Flood | 14 |
| Funnel Cloud | 4 |
| Wildfire | 2 |
| Dust Devil | 1 |
| Heavy Rain | 1 |
The most serious of them, by death, then injury, then recorded damage. The accounts are quoted exactly as the forecast office filed them.
| When | Event | Place named | Harm | What the report says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 1993 | Tornado (F0) | W of Usta | 3 hurt, $50,000 | A tornado picked up a mobile home and turned it upside down, destroying the trailer. Three people inside the mobile home received minor bruises. Structures beside the mobile were untouched by the storm. |
| August 1969 | Tornado (F2) | not stated | 1 hurt, $25,000 | no account filed |
| July 2009 | Hail | Lemmon | $1,500,000 | Baseball sized hail and strong wind gusts broke windows and damaged roofs and automobiles in Lemmon. |
| June 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lemmon | $750,000 | Straight-line thunderstorm wind gusts were estimated at 75 to 85 mph. Several buildings roofs partially torn off and trees were uprooted from southwest of Lemmon along the south edge of town to east of Lemmon. |
| June 2008 | Flood | Prairie City | $500,000 | Record flooding was reported along the Moreau River northwest of Faith. Highway 20 west of Bison and Bixby, Cedar Canyon, and Zeona Roads in southern Perkins County were covered by water. |
| July 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | Bison | $500,000 | Many trees were downed, power poles blown over east of town, roofs damaged, and windows of houses and automobiles broken by wind driven hail. |
| August 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lemmon | $500,000 | no account filed |
| May 2013 | Hail | Lemmon | $300,000 | Hail damaged vehicles and homes in Lemmon. |
| May 2019 | Flood | Lodgepole | $250,000 | Runoff from heavy rain caused flooding upstream of Shadehill Reservoir and along the Moreau River. Date Road south of SD Highway 20 was closed, Rabbit Creek covered a couple of county roads, a culvert on Zeona Road was washed out, and county roads C5 and C1 were inundated with water. |
| July 1992 | Tornado (F1) | not stated | $250,000 | no account filed |
| May 1991 | Tornado (F1) | not stated | $250,000 | no account filed |
| June 1978 | Tornado | not stated | $250,000 | no account filed |
| July 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lemmon | $200,000 | DAMAGE OCCURRED TO THE KOLB AIR SPRAYING SERVICE. TOTALED WERE TWO AIRPLANES AND A HANGER, WITH ANOTHER AIRPLANE SEVERLY DAMAGED. IN ADDITION TREES WERE UPROOTED AND THE STORM SUCKED THE WATER OUT OF A STOCK DAM 5 NW. |
| July 2001 | Flash Flood | Bison | $200,000 | no account filed |
| May 1996 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lemmon | $150,000 | no account filed |
| March 2019 | Flood | Usta | $100,000 | Ice jams in the Moreau River, combined with runoff from melting snow, caused moderate flooding along the Moreau River. The river crested about four feet above flood stage at the SD Highway 73 bridge, with a resulting flow of 19,400 cfs. Besides flooding agricultural land along the river, flooded outbuildings and corrals were reported. |
| September 2013 | Flash Flood | Lodgepole | $100,000 | Five to six inches of rain was reported west of Lodgepole and three to five inches of rain fell around Bison and Shadehill Reservoir. Two to three inches of rain fell around Lemmon. Runoff from the heavy rain inundated many roads, driveways, and fields in northern Perkins County. Localized street flooding was reported in Lemmon. Shadehill Reservoir rose over 2.5 feet from September 8 to 14. |
| May 2010 | Tornado (EF2) | Meadow | $100,000 | A tornado touched down just southeast of the intersection of S.D. Highways 73 and 20 East. It destroyed the Progress Rural School and continued to track to the north, dissipating northwest of the intersection of S.D. Highways 73 and 20 West. |
| May 2010 | Tornado (EF2) | Usta | $100,000 | A tornado touched down north of Faith. It destroyed outbuildings on two ranches, tossed farm equipment, damaged trees, and killed four calves. |
| July 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lemmon | $100,000 | Wind gusts downed large tree branches and power lines and blew over sheds and trailers. |
| June 2010 | Flood | Zeona | $100,000 | no account filed |
| July 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lodgepole | $75,000 | Hail, up to baseball size, and high winds estimated to 80 mph were reported in the northwest corner of the county. A mobile home and some near by outbuildings were destroyed. Approximately 28,800 acres of crops were a 100 percent loss. Several fields of corn which were 3-4 feet high had stalks completely sheared off at the bases. |
| May 2013 | Hail | Lemmon | $50,000 | no account filed |
| August 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lodgepole | $50,000 | no account filed |
| August 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lemmon | $50,000 | no account filed |
| July 2015 | Flash Flood | Lodgepole | $30,000 | Many roads flooded and several sections of fences were damaged, especially along Duck Creek southwest of Lodgepole. |
| July 2013 | Hail | Prairie City | $25,000 | no account filed |
| July 2010 | Hail | White Butte | $25,000 | no account filed |
| June 1980 | Tornado (F0) | not stated | $25,000 | no account filed |
| May 1972 | Tornado (F2) | not stated | $25,000 | no account filed |
| July 1969 | Tornado (F2) | not stated | $25,000 | no account filed |
| August 1964 | Tornado (F2) | not stated | $25,000 | no account filed |
| June 1997 | Flash Flood | Usta | $24,700 | no account filed |
| July 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sorum | $24,000 | Sixteen power poles were blown over. |
| May 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Meadow | $22,000 | Strong thunderstorm winds blew a small building apart and scattered the debris. Event time was estimated from radar data. |
| June 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | Meadow | $20,000 | Outbuildings on two ranches were destroyed by strong winds. Time was estimated from radar. |
| August 2013 | Flash Flood | Sorum | $20,000 | Heavy rain caused flash flooding along Thunder Butte Creek, Hart Creek, and their tributaries. Rural roads were flooded when culverts were quickly overwhelmed from the excessive runoff. |
| June 2008 | Hail | Zeona | $20,000 | Large hail and strong wind gusts knocked out windows and destroyed siding on a house. The storm also killed two calves and injured other livestock. Grass in the area was flattened. |
| July 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | Bison | $20,000 | Machine shed destroyed by wind. |
| July 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | White Butte | $20,000 | A 150 foot pole barn was destroyed. |
| May 2013 | Hail | Shadehill | $20,000 | no account filed |
| April 2005 | Dust Devil | Bison | $20,000 | no account filed |
| June 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | Meadow | $15,000 | Thunderstorm winds destroyed several grain bins and damaged an attached two-stall garage. |
| May 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | Usta | $10,000 | The combination of wind and large hail broke windows and damaged shingles. |
| July 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | Usta | $10,000 | Strong winds destroyed a barn. |
| July 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lemmon | $10,000 | Police officers reported branches six to eight inches in diameter were blown down. |
| May 2013 | Hail | Bison | $10,000 | no account filed |
| June 1996 | Hail | Meadow | $10,000 | no account filed |
| June 2024 | Hail | Shadehill | $5,000 | Large hail broke a windshield and damaged a truck. |
| September 2013 | Hail | Usta | $5,000 | Hail damaged vehicles and tore screen windows. |
| September 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | Prairie City | $5,000 | The combination of wind and hail caused minor damage. |
| July 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Prairie City | $5,000 | Large hail accompanied the strong wind gusts. |
| July 2011 | Flash Flood | Prairie City | $5,000 | Brushy Creek and other small creeks flooded portions of southern Perkins County. Gravel and debris washed over the Moreau River Road 13 miles east of Zeona. |
| June 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | Meadow | $5,000 | Crops were destroyed from wind driven hail. |
| July 2011 | Hail | Lodgepole | $5,000 | no account filed |
| July 2011 | Hail | Lodgepole | $5,000 | no account filed |
| June 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | Bison | $5,000 | no account filed |
| June 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | Meadow | $5,000 | no account filed |
| September 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | Meadow | $5,000 | no account filed |
| July 1986 | Tornado (F2) | not stated | $2,500 | no account filed |
Mines and quarries
33 recordedThe Survey's mineral resources record lists 33 workings inside this county. 11 still produce and 22 are closed or unrecorded. Each settlement page carries the workings within five miles of it.
| Commodity | Workings |
|---|---|
| Sand and Gravel, Construction | 30 |
| Lignite | 1 |
| Natural Gas, Sand and Gravel, Construction, Petroleum (Oil), Uranium | 1 |
| Lignite, Sand and Gravel, Construction | 1 |
| Sand and Gravel, Construction, Lignite | 1 |
| Clay | 1 |
The least common of them first, because a county's hundredth gravel pit says nothing its first ten did not.
| Where | Site | Commodity | Status | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bison Quad | Sand and Gravel, Construction, Lignite, Clay | Producer | ||
| Haynes Quad | Lignite, Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer | ||
| Lodgepole Quad | Lignite, Natural Gas, Sand and Gravel, Construction, Petroleum (Oil), Uranium | Past Producer | ||
| Bartell Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer | ||
| Flatmoe Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | ||
| Gravel Deposit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | ||
| Gravel Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Unknown | ||
| Gravel Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Unknown | ||
| Gravel Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | ||
| Gravel Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | ||
| Gravel Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | ||
| Gravel Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | ||
| Gravel Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | ||
| Gravel Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | ||
| Gravel Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Unknown | ||
| Gravel Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | ||
| Gravel Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | ||
| Gravel Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | ||
| Gravel Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | ||
| Highway Gravel Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | ||
| Lodgepole Gravel Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer | ||
| Pich Gravel Pit #1 | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer | ||
| Pulis Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | ||
| Sand and Gravel | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | ||
| Sand and Gravel Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | ||
| Sdg - Bison Quad - Deposit 47 | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer | ||
| Sdg - Bison Quad - Deposit 48 | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer | ||
| Sdg - Cash Quad - Deposit 76 | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer | ||
| Seims Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | ||
| Sorum Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer | ||
| Unnamed Prospect | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer | ||
| Unnamed Prospect | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer | ||
| Unnamed Prospect | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer |
Every populated place in the county
18Named 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.
-
Coal Springs
Northeast Perkins unorganized territory · 57644 · Coal Springs quadrangle
7 sheets, 1954 to 1984
-
Ellingson
Horse Creek township · 57640 · Cow Butte SE quadrangle
7 sheets, 1954 to 1998
No longer a settlement
-
Imogene
South Perkins unorganized territory · 57626 · Near Dillon Draw · Imogene quadrangle
7 sheets, 1951 to 1984
-
Shadehill
De Witt township · 57638 · On East Flat Creek · Summerville quadrangle
7 sheets, 1954 to 1998
-
Summerville
De Witt township · 57638 · On Flat Creek · Summerville quadrangle
7 sheets, 1954 to 1998
The vanished settlements of Perkins 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.