Silhouette photo of man carrying candle lantern with lighted candle - underground railroad sites

Self-guided · County in South Dakota

Underground Railroad Sites in Fall River County, SD

Homes, meetinghouses and crossings tied to the Underground Railroad and the people who helped freedom seekers move north.

Open the South Dakota map · All states

Photo: Julia Florczak on Unsplash

Fall River County is one of 66 counties in South Dakota. The record for this chapter of history is uneven, and some of it is hard to read. That is a reason to go and see it, not a reason to skip it.

A person holding a lit lantern in the dark - underground railroad sites — Photo: Subhro Vision on Unsplash

Portrait of Harriet Tubman - underground railroad sites — Photo: Library of Congress on Unsplash

Four brown wooden benches inside house - underground railroad sites — Photo: Tracy Jentzsch on Unsplash

On the record near Fall River County, SD

The 12 nearest

There are no underground railroad sites on the record within 300 miles of Fall River County, SD. These are the 12 listed historic sites of any kind closest to it, out of 32 within 30 miles. 8 listed sites carry Fall River County as their county.

Hot Springs High School3.4 miles from the center of Fall River County · Building · Hot Springs · listed 1980National Register of Historic Places
State Soldiers Home Barn3.6 miles from the center of Fall River County · Building · Hot Springs · listed 2009National Register of Historic Places
Wesch, Phillip, House3.6 miles from the center of Fall River County · Building · Hot Springs · listed 1984National Register of Historic Places
Jensen, Governor Leslie, House3.6 miles from the center of Fall River County · Building · Hot Spring · listed 1987National Register of Historic Places
Petty House3.9 miles from the center of Fall River County · Building · Hot Springs · listed 1999National Register of Historic Places
Chilson Bridge12 miles from the center of Fall River County · Structure · Edgemont · listed 1993National Register of Historic Places
Beaver Creek Bridge14 miles from the center of Fall River County · Structure · Hot Springs · listed 1984National Register of Historic Places
Pig Tail Bridge15 miles from the center of Fall River County · Structure · Hot Springs · listed 1995National Register of Historic Places
Cold Springs Schoolhouse16 miles from the center of Fall River County · Building · Custer · listed 1973National Register of Historic Places
Bartlett--Myers Building17 miles from the center of Fall River County · Building · Edgemont · listed 2006National Register of Historic Places
St. Martin's Catholic Church and Grotto20 miles from the center of Fall River County · Building · Oelrichs · listed 2005National Register of Historic Places
South Dakota Dept. of Transportation Bridge No. 17-289-10723 miles from the center of Fall River County · Structure · Custer · listed 1993National Register of Historic Places

Distances are straight-line from the center of Fall River County, SD. Many sites are private property or working buildings - view them from the public way. See them on the map.

Underground Railroad in Fall River County, step by step

1
Read the short history of the period for this area
2
Open the map filtered to the sites from that chapter
3
Visit the nearest site and read its full record
4
Ask what the marker leaves out and look for the rest
5
Add the site to a route that follows the period in order

What people in Fall River County, SD ask first

How much does it cost to visit these sites in Fall River County, SD?

Most listed sites can be seen from a public road or sidewalk at no cost, and the app is free to use. Some sites are private homes, working churches or museums with their own hours and fees. The record for each one says what it is, so you know before you go.

Where does the information on these sites come from?

From published records: the National Register of Historic Places, the Recorded Texas Historic Landmark program, and the Georgia Historical Society and Georgia Department of Natural Resources marker program. Every site on the page names its source.

Are the hard parts of this history included?

Yes. The record is shown as published, and the stories behind the markers include what happened, who it happened to, and how it was remembered. Leaving the hard parts out would make the stop less worth the trip.

Why are there so many of these sites near Fall River County, SD?

Most areas have more than people expect, because the registers list every surviving building and site tied to a period, not just the famous ones. The list on this page shows exactly what is on the record nearby.

How a visit works in Fall River County

Step 1
Find the place
Every stop starts as a pin with real coordinates. In Fall River County, SD the map shows what is listed around you and how far each one is, so the first decision is where to go, and it takes a few seconds.
Step 2
Read the story
The record behind each marker is kept whole: what happened there, when, who was involved, and why it was worth a sign. You read it standing where it happened, which is the part a textbook cannot give you.
Step 3
Get there under your own power
Walk it, run it, hike it, ride it or drive it. Stops in Fall River County, SD are chained into routes that fit the way you move, so a lunch break, a long run or a Saturday drive can all pass through history.
Step 4
Collect it and come back
Each stop you reach counts toward a badge, and a photo or a correction you send makes the record better for the next person. The map remembers where you have been, so the next trip starts where the last one ended.