Mark Steichen from the Dunham Historical Society discusses the town’s history and how it got its name.
“The first written history of the name “Wessington Springs” was its appearance on a map published in 1858 resulting from a military expedition across what is now eastern South Dakota. William Nobles was commissioned by the federal government to determine the best practical route for building a road from St. Paul to the Rocky Mountains. As his crew crossed what is now eastern South Dakota, they encountered a large spring, now called the Big Spring, and several smaller springs at the base of the hills then known as the Coteau du Missouri. The hills are now known as the Wessington Hills. The springs found in these hills have since served as a source of fresh water for travelers and livestock and still provide water for the Wessington Springs public water system.
Where did the name “Wessington” originate? Legend has it that Wessington was the name of a man who was killed by Indians near the Big Spring. Different accounts say that Wessington was a trapper, a soldier, or a teamster on Colonel Noble's party of road builders. Recent historical searches have failed to verify the existence of any individual named Wessington who might have spent time in the current Wessington Springs area. It is possible that a French or Indian word that is phonetically close to “Wessington” has been corrupted. Several words have been proposed as possibilities. It may never be proven who Wessington was or if such a person ever existed. Until additional historical information is provided, the legend of Wessington will live on.
A post office named Wessington was established near the Big Spring and approved in 1878. The US Postal Department gave the Wessington name to another community to the northwest and renamed the original Wessington post office Elmer in 1882. The local residents were not satisfied with the change and convinced the Postal Department to change the name of its local post office from Elmer to Wessington Springs in 1884. The town with the name Wessington Springs was officially platted in 1882.”
Dakota Life Greetings from Wessington Springs premieres on Thursday, April 10th at 8 PM Central (7 PM MT) on SDPB1, Facebook, and YouTube. Stream the next day on the PBS App.