National Register of Historic Places

Mellette House

Watertown, Codington County, South Dakota
Listed
August 12, 1976
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
76001725

About this property

The Mellette House is a historic home and museum located at 421 Fifth Avenue Northwest in Watertown, South Dakota. It is the former residence of the first governor of South Dakota, Arthur C. Mellette. The Mellette family built the two story house in 1885 on Prospect Hill (now Mellette Hill) and lived there until 1895. It was the location of Watertown's first radio station in 1929. When the house was condemned in 1943, a group purchased the property and formed the Mellette Memorial Association to restore and preserve it. They now give free tours in the summer. The house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. There are pictures of the Mellette family in the house along with original furniture and household items.

Location

421 5th Ave., NW
Watertown, Codington County, South Dakota
44.90731, -97.12158

Categories

POLITICS/GOVERNMENTARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Overview
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The Land
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Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
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Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
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Spotlight
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Points of Interest
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Timeline
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Nearby Historic Sites

Davis, Amy A., House
Industrial
0.3 mi
Johnson, A. Einar, House
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0.3 mi
Freeburg, Dr. H. M., House
Industrial
0.3 mi
DeGraff, Curt E., House
Industrial
0.3 mi
Ferris, James W., House
Industrial
0.3 mi

Questions about this property

When was Mellette House listed on the National Register?

Mellette House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 12, 1976.

What type of historic resource is Mellette House?

Mellette House is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Mellette House?

The period of significance for Mellette House is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Mellette House?

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