National Register of Historic Places

Watertown Stadium

Watertown, Codington County, South Dakota
Listed
July 4, 2000
Type
Structure
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
00000721

About this property

Watertown Stadium is a stadium in Watertown, South Dakota. It was primarily used for baseball and American football and was the home of minor-league professional baseball including, most recently (c. 1970), the Watertown Expos of the Northern League. The ballpark has a capacity of 5,000 people and opened in 1940. It was most recently used by Watertown High School, to host baseball and football games, though its usage no longer includes. The stadium’s usage for football games was discontinued following the end of the 2024 season. Football games are now hosted at the Allen Mitchell Athletic Complex, starting with the 2025 season. The stadium was built around the 1930s as Works Progress Administration Project 4265, and still holds the original plaque dedicating the structure. It is the home of the Watertown Arrows. In 2005, an additional building was built to the East of the field. This building houses restrooms, a concession stand, and both Varsity and Sophomore locker rooms. The stadium was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2000. It is built of reinforced concrete. Its NRHP nomination asserts:The Watertown Stadium is a physical reminder of the unprecedented use of government aid to construct community improvements, particularly for recreation and leisure. Built in 1940, the stadium was reportedly planned as a band shelter, since the W.P.A. wanted to build them as part of their music project. According to a local story, the structure was built in phases, and it initially looked more like a bandshell. During the last phase of construction, it was then modified for use as an athletic stadium. Although the story is rumor, the existing structure is an excellent example of W.P.A. construction and one of the more outstanding federal relief projects in the northeastern part of the state.

Location

1600 W Kemp Ave.
Watertown, Codington County, South Dakota
44.90440, -97.13942

Categories

SOCIAL HISTORYECONOMICSARCHITECTURE
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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Nearby Historic Sites

Kemp Avenue Bridge
Industrial
0.6 mi
Mellette House
Industrial
0.9 mi
Davis, Amy A., House
Industrial
1.2 mi
Johnson, A. Einar, House
Industrial
1.2 mi
Freeburg, Dr. H. M., House
Industrial
1.2 mi

Questions about this property

When was Watertown Stadium listed on the National Register?

Watertown Stadium was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on July 4, 2000.

What type of historic resource is Watertown Stadium?

Watertown Stadium is classified as a structure in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Watertown Stadium?

The period of significance for Watertown Stadium is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Watertown Stadium?

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