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29 Sep 2025

A Walk Through Salem, South Dakota: Courthouse and Culture

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September 29, 2025

In 2014, I traveled through eastern South Dakota to visit the county courthouses in the area. The weather in late September was perfect for exploring. I discovered many charming towns, including Canistota (known for its Ortman Chiropractic Clinic) and Salem, which is the seat of McCook County.

Salem has a small population, with only 1,300 residents. I easily found the McCook County Courthouse along U.S. Highway 81, which runs north and south through town; Main Street runs parallel to it, also heading north and south.

The McCook County Courthouse in Salem, South Dakota

The courthouse was built in 1934 during the Great Depression, likely as part of a Works Progress Administration (W.P.A.) project. During that period, the federal agency funded numerous new courthouses in an effort to provide employment opportunities for unemployed workers.

The design of the courthouse is primarily Art Deco, a characteristic style of the 1930s. The county courthouse features distinctive lettering and metallic work on the window frames at the front and sides. As is typical for such buildings, metal was used extensively throughout the structure. It is either aluminum or stainless steel, molded and shaped to be aesthetically pleasing and stylish, yet economical in times of hardship. The photos below include one that highlights the exceptional metallic work above the heating grates in the stairwells.

The Veterans memorial at the McCook County Courthouse

In American civics, we frequently discuss the separation of church and state. Here in Salem, the courthouse represents the “state,” while the town’s Catholic Church is the “church.” St. Mary Catholic Church, located on the other side of Highway 81, was built in 1885 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This beautiful red stone building features a high steeple adorned with crosses.

I walked inside and found that no one else was there about an hour after the morning Mass had ended. I was captivated by the statues, the Stations of the Cross, and the stained-glass windows. The crucifix at the front was elevated ten feet above the altar and lit by a spotlight, creating a display of glory in the dimly lit church, symbolizing God’s presence in a darkened world. This church was built by new settlers, basically farmers who prioritized their faith while building homes in a new country.

I walked into the center of town after leaving the church and came across an impressive mural near Main Street. Salem was settled in the late 1800s, and the mural features various nostalgic figures, including a Conestoga wagon, along with the phrase “Dakotah or bust.” In the mural, a little girl asks, “Grand-pa, tell me ’bout the old days…”

A prominent Salem street mural explains the town’s pioneer origins.

Down the street from the mural, you can find some old buildings that date back to a bygone era. Salem was settled in 1879. St. Mary’s Church was built in 1885, and the elegant bank buildings on Main Street were constructed in 1889. These two buildings (among those shown below) are some of the town’s few remaining structures from the old “Dakotah” period.

The sign below was found on a house near Main Street: ‘Welcome Fall.’ Indeed.

McCook County within the state of South Dakota

Click here for a list of all TimManBlog American County Seats Series posts.
The photos in this post were taken on September 16, 2014, and are copyrighted by Tim Seibel.

Donations to TimManBlog

I post about a visit to one of America’s 3,150 county seats each month. Donations are greatly appreciated to help defray my travel costs.

$5.00

Check out the FREEDOM VOYAGES book series! These books document my road trips across the United States and include hundreds of stunning photographs. Each of the four books in the series is available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. This includes my most recent release, FREEDOM VOYAGES Volume 4: Christmastime in Texas!

FREEDOM VOYAGES Volume 4: Christmastime in Texas. Available at Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.

Earlier volumes in the FREEDOM VOYAGES series are also available:
Vol. 1: North-Central North Dakota
Vol. 2: Go West! From the Loneliest Road in America to California’s Gold Country
Vol. 3: A Proud, Dignified People in Lincoln’s Illinois

All FREEDOM VOYAGES books are on sale at Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.

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31 Aug 2025

Exploring Bristol: The City Split by a State Line

Please consider donating to support my travels using the form at the bottom of the post. PayPal, Visa, American Express, Mastercard, Discover, and Maestro are accepted. Thank you.

August 31, 2025

Bristol is one of the most unusual cities in the United States because it is split down the middle of its main street between two states: Virginia and Tennessee. Technically, Bristol is two cities, with a state line running along the double-yellow line in the middle of State Street. However, except for separate governments for each side, Bristol functions as a single city.

The two cities of Bristol — split down the double-yellow line between Tennessee (left) and Virginia (right).
Looking east this time — Virginia is on the left, and Tennessee is on the right.

A historical sign (located on the Virginia side of town) explains the history of Bristol, but it doesn’t explain how Main Street was placed on top of a state boundary. Wikipedia provides some explanation in its article on Bristol, Virginia (link here).

Originally, Bristol was located in both Goodson, Virginia, and Bristol, Tennessee, and had two train lines and two train depots — one for each side of the state line. When visitors began referring to the entire area as “Bristol,” Goodson, Virginia, abandoned its original name and adopted the name Bristol as well.

The old Bristol (Virginia) railway depot (left) and its accompanying historical sign.

Bristol, Virginia, is one of Virginia’s independent cities, which means it also functions as its own county. Bristol, Tennessee, is located in Sullivan County, Tennessee, but it is not the county seat. Because this blog is about county courthouses and county seats, the rest of this post will focus on Bristol, Virginia.

As the seat of both the city and county of Bristol, the Bristol Courthouse serves as a combination of a courthouse and City Hall. The building itself is a simple two-story red brick structure.

The George M. Warren Justice Center / Bristol, Virginia Courthouse in Bristol, Virgina

Across the street from Bristol City Hall and Courthouse, Cumberland Park features a Vietnam-era helicopter and a memorial dedicated to Vietnam veterans. Nearby, I found ducks feeding in the creek and the town’s old Confederate memorial.

The Bristol Hotel is only a few blocks away. Built in 1925, the Bristol has been restored and converted into a boutique hotel. It’s a fun place and boasts a rooftop bar.

The 1925 Bristol Hotel in Bristol, Virginia

Just two blocks away, I walked down State Street, which separates Virginia from Tennessee. This is Bristol’s main street in almost all respects — the largest shops and restaurants are here.

Have a look for yourself — except for the two mid-street shows below, all of these are photos of the Virginia side of the street:

Here’s to the Axe & Ale, the Corner Bar & Grill, Michael Waltrip Brewing, and an art gallery — the HollerHouse of Bristol.

Bristol, Virginia, also boasts a great musical history and is the home to the Birthplace of Country Music Museum.

Below: a statue of a country music duo in Cumberland Park, and a Virginia road sign for the Crooked Road — Virginia’s music heritage roadway and trail.

If you’re curious, the Tennessee side of town is the larger of the two Bristols. Bristol, Tennessee, has a population of about 27,000, while Bristol, Virginia, has only 17,000 residents. Historically, the Tennessee city has always been larger than its counterpart, and this disparity has grown in recent years due to Tennessee’s more favorable tax policies compared to Virginia. Also, Bristol, Tennessee, can boast of the Bristol Motor Speedway.

Bristol, Virginia, within the state of Virginia

Click here for a list of all TimManBlog American County Seats Series posts.
The photos in this post were taken on July 9, 2023, and are copyrighted by Tim Seibel.

Donations to TimManBlog

I post about a visit to one of America’s 3,150 county seats each month. Donations are greatly appreciated to help defray my travel costs.

$5.00

Check out the FREEDOM VOYAGES book series! These books document my road trips across the United States and include hundreds of stunning photographs. Each of the four books in the series is available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. This includes my most recent release, FREEDOM VOYAGES Volume 4: Christmastime in Texas!

FREEDOM VOYAGES Volume 4: Christmastime in Texas. Available at Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.

Earlier volumes in the FREEDOM VOYAGES series are also available:
Vol. 1: North-Central North Dakota
Vol. 2: Go West! From the Loneliest Road in America to California’s Gold Country
Vol. 3: A Proud, Dignified People in Lincoln’s Illinois

All FREEDOM VOYAGES books are on sale at Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.

Posted in County Seats, Travel Posts and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment
31 Jul 2025

Miller, South Dakota: A Peek into Small Town America

Please consider donating to support my travels using the form at the bottom of the post. PayPal, Visa, American Express, Mastercard, Discover, and Maestro are accepted. Thank you.

July 31, 2025

Welcome to Miller, South Dakota! It’s a bright and clear Sunday afternoon here in South Dakota. There is only a slight breeze and a hint of humidity, which belies the temperature of 84°. It feels much warmer though.

Miller’s giant water tower proclaims this burg to be the home of the “Rustlers.” The lettering and the cowboy icon are green like the surrounding grain fields. Over the years, Miller has produced a state governor and a few other notables. These days, Miller is a town of two business blocks and thirteen hundred occupants.

A mural around the corner provides some historical context for this little prairie town. Miller, like so many other places in the Great Plains states, began in 1889 with the coming of the railroad.

Miller’s town mural reminds everyone of the day the railroad brought the world to town.

Miller has grown substantially since the early railroad days; here’s Main Street today.

Traffic along Broadway in Miller, South Dakota

The countryside surrounding Miller supports a mix of corn and soybean fields. The plains are nearly flat here, with only slight ripples to interrupt the cultivation. The soil must be excellent since I saw very few cattle ranches interrupting the cultivated acres.

Miller is the market town for those surrounding farms. It’s a nice-looking place. Let’s take a closer look.

The line-up: Miller Rexall Drug, the Clothes Garden, and Helping Hands at the end of the block.
Hand County Title Company, Farm Bureau Financial Services, and Sommers Bar.

(Every South Dakota bar has a few video poker machines hidden in the corner, hidden out of sight to encourage shame, I think. I played a machine at Sommers and won $20 — I bought a beer with it.)

Here are some more pillars of the community. I say that with no sarcasm; people couldn’t survive without these services.

The Sa’ Hair’ rah Hair Stylist, Anson Law Office, and the Main Street Lunch Box.

Above are the town’s shops, below are the homes of the town’s shopkeepers and their customers. I’d sure love to have a house on a corner lot with a front porch and balcony like this one.

It’s nice to see a small town have a photography studio; here memories are created and saved for generations.

Reflections by Leah. Miller, South Dakota.

Hand County was created in 1873 by the Dakota territorial legislature (before “Dakotah” became states and were split into North and South) and named for George A. Hand, territorial secretary. The Hand County Courthouse, built in 1925, is the most prominent building in the town, and in the county too. The building is an prime example of neo-classical architectural style prevalent in the decade of the 1920s.

Hand County Courthouse, Miller, South Dakota
Hand County Courthouse, Miller, South Dakota
Hand County Veterans Memorial (every good courthouse has a veterans memorial).

Carved marble walls and stairways fill the courthouse’s interior. The stained-glass ceiling and the old-fashioned elevator are both time pieces of neo-classical design of the 1920s. Whenever I see the prolific use of marble in courthouses (and I’ve seen it often in 1920s courthouses), I’m awestruck at how expensive and investment it must have been. It’s all beautiful and magnificent, but sadly such decor is a relic of a bygone era — it would be of the question to build in such a manner today.

Every good courthouse is a local history lesson. Hand County’s is no slouch in that regard:

Can’t forget the small-town churches:

First Presbyterian Church. Miller, South Dakota.

Let’s say goodbye to Miller with an homage to neon signs:

A striking mural I found in Miller, South Dakota.
Hand County within the state of South Dakota

Click here for a list of all TimManBlog American County Seats Series posts.
The photos in this post were taken on July 9, 2023, and are copyrighted by Tim Seibel.

Donations to TimManBlog

I post about a visit to one of America’s 3,150 county seats each month. Donations are greatly appreciated to help defray my travel costs.

$1.00

Check out the FREEDOM VOYAGES book series! These books document my road trips across the United States and include hundreds of stunning photographs. Each of the four books in the series is available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. This includes my most recent release, FREEDOM VOYAGES Volume 4: Christmastime in Texas!

FREEDOM VOYAGES Volume 4: Christmastime in Texas. Available at Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.

Earlier volumes in the FREEDOM VOYAGES series are also available:
Vol. 1: North-Central North Dakota
Vol. 2: Go West! From the Loneliest Road in America to California’s Gold Country
Vol. 3: A Proud, Dignified People in Lincoln’s Illinois

All FREEDOM VOYAGES books are on sale at Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.

Posted in County Seats, Travel Posts and tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment
31 Jul 2024

Exploring Baudette: The Coldest Town in Minnesota

July 31, 2024
(photos and memories from July 2023)
(If you like my posts, you can support this site with a donation via Paypal, Visa, Amex, Mastercard, or Discover by using the form at the bottom of this post. Thank you.)

Willy the Walleye at the entrance to Baudette, Minnesota — the “Walleye Capital of the World.”

It’s a natural tendency among people to want to be the best at something. It usually doesn’t matter very much what that “something” is, whether it is virtuous or not, significant or not, astounding or not. People just want to have something to be proud of.

In the case of Baudette, Minnesota (population 966), that something is the notoriety of being the coldest town among the lower 48 states of the U.S.

Baudette is the county seat of Lake of the Woods County in north central Minnesota. Its northern border (including the “Northwest Angle,” the notch of land that sticks up above the 49th parallel) is contiguous with the southern border of Canada. To the east of Baudette is the larger and more famous town of International Falls, Minnesota. Baudette and International Falls are rivals for the distinction of being the coldest town in the lower 48. According to popular reputation alone, International Falls is the victor in the contest, but Baudette has arguments in its favor.

Lake of the Woods County in the state of Minnesota

In the contest as to which town is the coldest, Baudette can boast that it is home to Automotive Enviro Testing, a cold-weather testing facility used by prominent automakers including Honda, Tesla, and others. Thus, Baudette’s claim is more than just reputation, it is backed up industrial choice.

I am not a cold-weather person, so I came to Baudette in the month of “high summer” — July. Baudette was warm and welcoming with many visitors plying the waters for walleye since Baudette claims to be the Walleye Capital of the World.

The main intersection in Baudette, Minnesota, with Wally the Walleye near the center.

Baudette is a fairly young town. It was founded in 1907 at the point where the Baudette River flows into the Rainy River. The Rainy River captures the outflow from the Lake of the Woods and serves as the boundary between Minnesota and Ontario, Canada. The town of Rainy River, Ontario, lies across the international bridge from Baudette. The bridge can be seen in the background of the photos below.

The Baudette River as it flows north into the Rainy River at the U.S. – Canadian border.

Below: private docks along the Baudette River with the International bridge in the background.

Ronnings Outdoor Store in Baudette, Minnesota
The old Rex Hotel in Baudette, Minnesota
The central intersection in Baudette, Minnesota, population 966.

The single-courtroom Lake of the Woods County Courthouse is part of the new government center built at the edge of town. I walked into the atrium and noticed that the courtroom was closed. The walls of the atrium were lined with old black and white hunting photos and family photos of old settlers.

Lake of the Woods County Government Center in Baudette, Minnesota.

A list of all photo posts from the American County Seats series in TimManBlog can be found here.

All photos were taken by the author on July 14, 2023.

My lifetime hobby is traveling to all of America’s county courthouses, and each month, I post about a visit to a scenic or exciting county seat. It’s a hobby, and donations are greatly appreciated to help cover my costs.

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