You’ll find Sheridan’s fascinating story in South Dakota’s Black Hills, where it emerged as a gold mining boomtown in the 1870s. Lt. Colonel Custer’s 1874 expedition sparked its growth from Golden City into a thriving settlement with hundreds of residents, complete with saloons and a courthouse. By 1920, declining profits left just 10 residents, and today, Sheridan rests 20 feet underwater in Sheridan Lake, holding countless untold secrets beneath its surface.
Key Takeaways
- Sheridan was a Black Hills mining settlement that now lies submerged 20 feet beneath the waters of Sheridan Lake.
- The town peaked between 1875-1877 with several hundred residents before declining due to unprofitable mining operations.
- By 1920, the population had dwindled from over 200 to just 10 residents following the Phil Sheridan Mine closure.
- The damming of Spring Creek led to the town’s flooding, creating one of South Dakota’s rare underwater ghost towns.
- Before submersion, the town featured a courthouse, boarding houses, and the Helphrey’s general store as key structures.
The Silver Rush Origins and Early Settlement
Although Native Americans had long known of gold in the Black Hills, the area remained largely unexplored by European-Americans until the 1870s due to treaty restrictions.
Sacred tribal lands held their golden secrets closely until broken treaties brought waves of European-American explorers in the 1870s.
When Lt. Colonel George Custer’s 1874 expedition confirmed gold discoveries near present-day Custer, South Dakota, it sparked an unstoppable rush of prospectors seeking fortune.
You’ll find Sheridan’s origins tied directly to these early gold discoveries, as miners returned to promising placer claims near Spring Creek.
Initially called Golden City, the settlement quickly became a crucial hub for the region’s mining operations.
Early mining techniques focused on extracting loose gold flakes from stream sediments through panning and shallow digging.
The town’s strategic location and early success led to its selection as Pennington County’s first county seat, though this prominence would prove short-lived.
The Treaty of Fort Laramie had established this territory as part of the Great Sioux Reservation, making the miners’ presence illegal.
Led by prospectors Horatio Ross and William McKay, the expedition’s historic discovery of gold on French Creek marked the beginning of the Black Hills Gold Rush.
Mining Operations and Economic Development
While placer mining initially drew settlers to Sheridan, the town’s economic fortunes truly expanded in the early 1900s through diversified mining operations.
Mining techniques evolved from basic gold extraction to sophisticated hard-rock mining, incorporating new chemical processes like cyanide leaching by 1900. The 80-stamp mill process, pioneered at the Homestake Mine, revolutionized ore processing in the region.
The arrival of the Burlington Railroad transformed Sheridan’s potential, especially after 1911 when commercial coal operations took off. The railroad’s coal demand led to establishment of mining company towns that housed thousands of workers and their families.
You’ll find the Firesteel Coal Company‘s establishment in 1923 marked a significant milestone, shipping coal as far as Iowa.
Despite economic fluctuations, coal production peaked during WWII with 53,743 tons in 1942.
The mines spawned company towns like Higby and Dietz, where firms controlled both resources and labor.
These operations sustained Sheridan’s economy until ore depletion and market changes eventually led to the town’s decline.
Life in Golden City During Its Peak Years
Life in Sheridan reached its zenith between 1875-1877, as the gold rush transformed this Black Hills settlement into a bustling frontier town. You’d have found several hundred residents, mostly men, establishing their daily routines around mining activities, while merchants and families maintained the town’s commercial pulse. Early prospectors used traditional placer mining techniques to extract gold from the creeks.
Your day might’ve started at a local boarding house, where you’d get an inexpensive meal before heading to work. Social gatherings centered around the saloons and courthouse, where you could catch up on local news or attend town meetings. Much like the historic Sheridan automobile brand of later decades, the town represented American innovation and enterprise.
If you needed supplies, you’d visit one of several general stores, and the stagecoach line kept you connected to Deadwood and Denver. The courthouse, built by citizens in 1877, became a symbol of the town’s civic pride, hosting the region’s first U.S. Circuit Court session.
The Town’s Gradual Decline and Abandonment
Despite initial promise from the 1897 silver discovery, Sheridan’s descent into abandonment began with the struggles of its mining operations. The Zella M. Mine and reduction mill proved unprofitable, while the 1914 mill failed to effectively process ore.
When the Phil Sheridan Mine closed in 1917, it triggered widespread population migration from the area. You would’ve witnessed the town’s rapid economic isolation as businesses shuttered, leaving only Helphrey’s general store and a hotel operating by 1917.
The population plummeted from over 200 to merely 10 residents by 1920. The remaining buildings were left to deteriorate, creating a ghostly atmosphere that persisted until the town’s final fate – submersion under Sheridan Lake’s waters, where it now rests 20 feet below the surface. The area was once celebrated as South Dakota’s Golden City during the height of its mining prosperity. Similar to the town of Pactola, Sheridan became one of several Black Hills communities that now lies beneath reservoir waters.
Beneath the Waters: Sheridan Lake’s Submerged Legacy
Today, Sheridan’s remains lie peacefully beneath the waters of Sheridan Lake, submerged approximately 20 feet under the surface.
When Spring Creek was dammed, the waters slowly claimed the former mining settlement of Golden City, later known as Sheridan, transforming it into one of South Dakota’s rare underwater ghost towns.
Similar to the flooding of Sioux ancestral lands caused by the Oahe Dam in 1962, this underwater settlement represents another piece of history altered by water management projects. While you can’t walk these historic streets anymore, you’ll find a different kind of ghost town tourism at work here. The lake now draws visitors for boating, fishing, and picnicking, while beneath the surface, potential underwater archaeology sites await exploration. In 2025, a capsized boat recovery demonstrated the challenges of navigating these historic waters.
No major excavations have documented what remains of the 1875 settlement, but somewhere in the depths, foundations of this once-bustling mining camp still exist, preserving a unique piece of Black Hills history in their watery tomb.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Visitors Scuba Dive to Explore the Underwater Ruins of Sheridan?
You can explore the underwater ruins through scuba diving at Sheridan Lake, which offers clear waters and depths up to 40 feet. Rental facilities nearby provide necessary equipment for your exploration.
What Happened to the Cemetery When the Town Was Submerged?
You’ll find no clear records of cemetery relocation or underwater preservation. While standard practices suggest remains were likely moved before flooding, the cemetery’s true fate remains mysteriously undocumented.
Are There Any Ghost Stories or Legends About Submerged Sheridan?
You won’t find documented ghost sightings or established local folklore about submerged Sheridan. While some locals mention vague feelings around the lake, there aren’t any widely-known supernatural tales from this site.
What Items Have Been Recovered From the Underwater Town Site?
You’d think they’d find treasure, but recovered artifacts are mostly mundane: a horse figurine, household fragments, building materials, and scattered tools – though they’re of immense historical significance underwater.
Do Any Descendants of Original Sheridan Residents Still Live Nearby?
You won’t find documented descendant connections to Sheridan’s original families living nearby today. While the site maintains historical significance, records don’t confirm if any descendants settled in adjacent areas after 1920.
References
- https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/state-pride/south-dakota/underwater-ghost-town-sd
- https://www.sdhspress.com/journal/south-dakota-history-2-2/some-black-hills-ghost-towns-and-their-origins/vol-02-no-2-some-black-hills-ghost-towns-and-their-origins.pdf
- https://www.sdpb.org/rural-life-and-history/2023-08-21/some-black-hills-ghost-towns-and-their-origins
- http://www.ghosttownsusa.com/sheridan.htm
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ghost_towns_in_South_Dakota
- https://www.ghosttowns.com/states/sd/sheridan.html
- https://973kkrc.com/south-dakota-underwater-ghost-town/
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXz6I5ZXleQ
- https://www.americanhistorycentral.com/entries/black-hills-gold-rush/
- https://metaldetectingforum.com/index.php?threads/the-black-hills-gold-rush.286775/
