This week in 2006, the Corson County Courthouse is the victim of arson. A county employee later admitted that he started the fire that destroyed the courthouse in McIntosh. The Courthouse was a wooden structure built in 1910 and was the last wood-frame building in the state still being used as a courthouse.
Carol Jennings, an archivist for the South Dakota Historical Society researched other courthouse fires in the state. They include June 20th, 1892. The town of Highmore was awakened by the clang of the fire alarm. The Hyde County courthouse was a blaze and townspeople tried to save records and furniture. All records from the register of deeds and treasurer’s offices were saved, but the offices of the sheriff and county superintendent of schools were totally destroyed.
Three years later, the Grant County Courthouse in Milbank burned, miraculously, nearly every record of value was saved. However, several of the records from the register of deeds’ vault were missing. It was believed they were removed and then a fire was set by a loan company assistant expecting to cover a get-rich-quick scheme.
In 1901, a fire claimed the Hanson County Courthouse in Alexandria. In 1911, the Tripp County Courthouse in Winner was completely destroyed by fire. Since Winner had no organized fire protection, the townspeople could only stand and watch the courthouse burn. All of the records in the building were destroyed except those of the county attorney. Ironically, the county commissioners rented a vault for the auditor and the treasurer, but it was not being used.
Courthouses typically hold valuable legal and historic information. And this week in 2006, a fire leveled the courthouse in Corson County. The cement vaults of the courthouse were all that was left standing. Although scorched and damp, most of the records were saved.
Production help is provided by Doctor Brad Tennant, Professor of History at Presentation College.