Old Madison – First County Seat

Lake County began in October 1873 when Herman N. Luce and John T. Hare, the first qualified county commissioners, met at William Lee's cabin near the site of old Madison to organize. William Van Eps platted the old town of Madison in June 1874, and in the fall of 1874 an election placed the county seat there. Old Madison remained the county seat until the railroad reached the present site of Madison in 1880. The safe and county records were secretly moved at night, changing the county seat to New Madison without an election. William Lee, appointed in March 1874, was the first postmaster.

South Dakota · United States