Due east of this area, the valley land looks much as it did before pioneers came to the country. The area is part of the drainage of Hidewood Creek, located one-and one-half miles south, and the creek's name comes from the prairie past of the territory. After the War of the Outbreak, also called the Great Sioux Uprising, in Minnesota in 1862, many Sioux fled into this area and took refuge in clumps of timber along the creek, giving rise to the name Hidewood. The area reflects many threads woven into the settlement of Dakota Territory. Deuel County was created in 1862 by the first Territorial Legislature. In 1872 one of the first railroads entered Dakota Territory at present-day Gary, 20 miles northeast, before much of the region was settled. In pioneer days, county-seat status was a clear distinction for a community, and bitter wrangles came before final selection. Clear Lake contested with Gary until 1890, when Clear Lake finally gained that status. Castlewood, 12 miles west in Hamlin County, served as county seat from 1884 to 1914, when it lost the honor to Hayti. Religion was important to many settlers, as shown by the site of the Tabor Evangelical Church about two miles northeast. The church was founded in 1888 and remained in use until 1959, and many graves in the nearby cemetery are those of pioneers of the area.