Lake Hendricks State Park

The bronze gives Hendricks one line as Vice President in 1885 because that was all the office he held. Twice before he had reached for national power: in 1876 he ran for vice president on Samuel Tilden's Democratic ticket, which lost the disputed election by a single electoral vote. Elected with Grover Cleveland, he was sworn in on March 4, 1885 and died of a heart attack in Indianapolis on November 25, 1885, at sixty-six, less than nine months into the term. His name had gone on this lake in the 1850s.

What the plaque says

Lake Hendricks State Park This lake was named for Thomas A. Hendricks (1819-1885), Commis- sioner of the General Land Office, 1855-59, at which time the state boundary was surveyed and the lake named. Hendricks was a Member of Congress, 1851-55; U.S. Senator, 1863-69; Governor of Indiana, 1873-77; and Vice President in 1885. The log cabin was moved here as a fitting memorial to the sturdy pioneers who settled in this part of Brookings County in the 1870s and 1880s. The park itself was opened in 1951. The log cabin has had three locations. It was built of well-hewn oak logs taken from the shore of Oak Lake. Nils Bogen built it in 1874 in the center of the NE 1/4 of 18-112-47, 1/4 mile west of Oak Lake. In 1884 the log house was taken apart, the logs numbered, and moved 2 1/2 miles S to the SW 1/4 of 30-112-47 and rebuilt. In 1884 Even Anderson bought it and his family lived in it until about 1893. Thereafter a renter, Theodor Sand, and his family lived in it from about 1895 to 1903. Esten Johnson bought the farm and moved his frame house to it, attaching it to the log house about 1906. The farm was sold to Marvin Vizecky, from whom the log house was bought in the spring of 1960. The logs were again numbered, moved to this location, and the cabin rebuilt in the fall of 1960. Erected in 1961 from county funds and by donors of this area Brookings County home of roving Indians until 1862. The exploring party of Nicollet, scientist, and Fremont, "Pathfinder of the West," visited Oakwood Lakes, July 1838, leaving the first reliable record. The region east of the Big Sioux was ceded by the Santee Sioux in 1851; that to the west by the Yankton Sioux in 1859. A breastwork was made at Oakwood Lakes in 1859 and occupied again in 1862-64. In 1857 Nobles' wagon road was built through the county, crossing the Big Sioux over an improved ford. A settlement, Medary, existed there, 1857-58, when Sioux forced its abandonment. Permanent settlement was begun nearby in 1869 by 10 Norwegians, with Medary the county seat, 1871-79. Another such colony of 31 settled at Lake Hendricks in July 1873. Population increased rapidly after 1877, numbering 4965 in 1880, and 10,132 in 1890. Brookings County was created in 1862 and named for Wilmot W. Brookings (1830-1905), prominent pioneer judge and legislator. Until 1873 it included parts of Moody, Lake, and Kingsbury counties. It was organized on July 3rd, 1871 in Martin N. Trygstad's cabin, 4 miles NW of Medary. Most towns began in 1879 when the Northwestern R. R. crossed the county, and others when roads pushed North in 1884. Medary, Oak- wood and Fountain became ghost towns and Brookings the county seat. In 1881 State College was established in Brookings, opening its doors in 1884. Brookings County welcomes you to its 791 square miles of prosperous farms, beautiful lakes and happy homes. Erected 1961 by the Brookings County Commissioners

Where it stands

More markers nearby

• Lake Hendricks Norwegian Colony of 1873 — 3.5 mi
• Hole-In-The-Mountain — 15 mi
• You Are Now Entering South Dakota — 15 mi
• Byron J. Cochrane — 15 mi