Town of Midland

Among the firsts on this two-faced town ledger is the Bastion, a roadhouse built in 1905 and moved to the present townsite. John and Violet Stroppel bought it and in 1939 drilled the artesian well the bronze names, about 1,780 feet down, and began selling hot mineral baths in February 1940; in the early years as many as seventy-five people a day came for treatment from John Stroppel as masseur. A new well was drilled in 1977, and the hotel and its baths joined the National Register in September 2025.

What the plaque says

Town of Midland In 1889 South Dakota was admitted to the union and western South Dakota was opened for settlement. The next year surveying was conducted throughout the summer and the town of Midland, named for its location of halfway between the Missouri and South Fork of Cheyenne Rivers, was established. Construction started in 1890 when J. C. "Charlie" Russell hauled a load of supplies from Pierre and built the first store in Midland. Also built that year was a hotel and restaurant operated by Addie Avenell. Charles Baker was sworn in as first Postmaster. Charlie Russell later served as Postmaster for 21 years. The first wedding took place in 1895 when Charlie Russell married Emily Hall's daughter, Jennie. Their daughter, Grace, was the first born child in Midland and the first of two high school graduates. Several businesses opened in 1904 including a livery stable, the "Western Star" newspaper, and a small furniture and undertaking store. In 1905 Christopher Hellekson built a grocery store in east Midland and moved it the following year to the present town site operating it until his death in 1916. Also built in 1905 in east Midland and later moved to the present town site was the Bastion Roadhouse. In 1939, owners John and Violet Stroppel added an artesian well for hot mineral baths. (Continued on other side) Town of Midland (Continued from other side) 1906 was boom time for Midland. The Bank of Midland was granted a charter, a hardware store was opened and regular train service began. In 1907 fifteen lots were sold ranging in price from $100 for residential property to a $700 corner business lot to J. C. Leggett for a feed business. In May the Great Western Telephone Company's west bound line arrived and passenger train service to Rapid City began on October 15 and continued until October, 1960. The Midland State Bank opened in 1908 but closed January 8, 1932. A new schoolhouse was built on the hill in 1909 and opened for classes in 1910. The Bank of Midland opened in 1909 in a new building constructed of Stanley County brick and Black Hills sandstone. This building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In the following years many advances were made in Midland including sidewalks in 1910 (many more built as WPA projects in 1936 and 1939), electricity in 1919, a water system in 1925, a sewer system in 1947- 1948, a municipal artesian well in 1960 and a second one in 1968, and a new water tank and treatment plant in 1982. Erected 1989 by the Town of Midland and the South Dakota State Historical Society and dedicated as a lasting legacy to the pioneers - past, present, and future.

Where it stands

Worth the stop nearby

• Pioneer Auto Show — 26 mi
  Forty-odd buildings of old cars, tractors, motorcycles and everything else a Murdo car dealer and his sons couldn't stop buying, a block off I-90 since 1954.

More markers nearby

• Tom Berry 1879-1951 — 17 mi
• Early Western Highway — 23 mi
• Reading Brands — 25 mi
• Murdo Mackenzie — 25 mi