LCHS Spring Tour - 2013
We're off! Mary Gallup-Livingston takes the lead as we leave Meade Street and begin exploring other aspects of Whitewood.
No one seems to know the exact date that the old school building was constructed in Whitewood; it remained in service as a school until a new school was built in 1993 and this building was sold.
Our guide and narrator for this portion of the tour was Dan Schmidt -- once a student in old school!
While we may not know the date of construction of the school, the adjacent gymnasium was easily dated by this sign above the entry.
It was built in 1936 under the Works Progress Administration.
Exploring the streets of Whitewood!
Our final stop was at the United Presbyterian Church, which was built in 1889.
The First Presbyterian Church is located at 901 Laurel Street in Whitewood.
Reverend George Perry established a mission Sunday School in 1888, and the church was built the following year under the leadership of Reverend W. A. Echols. There were 18 members of the church at that time.
The stained glass windows that adorn the church are beautiful.
Unfortunately, there is no record of exactly who manufactured the windows or when they were installed. From the limited records that are available, it is estimated they were installed between 1911 and 1916.
In all, there are 12 stained glass windows.
The church has put together an excellent brochure that documents early church leaders and donors who made possible these wonderful stained glass windows.
Okay, visiting the First Presbyterian Church and hearing about its history causes us to confess…..we were really lured there for the tasty treats.
In the end, of course, it was the beauty and spirit of the church that left an impact on us. (The delicious pie was a great bonus, however!)
There was plenty of dessert…..even after some folks had seconds!
The cherry pie we had was terrific. Judging by the smiles and contentment exhibited by tour participants, the pie and coffee was a real hit. A great ending to a superb day!
A view of downtown Whitewood, South Dakota in 1900. Photo courtesy of Whitewood Public Library. Whitewood has a rich history, and we commend the people of Whitewood for the many preparations they're making for their 125th Anniversary. And we'll be back the last weekend of June to help them celebrate. We're delighted that our Whitewood neighbors have given us this "sneak preview" of their upcoming celebration, and we deeply appreciate the warmth and hospitality they provided during the 2013 Spring Tour of the Lawrence County Historical Society. Return to the LCHS Historical Marker web site.
