Posted in South Dakota Attractions February 23, 2019 by

This Urban South Dakota Ghost Town Will Take You A Thousand Miles Away From It All

Since first becoming a state, South Dakota has seen its fair share of towns come and go, thanks in part to a decline in the mining and railroad industries. As of this publication, South Dakota has nearly 100 of these abandoned (or near abandoned) towns, including this urban ghost town that will take you a thousand miles away from it all:

Located just 40 miles from Rapid City lies Owanka, South Dakota; a once-loved community that is now home to only one family.
Wikimedia Commons
Originally settled by Native Americans, Owanka translates to "good camping ground," as it provided its early residents with access to water and protection from the wind.
Wikimedia Commons
What began as a positive quickly changed, as the nearby Boxelder Creek (pictured) began to dwindle, thanks in part to local mines tainting the supply.
Despite the lack of both moisture and water supply, Owanka continued to grow and housed nearly 200 residents by 1925.
Flickr/Jerry Huddleston
Not long after reaching its peak, Owanka was tainted by ample controversy and misfortune, including the school's superintendent marrying a 9th-grade student, bad developments, and the railroad no longer hauling water to the town.
Flickr/Jerry Huddleston
It was because of these gradual developments that Owanka residents continued to leave, deeming it a ghost town by the late 20th century.
While Owanka is technically abandoned, there are still families living just outside of the former city limits, many of who farm the surrounding prairie.
Flickr/Jeffrey Beall

Discover even more deserted spots around South Dakota by clicking 10 Abandoned Places In South Dakota That Nature Is Reclaiming.