Geddes Historical Society
Come relive the past with a tour through the boyhood home of Peter Norbeck, Papineau Trading Post, Red, White and Blue Schoolhouse, and claims shanty all over 100 to 160 years old and restored to the original condition.
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Contact Judy Parker at 605-337-2481 for more information!
WNAX Building
Known as a "fair price" gas station, WNAX offered customers a windshield wash and an engine oil check with every gas purchase in the 1950s, when gas cost 27– 29 cents per gallon. The company traces its roots to the owners of the WNAX Radio station in Yankton, SD, and
had expanded to over 500 stations by the early 1930s.
Peter Norbeck's boyhood home
This is the boyhood home of Peter Norbeck, South Dakota's 9th Governor. During his term, beginning in 1917, he was instrumental in designing the state's highway system and bringing electricity to rural areas. He also personally raised the initial funds to start the Mount Rushmore project.
Papineau's Trading Post
This trading post was built in 1857.
History has passed down the saying that
this was the first commercial building
erected in the South Dakota Territory.
Cuthbert Ducharme, better known as
Papineau, operated the post, buying and
selling animal furs. Because the trading
post was situated near the Missouri
River, steamboats could easily drop off
supplies and pick up goods for delivery
to eastern markets.
Red, White and Blue School House
During the late 1800s and early 1900s, roughly
5,000 one-room schoolhouses operated across
the Dakota Territory. A singular teacher
instructed all eight grades, often managing 20 to 40 students simultaneously. The yearly salary for a school teacher ranged narrowly from $32.00 to $48.00. Reflecting their deep American pride, early settlers painted this school building in the
colors of the flag: red, white, and blue.
Claim Shanty
The Homestead Act offered United States citizens the chance to claim 160
acres of land upon meeting the five-year residency requirement. Early settlers
initially constructed a one-room structure, using wood or sod, for their basic
needs until they could legally secure the property. This specific Claim Shanty
was built by Charles and James Phillips in approximately 1883. Charles
occupied the shanty for his whole life, remaining there until his death at age 82.