The HISTORY OF LAKE POINSETT
One of the largest lakes in the state, Lake Poinsett was named after Joel Poinsett who served as U.S. Secretary of War. Poinsett was appointed to the post by President Martin VanBuren in 1837. He used his position to authorize an expedition in 1838 to survey the region between the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers. The expedition was led by French scientist Joseph Nicholas Nicollett, with the assistance of American explorer and military officer John C. Frémont.
From the work of the expedition, the party provided the most accurate maps to date. During their time in the area, the party camped on the north side of Lake Poinsett.
Joel Poinsett was appointed by President John Quincy Adams as the first US Minister to Mexico. Poinsett was an accomplished amateur botanist and is believed to be the namesake of a popular plant from Mexico – the poinsettia. He was also instrumental in founding the National Institute for the Promotion of Science and the Useful Arts, which was a predecessor to the Smithsonian Institution.
Lake Poinsett has been a popular stop for visitors, dating back thousands of years. Stone and bone artifacts found along Poinsett’s shores date back to over 13,000 years ago. The region between Lake Poinsett and Oakwood Lakes was a summer hunting area for the Sioux for over one hundred years. The Sioux who frequented the area used various names for the different features in this area. Lake Poinsett was called “Unkceota,” the lake of the prickly pear, for the type of cactus found along the shore.
In the early 1880s, homesteaders immigrated to the Dakota Territory. They established the village of Poinsett and a nearby village of Dolph. The nearest railroads were at least 12 miles away. In 1906, the South Dakota Central Railroad (SDC) was extending a line northward from Sioux Falls. Area landowners met with SDC officials and persuaded them to build a railroad in the area. The SDC staked out an area that would become Lake Norden and many buildings from Poinsett and Dolph were moved there.
Today, the lakeshore still provides excellent camping opportunities, as well as many other recreational activities.
Harlan Olson was known as the unofficial historian of Lake Poinsett. The Lake Poinsett Visitor Center and Museum is a fascinating place to learn more about the history of the area. The Museum is home to a variety of artifacts that came from the collection of Harlan Olson and were donated to the South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks by his family. The exhibits will take you back in time from prehistoric days to the late 1990s.
References
Britannica, 2024. Joel R. Poinsett, United States Stateman. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Joel-R-Poinsett
Smithsonian Magazine (Smithsonian), 2010. How Joel Poinsett, the Namesake for the Poinsettia, Played a Role in Creating the Smithsonian. Retrieve from https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/a-smithsonian-holiday-story-joel-poinsett-and-the-poinsettia-3081111/ on April 2, 2024.
South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks (GFP), 2024. Lake Poinsett Recreation Area. https://gfp.sd.gov/parks/detail/lake-poinsett-recreation-area/#:~:text=One%20of%20the%20largest%20lakes,north%20side%20of%20Lake%20Poinsett.
South Dakota Magazine. Poinsett’s Enduring Charm. https://www.southdakotamagazine.com/poinsetts-enduring-charm
South Dakota State Historical Society (SDSHS), South Dakota Digital Archives [2018-08-30-0004]. Retrieved from https://sddigitalarchives.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p15914coll3/id/15/rec/1 on March 28, 2024.
South Dakota History Marker. Inscription from a historic marker located in Hamlin, County. Retrieved from https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=206446 on March 28, 2024.
