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South Dakota

41 dossiers52 claims35 legends20 alleged entities7 ghost townsheaviest files, ranked →

The record for South Dakota opens with Hotel Alex Johnson, Historic Adams House and Spirit Mound Historic Prairie — the deepest files in the jurisdiction. The most-filed claim types here are Apparition (19 dossiers), Haunting (10) and Named Ghost Legend (9). Of its 41 sites, 26 are listed as open to the public — confirm access before visiting. The oldest dated entry is Fort Sisseton Historic State Park, established 1864.

Localities:Deadwood10Hot Springs3Rapid City2Sturgis2Yankton2Custer2Sioux Falls2
Counties:Lawrence Co. 6
By filing type:Sites6Hotels4Theaters4Ghost towns4
By phenomenon:apparitions19hauntings10named ghost legends9
Hotel
High confidence

Hotel Alex Johnson

Rapid City, South Dakota

Hotel associated with documented cultural history.

3 claims · 2 legends→
Historic House
High confidence

Historic Adams House

Deadwood, South Dakota

Built in 1892; preservation commission purchased it in 1992 and museum restoration followed in 2000.

3 claims · 1 legend→
Sacred Landscape
Medium

Spirit Mound Historic Prairie

Vermillion, South Dakota

Lewis and Clark visited on August 25, 1804. Prairie restoration followed creation of the state park in 2001.

2 claims · 2 legends→
Hotel
High confidence

Bullock Hotel

Deadwood, South Dakota

Tourism retells stories that an apparition identified as Seth Bullock assists guests and moves objects.

2 claims · 2 legends→
Cave
Medium

Wind Cave

Hot Springs, South Dakota

The cave that breathes—barometric winds at the natural entrance.

2 claims · 2 legends→
Museum
Medium

Adams Museum

Deadwood, South Dakota

The 1930 museum—where the town’s dead and artifacts are kept.

2 claims · 2 legends→
Site
Medium

Fort Meade

Sturgis, South Dakota

The 1878 cavalry post—where the "Star Spangled Banner" tradition began.

2 claims · 2 legends→
Cemetery
Medium

Mount Moriah Cemetery

Deadwood, South Dakota

Cemetery documented in historical or public cultural sources.

2 claims · 1 legend→
Town
Medium

Deadwood

Deadwood, South Dakota

The gulch where Wild Bill died—August 2, 1876.

2 claims · 1 legend→
Site
Medium

Wounded Knee

Wounded Knee, South Dakota

December 29, 1890—the massacre that ended the Ghost Dance.

2 claims · 1 legend→
Natural
Medium

Badlands

Interior, South Dakota

The maze of buttes—where the fossils and the dead are preserved.

2 claims · 1 legend→
Site
Medium

Broken Boot Mine

Deadwood, South Dakota

The mine tour under Deadwood—the tunnels the miners dug.

2 claims · 1 legend→
Natural
Medium

Bear Butte

Sturgis, South Dakota

The sacred mountain—where the vision quests still happen.

2 claims · 1 legend→
Site
Medium

Fort Randall

Lake Andes, South Dakota

The fort where Sitting Bull was held—the chapel and the ruins.

2 claims · 1 legend→
Gorge
Medium

Devil’s Gulch

Garretson, South Dakota

Local tradition says Jesse James escaped pursuers by jumping his horse across the gorge.

2 claims · 1 legend→
Theater
Medium

Homestake Opera House

Lead, South Dakota

Theater associated with documented cultural history.

1 claim · 1 legend→
Park
Medium

Sica Hollow State Park

Sisseton, South Dakota

Park associated with documented cultural history.

1 claim · 1 legend→
Island
High confidence

LaFramboise Island Nature Area

Pierre, South Dakota

Lewis and Clark recorded this Missouri River island in 1804; altered flows later changed its woodland habitat.

1 claim · 1 legend→
Hotel
Medium

Fairmont Hotel

Deadwood, South Dakota

The 1898 building previously accommodated a brothel, baths and a speakeasy.

1 claim · 1 legend→
Hospital
Medium

Human Services Center (Yankton)

Yankton, South Dakota

The 1879 territorial asylum—the Dakota Hospital for the Insane.

1 claim · 1 legend→
Cave
Medium

Jewel Cave

Custer, South Dakota

The third-longest cave in the world—200+ miles of calcite jewels.

1 claim · 1 legend→
Theater
Low

Elks Theatre

Rapid City, South Dakota

Theater associated with documented cultural history.

1 claim · 1 legend→
Theater
Low

Orpheum Theatre

Sioux Falls, South Dakota

Theater associated with documented cultural history.

1 claim · 1 legend→
Museum
Low

Old Minnehaha Courthouse Museum

Sioux Falls, South Dakota

Museum associated with documented cultural history.

1 claim · 1 legend→
Inn
Low

Daneville Inn

Viborg, South Dakota

Inn associated with documented cultural history.

1 claim · 1 legend→
Theater
Low

Dakota Theatre

Yankton, South Dakota

Theater associated with documented cultural history.

1 claim · 1 legend→
Auditorium
Low

Doner Auditorium

Brookings, South Dakota

Auditorium associated with documented cultural history.

1 claim · 1 legend→
Hotel
Medium

Franklin Hotel

Deadwood, South Dakota

Tourism recounts claims that Harris Franklin appears to check on employees.

1 claim · 1 legend→
Bar
Medium

Saloon No. 10

Deadwood, South Dakota

Tourism recounts disembodied voices and a self-playing piano.

1 claim · 1 legend→
Fort
High confidence

Fort Sisseton Historic State Park

Lake City, South Dakota

Established in 1864 as Fort Wadsworth; surviving barracks and officers’ quarters form a historic park.

1 claim→
Bar
Medium

Wild Bill Bar

Deadwood, South Dakota

The original saloon where Hickok died in 1876 burned in 1879; the bar interprets its approximate site.

1 claim→
Site
Medium

Mammoth Site

Hot Springs, South Dakota

The sinkhole full of mammoths—where the dig still runs.

1 claim→
Site
Medium

Evans Plunge

Hot Springs, South Dakota

The 1890 mineral pool—the oldest tourist attraction in the Black Hills.

1 claim→
Ghost Town
Medium

Rockerville

Rockerville, South Dakota

The 1876 gold camp—where the flume and the ruins stand.

1 claim→
Mansion
Low

Easton Castle

Aberdeen, South Dakota

Mansion associated with documented cultural history.

1 claim→
Ghost Town
Medium

Galena

Galena, South Dakota

Ghost town documented in historical or public cultural sources.

2 facts→
Historic Site
Medium

John Cross Burial Site at Hope Cemetery

Vale, South Dakota

NPS-listed historic site associated with the Underground Railroad.

2 facts→
Ghost Town
Low

Spokane

Custer, South Dakota

Ghost town documented in historical or public cultural sources.

1 fact→
Ghost Town
Low

Mystic

Mystic, South Dakota

Ghost town documented in historical or public cultural sources.

1 fact→
Historic Mining Settlement
Low

Rochford

Rochford, South Dakota

Historic mining settlement documented in historical or public cultural sources.

1 fact→
Submerged Town
Low

Pactola

Pactola, South Dakota

Submerged town documented in historical or public cultural sources.

1 fact→