The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1919-09-13
HISTORY OF HOT SPRINGS,
SOUTH DAKOTA.

lin 1879 the Dakota Territory was
established.
Aug, 1879, Right Rev. Martin
Marty became Vicar Apostolic of the
territory.
3-Dec., 1872, Hot Springs became a
town.
1-Nov 1889, South Dakota became
a state.
2-Nov., 1890, Right Rev. Martin
Marty became the, first Bishop of the
state.
BIN 1890 Hot Springs became a
city.
Sept. 8, 1890, the railroad from
Buffalo Gap to Hot Springs was
opened.
Nov. 26, 1890, the first members
were admitted to the State Soldiers
Home.
3-July, 1891, the Burlington reached
Hot Springs from Minnekata.
These momentous events in the his
tory of the city of Hot Springs had
Ollie people. The first and sanity
Bishop Martin Marty of Sioux Falls
kept watchful eye upon the develop
ment of the entire state.
In 1890 he sent Rev. John Cassidy
to Hot Springs. This was man
we'll trained in pioneer work, who
brought with him much energy and
IN IN,
Springs was said in a private house
opposite the present Court House.
In 1892 Father Cassidy began to
build a pretentious Church on Battle
Mountain, on the very spot where the
nurses cottage of Battle Mountain
Sanitarium now stands. The lot had
been donated The Church was soon
put under roof, sided, windows put in,
and stately tower added, making the
building an imposing Church struc-
ture. To my knowledge only one pic
ture of the building exists. The
Church was called Our Lady OF
Lourdes,' from which in 1901 "Our
name During the warm summer
months services were conducted In
the new Church. An altar had been
improvised, nail kegs and long boards
served as benches for the people. In
winter no services were held there.
Private homes, and the chapel at the
State Soldiers Home, were ever
ready to lend helping hand to the
needs of the Catholic population OF
Hot Springs The Church on Battle
Mountain was never finished inside,
and owing to lack of funds the build
ing later was entirely abandoned.
June 4, 1893, Thomas Bernard Potts
was buried in w. P. Sieg's pasture by
Father John Cassidy, minister, and
Mr. Joyce, undertaken. This burying
ground had been donated to the Cath
Ollie Church, but the owner of the plot
died, before he gave deed to the
place: Southwest 4th, of Northwest
4th, Section 1, Town 81, Range 5,
Lots 2, and a. The earthly remains
of Mr.. Thomas B. Potts and little
daughter, Annie, still rest there. 1t
would be a great act of kindness and
noble heartedness, if the present own
ers of these lots would deed them to
the Church for this holy purpose.
In March, 1897, Rev. John Cassidy
resigned the parish of Hot Springs
and died many years later at the Sis
ters' Hospital at Yankton, S. D.
In spring, 1897, Right Rev. Thomas
O'Gorman, second Bishop of South Da-
kota, sent Rev. John c. Ahearns, who
bought, what is now La Pages prop
erty in lower town, and the little 'T''
shaped cottage south of La Pages
house served at Church. Being his
personal property he sold it again in
May, 1898, when he left.
In summer, 1898, Rev. ]. E. Cartier
arrived. The Church, Our Lady of
still owned by the Catholics, but
never used. 1t was too difficult of ap-
proach and too cold in winter.
December 10, 1898, Rev. J. E. Car
tier bought the second Hot Springs
school house for $550.00. 1t was a
spacious and substantial frame build.
ing, centrally located, easily ap-
preached from all parts of town, on
the corner of Lincoln avenue and
Seventh street, Block 10, Lots 4, and
6, in the original town of Hot Springs
making a square lot of 150x150 from
alley to alley. Here a room was
fitted out as a chapel, part served as
vestibule and another part as the
priests living room. The Church was
named st. Anthony of Padua.
In spring, 1899, Rev. James Hayes
became pastor of Hot Springs. He
took up quarters in the parish room
Rt st. Anthony's Church. He hat