The things they left behind: reclaiming the soils of once vibrant Canning, SD

We live in a place called Canning, SD.  I call it a place and not a town because technically it isn't really a town anymore.  It is just a loose collection of about 8 houses and a few ranches spread over an area that was once a bustling frontier community of homesteaders and pioneers.  To give you an idea of the size of the community, when Meridith and I moved to Canning several years ago we increased the population by about 7%, and when our son Henry was recently born we increase it by another 3-4%.  History left Canning behind, but to us and the other residents it is a place filled with stories.  And also a place filled with stuff - notably stuff buried in the ground that we dig up when we work in the gardens.



Canning was founded in 1883 and named after George Canning, chief engineer of the C & NW Railway Company.  There were about 275 people in town at this time, and three hotels, two restaurants, two hardware stores, two saloons, a meat market, and a barber shop.  When the Winnebago and Crow Creek reservations were opened for settlement in 1885, the population increased by another 75 people.  Drought took its toll, however, and the population began to dwindle.  A grain mill using hydro power from Medicine Creek (our namesake) opened and closed within three years due to lack of stream flow.  By 1934 the population had shrunk to 75 people, and it is currently around 30.

Most of the old buildings have been torn down except for the Cracker Box - a tiny building that once served as a post office and home to various families - and a few of the original houses.  One old house is still inhabited, and there is another that is in a state of disrepair and is frequently scoured for ancient treasures by the adventurous young people of the community.  What is left behind is open space covered by grass with various objects littering the landscape - some exposed on the surface and some covered by soil.  Because Canning lies in the Medicine Creek valley, sediment from the surrounding hillsides has slowly worked its way downhill and covered many objects.  This process takes a long time, but it certainly takes place, and we have dug up numerous objects ranging from the soles of old boots to an axehead that I uncovered yesterday while prepping ground for the planting of a tree row.



Axehead and other assorted pieces of stuff


A detailed history of the happenings of Canning is available online and makes for compelling reading for the interested student of frontier history.

 It was said of Canning in the October 13, 1883 Blunt Advocate: 

This compact and beautifully located little village is situated on the main line of the C. & N.W. Ry. in the Medicine Valley about 10 miles southwest of Blunt, surrounded by a very large area of the richest farmlands in southern Dakota, and as it lies adjoining the Old Winnegabo Indian Reservation, its citizens and merchants will be among the first to receive the benefits of the vast tract of land now awaiting only the President’s proclamation for its final opening to actual settlers.  Canning has fine water power, with fall sufficient to operate a grist mill of four run of buhrs, by the virtue of which a mill in the near future is assured.  The town also affords a fine opportunity to the right man for the manufacturing of bricks, having all the natural advantages requisite to the successful carrying of the branch of the industry.  The citizens of Canning are composed of thoroughly stirring people, whom the following may be classed as the foremost:

George V. Harris, principal owner of the town site, is a large stock raiser of the vicinity and owns over 900 acres of land.

Miles E. Redick, also one of the owners of the town site, is station agent and Postmaster.

M. E. Billings seems to be comfortably located and doing nice business in the grocery, flour, and feed line. 

O’Crowley and Barry are the hardware dealers.  They carry a very large stock and apparently receiving liberal share of the public patronage.

The virtues of the townsite may have been a bit overstated, but the character of the inhabitants has not changed.  There are still many "thoroughly stirring people", and we'd like to think we are quite stirring ourselves and can continue the independent and rugged tradition of this once vibrant place.  Our gardens have replaced the hotels and grocery stores, but there is still a strong community spirit that thrives here.