TALKING TRAIL

In April of 1883, Charles H. Agar, with the help of M. B. Knight and several other settlers constructed the very first building in Onida, the exact spot that would eventually become home to Sunrise Bank Dakota on the 200 block of Main Street. The first building – the Onida Hotel - served as a lodging place for the land-seekers rushing to Sully County and is one of many historical places in Onida.

In the early days of Onida, a spirited contest developed between the young town and the community of Clifton eight miles to the west. Both towns were vying for the seat of Sully County government. When the State Supreme Court decided the county seat would move to Onida, celebrants gathered in the Onida Hotel and recorded the achievement in the hotel’s registry. The historic hotel building still stands as the Sovell Apartments on the west side of the 100 block of 6th Street.

In 1911, construction began on the Sully County Courthouse. The three-story Classical Revival-style stone building with a clock tower offered the latest improvements in office fixtures such as vaults, files, and telephones. The courthouse has been improved over the last few decades and was listed on the National Register of Historical Places in 2001.

Along with the courthouse, other buildings were being constructed in the young town, including a few notable homes. One belonged to L.E. Snyder. The home was a beautiful residence with elements of American Foursquare architecture. It would eventually become the home to Titanic survivor Oscar ‘Doc’ Hedman. His story was recorded in newspapers across the state. Doc was held at gunpoint and prevented from claiming a seat on a lifeboat. He was eventually pulled from the frigid water after claiming to be an expert rower, which may or may not be true. Doc made his living in Onida as a chiropractor. After he passed away in 1961, the home fell into disrepair and became one that school children passed only on a dare. Despite its derelict condition, the home was restored in the 1970s and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1993.

While these historic buildings tell interesting tales of a time long ago, today, Onida is home to a great variety of businesses and homes, such as an airport, school, medical clinic, grain handling facilities, an ethanol plant, churches, restaurants, banks, and many others, all with their own unique stories to tell.