An octagonal bell tower with eight openings in Gothic pointed-arch shapes defines Underwood United Methodist Church. It was built in 1908 and altered in 1920. The church is in Aurora County, ten miles north of White Lake, and is considered an outstanding example of the wooden rural churches built in rural South Dakota in the early 20th century. The tower’s shape and the building’s history give architecture enthusiasts two concrete points of reference for understanding the structure.
Discover Architecture and History
The Aurora County Courthouse also makes a distinctive architectural statement: the three-story, rectangular cast-in-place concrete building combines Art Deco with Art Moderne. In Plankinton, the Aurora County Historical Museum is one block from the courthouse. The ACHS museums comprise five historic buildings and a main entrance with an office. Exhibits include objects, written and oral histories, land descriptions and a document library.
The Raesly House east of Plankinton in Aurora County is considered an excellent example of a substyle of Queen Anne architecture. A hipped roof and lower cross gables are among its defining features. Marian and Josephine Raesly built the house around 1883. Its architecture can therefore be identified both by its design and its approximate construction date.
Other historic connections lead to Plankinton: the Sweep Hotel is listed on the National Register of Historic Places; the Commercial House Hotel was one of the town’s earliest buildings. Another marker, Stratosphere Balloon Landing, commemorates the landing of Explorer II on November 11, 1935, after a record ascent to 72,395 feet. The Badger Clark Dakota Home marker identifies the homestead in Aurora County where future Poet Laureate Badger Clark lived from the age of one year and nine months until he moved to Mitchell. These sites tell different stories—from architectural history and local development to aviation and literature.
Wetlands and Birdwatching
The 420-acre Fish Lake Game Production Area includes a lake surrounded by smaller wetlands and grassland. Humphrey WPA and Humphrey Slough GPA together make up a 900-acre area. Its landscape features include a lake, a marsh, a shelterbelt of deciduous trees, flooded cottonwoods, grassland and farmland. The two descriptions emphasize different features: Fish Lake centers on a lake surrounded by smaller wetlands and grassland; the area near Humphrey combines several landscape types with farmland.
At the 800-acre Maine WPA, seasonal opportunities for observing shorebirds are available in April and May, and again in August and September. Sandhill cranes can be observed during migration in the fields of western Aurora County. The timing differs between these two experiences: shorebirds are associated with four months in two seasonal windows, while crane viewing is tied to migration.
Fishing, Parks and Other Interests
The historic Jail Pond, also called Kids Pond, offers shore fishing for northern pike and channel catfish, as well as opportunities for family fishing. Black bass, sunfish, perch, walleye and channel catfish are listed at Wilmarth Lake. Crystal Lake offers shore fishing for channel catfish and perch; Patton Dam offers rainbow trout and channel catfish. If you’re planning a fishing trip, check current fish populations and facilities.
The parks offer different options for other activities: Pool Side Park in Plankinton is home to the town’s large public swimming pool; seasonal operating hours may vary. So check the current season before visiting. Westside Park has a picnic shelter, shaded areas and playground equipment. White Lake’s City Park offers wide-open spaces for play. Hunting is another seasonal option: White Lake is associated primarily with pheasant hunting, as well as duck and deer hunting; Plankinton is associated in the fall with world-class pheasant and white-tailed deer hunting. Check regulations and access separately.
A Regional Driving Route
Beyond the individual town, the Spring and Fall Driving Loop runs from Mitchell via Fish Lake GPA and White Lake to Maine WPA. It then returns to Mitchell or continues to Broken Arrow WPA. This regional driving route brings together bodies of water and wetland destinations alongside the towns mentioned; the route links these stops without making any claims about whether individual facilities are open.
Discover more destinations: Plankinton, Brule County, Davison County, Union, Dewey County, Lyman County, Walworth County, Tripp County.
For the broader travel overview: South Dakota.
