[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 11]
[Senate]
[Pages 15876-15877]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




             HONORING THE CITY OF CHAMBERLAIN, SOUTH DAKOTA

 Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, today I wish to honor and publicly 
acknowledge the 125th anniversary of Chamberlain, SD, a small city 
nestled on the eastern bluffs of the Missouri River marking the divide 
between eastern and western South Dakota.
  Chamberlain, located in Brule County in central South Dakota, was 
founded in 1880. The land on which the town is located was obtained 
from the Federal Government by means of Civil War script. Once the 
property was acquired, a small group of men, for whom the streets of 
the city are now named, established the town. Soon thereafter, it was 
announced that the railroad would pass through the area, thus bringing 
a flood of pioneers to the city in search of a new home on the 
frontier.
  The town of Chamberlain grew rapidly. Within weeks, it was home to 
the Merchant's Hotel, the Brule County Bank and the Dakota Fire and 
Marine Insurance Company. Chamberlain's post office was established in 
May of 1881, and the Dakota Register, the town's first newspaper, was 
founded later that year.
  The first church in Chamberlain was the Congregational Church, 
established under the leadership of Reverend W.H. Thrall. Built in 
1881, the structure was donated by Selah Chamberlain, an officer of the 
Milwaukee railroad and the man for whom Chamberlain was

[[Page 15877]]

named. The church still stands today as a symbol of unity in this small 
city. Other denominations, including the Methodists, Catholics, 
Episcopalians, Lutherans, and Seventh Day Adventists, also established 
their respective churches in Chamberlain's early years.
  Ask any of its residents about the history of Chamberlain and they 
will probably recount the story of Theodore Roosevelt's campaign visit. 
Roosevelt and his band of Rough Riders arrived from the west on a very 
windy day when the air was so full of dust that people could barely see 
each other as they made their way around the town. Consequently, two 
cowboys collided on the street and one of the horses was killed in the 
accident. Roosevelt asked Mr. Lockwood, marshal of the day, if a local 
cowboy would lend him a horse. The request was overheard by a nearby 
rancher who promptly offered up one of his. Roosevelt, proud of his new 
acquisition, rode the horse around town with local boys until he left 
to continue his campaign elsewhere.
  Chamberlain is also known as one of the many places the Louis and 
Clark Expedition passed through. In mid-September of 1804, the team was 
greeted by exotic animals, such as jackrabbits, antelopes, mule deer 
and black-billed magpies, as well as the enormous herds of buffalo, 
deer, elk and antelope. The path the expedition traveled is now a 
popular hiking destination for outdoorsmen and history buffs alike.
  Like most young communities in the Dakotas, Chamberlain was not 
without its share of tragedy and hardship. In the first two years of 
Chamberlain's existence, the pioneers of the area experienced two of 
the hardest winters on record. Also, few can forget the typhoid 
epidemic in 1932. Towns upstream believed an old tale that the water in 
the river cleansed itself every 20 feet due to its saturation of mud 
and sand. As a result, many residents diverted their sewage into the 
river. Unfortunately, this resulted in a widespread typhoid outbreak. 
In a matter of months, the disease claimed the lives of 33 Chamberlain 
residents.
  Anyone who has traveled the State of South Dakota can attest to the 
beautiful vistas from the eastern bluffs of the Missouri River. This 
picture of the river stands as a warm welcome to western South Dakota 
and is a lasting reminder of the unique treasures and beauty of our 
State. Perhaps it was this panorama which inspired an early pioneer to 
write, ``I've reached the land of wealth and kine, a home in it may yet 
be mine.''
  I take this opportunity to recognize the achievements of the small 
city of Chamberlain and to congratulate its 2,260 residents as they 
celebrate their vibrant 125 year history.

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