Interestingly, this event happened on Veteran's Day before there was a Veteran's Day.

On this date in 1889, the cornerstone to the Dakota Soldiers Home (State Veterans Home) in Hot Springs was laid.

According to this excerpt from The History of the Michael J. Fitzmaurice Home, http://www.state.sd.us/military/veteran/history.htm:

The Dakota Territorial Legislature met in February of 1889. While in session, they passed a bill establishing the Dakota Soldiers’ Home to be located in Hot Springs, South Dakota. The bill carried an appropriation of $45,000 for construction. The object of the Home was to provide the care and subsistence for veterans and their wives and widows who meet eligibility requirements for admission to the Home. The cornerstone of the first building was placed on November 11, 1889. This building remains in service and houses the Home’s administrative offices and recreational facilities.

The Veterans Home grounds cover approximately 193 acres. This offers a serene setting carved out of the beautiful Black Hills. By preserving the old and adding conveniences of the new, a true home environment exists. The four major structures are for residents alone with a central heating plant, laundry and maintenance shop.

Thank you Veterans and thanks too to our forefathers and mothers who helped establish the home in Hot Springs!

For more information about the State Veterans Home, click here: http://www.state.sd.us/applications/MV91MVAInternetRewrite/default.asp?navid=5