Rosedale

South Dakota's ghost towns mix Black Hills gold camps with prairie farm towns the Dust Bowl finished.

Rosedale Colony is a Hutterite colony and census-designated place (CDP) in Hanson County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 0 at the 2020 census. It was first listed as a CDP prior to the 2020 census. It is in the western part of the county, on the southwest side of the James River. It is 7 miles (11 km) by road west-southwest of Alexandria, the county seat, and 14 miles (23 km) southeast of Mitchell.

The on-the-ground condition of Rosedale is unverified — it's listed here with unknown status. That could mean standing buildings, or an empty field. Go prepared for either, and consider sharing what you find so the record improves.

Nobody has confirmed the access situation, so treat any visit as reconnaissance: verify land ownership first, and be ready to admire from the road.

Here's the honest truth: access to Rosedale is unverified. We couldn't confirm whether the site sits on public land, private property, or something in between — so verify land ownership and local rules before visiting, and respect private property at all times. The mapped point for Rosedale is roughly 43.6250, -97.8739 — use it as a starting point and cross-reference a current topographic map before leaving pavement.

Ghost-town etiquette is simple: take only photographs. Removing artifacts is illegal on public lands and disrespectful everywhere else — and on federal land it can be a serious offense.