Snoma

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

The Snoma Finnish Cemetery is a cemetery located about 3+1⁄2 miles (5.6 kilometers) southeast of Fruitdale, in Butte County, South Dakota, United States. In 1885, a small Finnish community called Snoma was founded nearby, and the residents built the cemetery. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on November 13, 1985. The cemetery has rarely had new burials since the 1980s, with only two occurring recently in 2019 and 2022 respectively.

The on-the-ground condition of Snoma 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 Snoma 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 Snoma is roughly 44.6330, -103.6849 — 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.