Soldiers going back and forth on the Military road running to Fort Thompson and points farther upstream on the east side of the Missouri River contributed to the high volume of traffic along the river in the last half of the 1800s.  Mule trains hauling supplies for the forts, ox teams with freight for mining camps and settlements, adventurers and home seekers, all added to the travel over this trail.

Roadhouses were built along the road where water could be had, and generally about a day’s journey apart.  When the Bijou Hills road was built there was a large pond of water by the place, but this finally dried up and wells had to be used.  On this trail, General Custer and his men traveled to the Black Hills, and later on to the Battle of the Little Big Horn.

Proteau who constructed the first permanent structure at Bijou Hills and his wife always had a number of children running about the place which sometimes made it interesting for those traveling up or down the river.  There were sheds for the oxen, horses, and mules, and always plenty of hay.  Mrs. Proteau was a good cook, so that the Bijou Hills roadhouse became one of the most popular along the route.

In 1873, Proteau sold out to a man names Jones, who with his Indian wife ran the place until 1877, when he sold to John Lowe.  Lowe and his wife came from Brule City to make Bijou Hills their home.

The land was still a reservation so that all that changed hands were the buildings.  Mr. Lowe improved the place, put in a large supply of goods and obtained the post office.  His brother, Charles Lowe, Sr., carried the mail from Bijou Hills to the Rosebud Agency, a distance of about 100 miles to the west.

He crossed the river at Rosebud Landing (Landing Creek).  He used ponies and a buckboard to make the approximate 200 mile round trip.  The mail was brought to Bijou Hills by what was called the Wyoming State Line.  It was equipped with fine stage coaches, called White Tops because of the color which could be easily spotted for a considerable distance on the prairie.  They were pulled by four strong horses.  These continued until the railroads but them out of business.

Later, the Bijou Hills Roadhouse was abandoned except for that time when it served as a school house for the settlement.  Boys and girls came a considerable distance, for school opportunities were scarce.  The building was also used for religious services, and other public gatherings.

One of the most enjoyable occasions of those early days was the G.A.R. entertainment held at the old roadhouse to start a fund with which to erect a G.A.R. Hall.  There was some very good talent among the boys and girls.  Robert Bayles was one of the most active and popular individuals living in Bijou Hills where he was the Commander of the G. A. R. Post.  He was also something of a singer and comedian who was the center of attraction whenever there were three or more in a group.

Bijou Hills in the early 1900’s had a church, bank, newspaper (The Bijou Hills Times), grocery store, Ford dealership, pool hall, and repair shop which sold gas.  The post office was discontinued in 1957 and the mail was then either sent to Academy or Chamberlain.

Academy, a small community in northern Charles Mix County was the nearest town to Bijou Hills.  It was the site of Ward Academy which was the origin of the name for the community.  At the time the academy served a wide extent of the area without other high school or academic facilities.

With the horse and buggy, they traveled all of Gregory County and wide areas of Tripp and Lyman counties for students who would board with families in Academy so they could attend a top rated high school.  These were devout Christians who wanted to provide a first-class education for the youth of the area.

Students who graduated from Ward Academy were trained to be teachers in the area schools.  Many of the teachers who taught in the rural schools of the area got their training at the academy.

Ward Academy was the founded in 1892 by Rev. L. E. Camfield and was later moved to Yankton.  This was the first secondary school in the northwestern part of the country at that time.

Camfield devoted his entire life to that institution.  It was supported by the Congregational Church which also established Yankton College, the first institution of higher learning in South Dakota.  This was the first effort to establish a school of higher education in Dakota.  The State Conference of the denomination was organized in 1870.

Badger Clark, the first poet laureate of South Dakota came to South Dakota in infancy and spent his childhood in Charles Mix county.  He studied at Ward Academy and Yankton College.

One of the most enjoyable occasions of those early days was the G.A.R. entertainment held at the old roadhouse to start a fund with which to erect a meeting facility.  There was some very good talent among the boys and girls.  Robert Bayles, who was something of a singer and comedian, was always the center of attraction.

 

Author Author Clarence Shoemaker, originally published in the Gregory Times-Advocate on September 10, 2025