Discover 9 hidden attractions, cool sights, and unusual things to do in Watertown (United States). Don't miss out on these must-see attractions: Redlin Art Center, Bramble Park Zoo, and Codington County Heritage Museum. Also, be sure to include Mellette House in your itinerary.
Below, you can find the list of the most amazing places you should visit in Watertown (South Dakota).
Table of Contents
Redlin Art Center
Art gallery in Watertown, South Dakota. The Redlin Art Center is an art gallery located in Watertown, South Dakota where over 150 of artist Terry Redlin's original paintings are displayed. The center was opened on June 6, 1997, and has welcomed over two million visitors. This 52,000-square-foot brick building was designed by Terry Redlin's son, Charles Redlin.[1]
Address: 1200 33rd Street S.E., 57201-7257 Watertown
Bramble Park Zoo
Historic zoo housing over 100 species. Bramble Park Zoo is located in Watertown, South Dakota. Open since 1912, the zoo comprises 15 acres with approximately 500 animals representing 130 different species.
Bramble Park Zoo has been an accredited member of the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA) since 1993.[2]
Codington County Heritage Museum
Museum in Watertown, South Dakota. The Codington County Heritage Museum is a museum located at 27 First Avenue Southeast, Watertown, South Dakota, in the Carnegie Free Public Library building.
The Carnegie Library was built in Watertown in 1906 through a grant from the Carnegie Foundation and functioned as a library until 1967 when operations moved to a new building further east in town next to what was then the newly built Watertown Senior High School. A youth group briefly occupied the Carnegie Library building before its use by the Codington County Historical Society.[3]
Address: 27 1st Ave SE, 57201 Watertown
Mellette House
Museum in Watertown, South Dakota. The Mellette House is a historic home and museum located at 421 Fifth Avenue Northwest in Watertown, South Dakota. It is the former residence of the first governor of South Dakota, Arthur C. Mellette.
The Mellette family built the two story house in 1885 on Prospect Hill (now Mellette Hill) and lived there until 1895. It was the location of Watertown's first radio station in 1929. When the house was condemned in 1943, a group purchased the property and formed the Mellette Memorial Association to restore and preserve it. They now give free tours in the summer. The house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. There are pictures of the Mellette family in the house along with original furniture and household items.[4]
Address: 421 5th Ave NW, 57201-2343 Watertown
Courthouse
The Codington County Courthouse is a courthouse serving Codington County, located at 14 First Avenue Southeast, Watertown, South Dakota. Codington County is part of South Dakota's Third Circuit Court.
The building was constructed by Gray Construction, under the direction of architects Freed, Perkins & McWayne, between 1925 and 1929 at a cost US$375,000 (equivalent to $5,917,878 in 2021). The rotunda features two large murals painted by Vincent Aderente of New York, although his name is misspelled as Adoratti on the historical marker at the courthouse grounds.
It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.[5]
Address: 1st Avenue Southeast and Maple Street, 57201 Watertown
Watertown Family Aquatic Center
Water park, Amusement park
Address: 118 9th Ave Sw, 57201 Watertown
Old Post Office
The Old Post Office is a historic building located at 26 South Broadway in Watertown, South Dakota.
The Watertown Post Office was built in 1908 and served until 1976. From 1976 to 2009, it was known as Old Post Office Square, and housed several tenants. From 2009 to 2014 it was home to KXLG in Watertown. It is currently the law office of Nancy Turbak Berry.
The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.[6]
Evangelical United Brethren Church
Building in Watertown. The Evangelical United Brethren Church is a former church and a historic building at 409 N. Maple in Watertown, South Dakota. It was built in 1914, affiliated with the Church of the United Brethren in Christ until around 1946, when a merger formed the Evangelical United Brethren Church. For a time it was used by Seventh-day Adventists. It is now a private residence.
The building was added to the National Register in 1989.
Its most salient feature is a castellated two-story tower. It has decorative brick and concrete false buttresses.[7]
Lake Area Technical College
Community college in Watertown, South Dakota. Lake Area Technical College is a public community college in Watertown, South Dakota. The campus covers 40 acres and serves an area of 18,000 square miles. Founded in 1965, Lake Area Tech was the first technical school to be established in South Dakota, followed by schools in Mitchell, Sioux Falls and Rapid City. Lake Area Tech is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.[8]
Address: 1201 Arrow Ave NE, Watertown