Eden
Eden Township, Marshall County, South Dakota, USA
History of Eden Park (Old Eden)
from "Marshall County"
by the Marshall County Historical Society
©1979
pages 110 - 111
In the 1890's Mr. John Kotschavor lived in what is now known as
section one in Eden Township. At first he had a small store in
his house on the farm. About 1895 he put a store on the northeast
corner of his land and in 1900 the pioneers got together and
built a church near his store. Kotschavor donated ten acres of
land for the church, cemetery and town and when the land was no
longer used for said purposes it would go back to him. He sold
lots for the town. This was the beginning of Eden (In 1909 it
was named Eden Park by some Polish Catholics because it was
surrounded by such beautiful lakes). Taken from S.D. Guide published
in 1938. In 1899 Tony Deutsch sold his farm to Leonard Cordie,
who moved here from Minnesota. He moved the old rectory from
Frank to where Kotschavor had the store and added on to it. They
lived in there and they had the post office and sold liquor in
there. Later they started to build the house where Jaspers live
now. They never lived in this house as Tony Deutsch died and Mrs.
Deutsch sold out to Mike Koenig, who had the saloon. Balt Janisch
moved up from Hansie and operated the store, feed mill and post
office. There was a blacksmith shop in the southwest corner of
Red Iron Lake township owned by Krames, later the farmers bought
the shop for George Wurzinger. The church was built in 1901 and
between the church and the Janisch store was a big school. This
school had children from a six mile area. About 1909 Buffalo
township built a school two miles south and one mile east of the
Eden school. In 1914 the railroad was built through this area.
This line came through Veblen, Hillhead, Lake City, Eden, Roslyn
and Grenville. Some of the business places from Eden Park or Old
Eden were moved to New Eden and some from Luffman to Lake City.
They couldn't sell liquor in New Eden so the liquor store was
moved to a site joining Eden which was known as China Town. Mrs.
Koenig and Tony Koppy operated the store. Tony Koppy built the
house which is now owned by Math Jaspers and Mike Koenig built
the house now owned by Alfred Janisch. Mike Koenig died shortly
after this change to the Eden area was made. The blacksmith shop
and hall were moved to China town. Balt (Houser) Janisch sold out
and moved to Canada. In 1916-1917 the Frank and Eden parishes
were combined and a new basement church was built in Eden. (now
used as a parish hall and a school was built on top of the old
church). In 1921 the school in Eden Park was divided and one
part moved 1½ miles east to Red Iron Lake township and was known
as Eden No. 6 School. During the last few years it was purchased
by Raymond Janisch and was moved to his farm. The only land marks
left of Old Eden or Eden Park are the cemetery and the main part
of the Jasper house in Lake township across the road from Eden
Park. The church was torn down and the lumber used to build a
hunter's club house on the Fred Wilgers farm. This farm was
later owned by John Sattler and now is operated by James Sattler.
The Balt Janisch house is now the residence on the Joe Henry
Streier farm.
By Mrs. Elizabeth Jaspers
E-mail: dwagner2@isd.net
©2002 DJW
Last Modified:
October 12, 2002