Feature

In a 2016 True Dakotan file photo, Shakespeare Garden Society board members, from left, Kathy Dean, Susan Dean Arnott, Linda Boschee and Brenda Deines are pictured at the garden. Dean is being honored during Sunday’s Garden Party as she retires after decades of service to Shakespeare Garden.

In a 2016 True Dakotan file photo, Shakespeare Garden Society board members, from left, Kathy Dean, Susan Dean Arnott, Linda Boschee and Brenda Deines are pictured at the garden. Dean is being honored during Sunday’s Garden Party as she retires after decades of service to Shakespeare Garden.

A century later, Shakespeare Garden celebrates the women who kept a dream growing

A century after Wessington Springs College English Professor Emma Shay journeyed across the Atlantic in search of inspiration, the garden that grew from that trip continues to bloom on a hillside in Wessington Springs.
Dylan Schimke helped fuel the Wessington Springs Owls’ offense with three hits in Friday’s 8-7 Last Chance Game victory over Winner. Schimke singled during the Owls’ ninth-inning rally before Blaze Herdman’s two-run walk-off single sent Wessington Springs back to the Class B State Tournament.

Dylan Schimke helped fuel the Wessington Springs Owls’ offense with three hits in Friday’s 8-7 Last Chance Game victory over Winner. Schimke singled during the Owls’ ninth-inning rally before Blaze Herdman’s two-run walk-off single sent Wessington Springs back to the Class B State Tournament.

Three Sisters Family Reunion

The Three Sisters Family Reunion took place on Saturday June 27, 2026 at the Wessington Springs City Park.The three sisters — Betty Hoefert, Hazel Wilson, and Carol Hettinger — had family picnics in the park for manyyears.
Ralph Borkowski and his wife Kim captured second place in the 30th annual horseshoe tournament at the Elias/Borkowski Reunion, defeated by champion team Chad Borkowski and daughter Emily. (PHOTO COURTESY ELIAS/BORKOWSKI FAMILY)

Ralph Borkowski and his wife Kim captured second place in the 30th annual horseshoe tournament at the Elias/Borkowski Reunion, defeated by champion team Chad Borkowski and daughter Emily. (PHOTO COURTESY ELIAS/BORKOWSKI FAMILY)

Generations Gather for 56th Elias/Borkowski Reunion

The 56th annual Elias/ Borkowski Reunion convened on a beautiful summer day, Sunday, June 28, 2026, at the historical Field House in Wessington Springs City Park with 47 friends and relatives attending from three states.
Members of Vesper Chapter No. 81 of the Order of the Eastern Star gather inside the Wessington Springs Masonic Lodge, where the chapter has continued a tradition of fellowship, charitable giving and community service for nearly 120 years.

Members of Vesper Chapter No. 81 of the Order of the Eastern Star gather inside the Wessington Springs Masonic Lodge, where the chapter has continued a tradition of fellowship, charitable giving and community service for nearly 120 years.

After Nearly 120 Years, Eastern Star Continues Legacy of Service

For nearly 120 years, members of Vesper Chapter No. 81 of the Order of the Eastern Star have quietly stitched themselves into the fabric of Wessington Springs through scholarships, charitable giving and community service.
John McWilliams, right, of Fort Worth, Texas, and Jason Wenzel of Wessington Springs stand beside the fully restored 1985 Plymouth Gran Fury that once served as the Springs Police Department patrol car driven by Jason's father, longtime Police Chief Larry 'Hawkeye' Wenzel. McWilliams brought the cruiser to the Leap to Lane Car Show, where it sparked memories and stories from residents. (KRISTI HINE / TRUE DAKOTAN)

John McWilliams, right, of Fort Worth, Texas, and Jason Wenzel of Wessington Springs stand beside the fully restored 1985 Plymouth Gran Fury that once served as the Springs Police Department patrol car driven by Jason's father, longtime Police Chief Larry 'Hawkeye' Wenzel. McWilliams brought the cruiser to the Leap to Lane Car Show, where it sparked memories and stories from residents. (KRISTI HINE / TRUE DAKOTAN)

A piece of Wessington Springs history rolls home

At first glance, it looked like another restored classic at the Leap to Lane Car Show.Then people started recognizing it.'Is that really the car?' For many who wandered through the show, the 1985 Plymouth Gran Fury wasn't just another vintage automobile.
Marcus Damm stands on Main Street in Wessington Springs holding two of the 24 Betsy Ross-style American flags he purchased and installed along downtown light poles ahead of the Fourth of July holiday. Inspired by a conversation with his wife, Lynn, he organized the patriotic display, creating a festive welcome for residents and visitors during the holiday weekend.

Marcus Damm stands on Main Street in Wessington Springs holding two of the 24 Betsy Ross-style American flags he purchased and installed along downtown light poles ahead of the Fourth of July holiday. Inspired by a conversation with his wife, Lynn, he organized the patriotic display, creating a festive welcome for residents and visitors during the holiday weekend.

A patriotic vision takes flight on Main Street

Sometimes all it takes is a simple conversation to spark an idea.About two weeks before the Fourth of July, Marcus Damm was driving down Main Street when something struck him.'I was thinking, the Fourth is coming up, and there's not a whole lot here on Main Street,' he said.
Members of the Wenzel family gather for a Fourth of July celebration at the home of Duke and Karen Wenzel in Wessington Springs. Nearly 50 relatives, many traveling from Wyoming and Oklahoma, spent the holiday enjoying fireworks, yard games, shared meals and time together while celebrating a tradition they look forward to each year. (PHOTO COURTESY CRAIG WENZEL)

Members of the Wenzel family gather for a Fourth of July celebration at the home of Duke and Karen Wenzel in Wessington Springs. Nearly 50 relatives, many traveling from Wyoming and Oklahoma, spent the holiday enjoying fireworks, yard games, shared meals and time together while celebrating a tradition they look forward to each year. (PHOTO COURTESY CRAIG WENZEL)

A Family Tradition That Comes Home Every Fourth

The Fourth of July is a huge event at the Duke and Karen Wenzel’s Wessington Springs home. This year’s holiday included around fifty members of the family, most of them from Wyoming and Oklahoma.
 

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