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Minnesela

Ghost town · Butte County, South Dakota

Redwater quadrangle, USGS topographic map (1907, 1:62,500)
Redwater quadrangle, USGS topographic map (1907, 1:62,500) · U.S. Geological Survey, Historical Topographic Map Collection · Public domain

Minnesela is a ghost town in Butte County, South Dakota, recorded as human settlement in Butte County, South Dakota, United States of America. It is one of 3 former communities in Butte County on the federal names register. That ranks the county 8th among the 26 South Dakota counties with a vanished settlement on record.

The U.S. Geological Survey lists Minnesela as a historical populated place: the name is no longer in official use for a community, whether the settlement was abandoned, absorbed into a neighbouring town or renamed. The recorded location is 44.6410° N, 103.8120° W.

Key facts

Peak population0
Last recorded population0
Elevation3,097 ft
Nearest living townBelle Fourche, SD
Distance to it2.8 miles
Coordinates44.64100, -103.81200

Open the location on a map

What's there now

Minnesela is no longer a community in its own right. The nearest living town is Belle Fourche, SD (population 5,741), about 2.8 miles away in a straight line, and the site sits at roughly 3,097 feet above sea level. Much of the land around former townsites is private; check access before you visit.

Images

The town of Minnesela, South Dakota c. 1890. The township is now a ghost town. The wagon trail runs from north to south through the town. The long white buildin
The town of Minnesela, South Dakota c. 1890. The township is now a ghost town. The wagon trail runs from north to south through the town. The long white buildin · Unknown resident of Minnesela. / Wikimedia Commons · public-domain

Nearby places

Questions

Where is Minnesela?

Minnesela is in Butte County, South Dakota, at 44.6410, -103.8120.

How many ghost towns are in Butte County?

Butte County, South Dakota has 3 ghost towns on record at Wayfarrow.

Sources and licences

Facts marked "approximately" carry an uncertain date in the source. Text on this page is generated from the sources above; no encyclopedia prose is copied. Last updated 2026-11-05.