After the gold rush’s rise and fall, the number of South Dakota ghost towns grew exponentially. Most have completely disappeared, while some still linger in the form of only ruins. There are a few, though, that have a bit of a different story. Take Sheridan, South Dakota, for instance. Now completely submerged, it’s one of the most intriguing of South Dakota's ghost towns. Let’s take a closer look at the history of Sheridan Lake.

This body of water is known as Sheridan Lake, but at one point in time, it didn't even exist.

The lake was created by a nearby dam on Spring Creek through construction, which took place from the 1930s to 1942. The name of the lake actually comes from the name of the town that it now covers, Sheridan, South Dakota.

This underwater city was once known as South Dakota's "Golden City" for its popularity during the gold rush.

Sheridan looked much like the town pictured below.

It sprang up quickly in 1875, as soon as word got out that there was gold, and filled with everyone from desperate miners to hopeful prospectors, all with the goal of striking gold here. And for a while, they did.

The town became very prosperous. It had multiple stores, saloons, schools, churches, and more, and thrived. It was even named county seat of Pennington County.

This, of course, was changed to

" target="_blank">Rapid City just one year later. The prosperity of the town, like many in the area, would not last. As the gold seemed to run dry, the residents began to leave. Most headed north to places like Deadwood in hopes of another chance at a fortune. They left Sheridan behind, and it became a ghost mining town like so many others. By 1920, only 10 people lived there. The once busy mines were failing. Not long after that, it was completely empty.

Today, it is some 30 feet underwater.

Only one of the original buildings of Sheridan still exists. It was moved six miles south just before the lake was created by the dam, and still stands today. These days,

" target="_blank">Sheridan Lake is popular for recreation. Tons of people boat and swim in the lake and have no idea that a town lies just beneath the surface of the water.

America's gold rush days certainly brought on a lot of history for the state, but few people know about this unique underwater city in South Dakota.

Have you ever visited Sheridan Lake? Ever heard of Sheridan, South Dakota? If so, do you have anything interesting to share? Tell us! Or, dig into the history of South Dakota with a unique history tour.

Believe it or not, Sheridan, South Dakota isn’t the state’s only submerged ghost town. There’s another town that’s been completely overtaken by water. Located in Pennington County, this underwater ghost town in South Dakota shared a similar fate, and most people have forgotten all about it.