EMIA History

    Prior to the 1876 Gold Rush, the Black Hills were used by Native Americans (primarily bands of Sioux but others also ranged through the area).  The US government recognized the Black Hills as belonging to the Sioux  Nation by the Treaty of Laramie in 1868.  Despite being within Indian territory, white Americans were increasingly interested in the gold mining possibilities of the Black Hills. Prospectors found gold in 1874 near present-day Custer, SD, but the deposit turned out to be small.  The large placer gold deposits of Deadwood Gulch were discovered in November 1875.  Thousands of gold seekers flocked to the new town of Deadwood, although it was still within Indian land.  Accordingly, the United States unilaterally, imposed the Manypenny Agreement, claimed the land, and officially removed the Black Hills from the Sioux Reservation by passing the Congressional Act of February 28, 1877.

     Edelweiss Mountain was the largest silver strike during the 1876 gold rush in the Black Hills of Dakota territory.

     The Edelweiss Mountain Development began by creating plat maps on June of 1972 for Blocks A and B which included Swiss Dr, Alpine Dr, and the east side of Bavarian Dr.  The plat map for Block C was created in November of 1972 which included the west side of Alpine Dr, Vienna Dr, and the west side of Bavarian Dr.  Block D was created in November of 1973 which included the east side of Alpine Dr, Brenner Pass, and Danube Ln.  The plat map for Block E was created in June of 1975 which included the remainder of Alpine Dr, Heidelberg Ln, Matterhorn Dr, Munich Ln, Falcon Ln, Fredrick Ln, and Strauss Ln.  Block E was created in July of 1976 which included the top of Matterhorn Dr. and the south side of Falcon Ln.

     Edelweiss Mountain Improvement Association was incorporated on December 13, 1974 and lots began to sell.  

     Currently, there are 116 lots with homes on 72 of those lots.