Life was hard for the early settlers of our area. Custer County is widely celebrated as the 'sod house capital of the world.' During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, homesteaders on the treeless plains utilized dense prairie sod to build highly insulating, cost-effective 'soddys'.

Custer County’s sod house heritage is well documented, from historical marvels to preserved locations: The Dowse Sod House: Located in Comstock is the most famous surviving soddy in the region. Built in 1900, it was continuously occupied until 1959 and is now a museum listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Visitors can tour the structure, which is furnished with period pieces and the original plow used to cut the earth.

The Solomon D. Butcher Collection: Many of the most iconic photographs of Custer County's sod homes—capturing families, outbuildings, and prairie life—taken by photographer Solomon D. Butcher are featured in a special display in the Custer County Museum.