Editing Java, South Dakota (section)

== History ==
[[File:Java mainstreet.jpg|thumb|Main Street, Java in 2018.]]

Java was founded in 1900, shortly after the [[Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad|Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway Line]] was extended from Bowdle to the Missouri River. The village was incorporated into a town by election in 1903 after survey of the townsite by Surveyor George Merriman of Bowdle on September 5 of that year.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|title=Pioneer Footprints|last=Schlepp|first=Elmer|publisher=The 75th Jubilee Book Committee|year=1975|isbn=|location=Java|pages=6}}</ref>

Many of the first homesteaders were of German, Russian, Dutch, English, and Hungarian ancestry. The Java Herald, the first newspaper serving the town, was established in 1903 by Carl F. Clement, and was printed in both English and German.<ref name=":0" />

In 1904, the first municipal building, a jail, was erected, in addition to gravel streets and an engine house equipped with a fire engine, hoses, and other related items. Additionally, the Dakota Central Telephone Company installed a telephone booth and switchboard at The Java House, Java's first hotel, founded in 1900 by H. A. Taylor. Later, wooden sidewalks, a water reservoir, a town hall, a town well, and a windmill (to grind grain) were added. These additions were paid by warrants issued by the town, and in 1906 a $2,000 bond issue was passed to remove the debt.<ref name=":0" />

In 1905, the Kupp Brothers, J. C. and George, supervised the installation of a more permanent telephone system in the town for the Dakota Telephone Co.<ref name=":0" />

By 1907, the town possessed fire protection, a cemetery association, water supply, municipal buildings, and improved telephone facilities. Another addition to the town was made when the Milwaukee Land Company had their property north of the railroad track surveyed and added.<ref name=":0" />

From 1908-1909, the railroad company rerouted its track, passing north of the town by one-half mile. The citizens received a proposal from railroad officials to move the town north, however, this proposal was refused, and the town was served thereafter by a spur line constructed by the company.<ref name=":0" />

By 1913, the town had a Catholic, a Presbyterian, a German Lutheran, and a German Congregational Church. In 1915, the wooden sidewalks along Main street were removed and replaced with cement sidewalks. Later that year, the town hall was remodeled, the jail was moved, a bell tower was constructed. In 1916, a municipal light plant was constructed. In 1921, a schoolhouse was constructed, and at this time Java was incorporated from a town into a city, and adopted the Mayor-Alderman form of government, the first mayor under this new system being Carl F. Clement. In 1939, a Public Works Administration project was begun, creating a waterworks system to include both commercial and private users.<ref name=":0" />

In 1947, the city saw the creation of a park board that established a city park just west of the school house.<ref name=":0" />
[[File:Java blacksmith.jpg|thumb|upright|The old blacksmith shop in Java, in 2018, opened by John Banik in 1901.]]

=== Java High School ===
[[File:Java grain.jpg|thumb|Grain elevators in Java, in 2018.]]In 1901, the first term of school was help in a building that had been relocated into town, serving twenty-three students, ranging in age from five to eighteen years. In 1903, a frame school building was built on the site two blocks east of Main Street and was used until 1921, when the fireproof brick schoolhouse was constructed.<ref>{{Cite book|title=History of Java High School|last=Clement|first=Fritz and Bruce|publisher=Golden Days of Yesteryears: Java High School Alumni Reunion|year=1986|isbn=|location=Java|pages=7–20}}</ref>[[File:Java schoolhouse.jpg|thumb|The old schoolhouse in Java built in 1921. Photo taken in 2018.]]