Inspired by the original cottage during a vacation to England, Emma Shay completed the house and adjoining Shakespeare garden in 1932 and 1927, respectively.

In 1979, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Shakespeare Garden and Shay House for its unique architecture.

[6] The grounds were maintained by the English Department[3] at Wessington Springs College until it closed in 1964, after which time caretaking fell to a private organization.

In 1989, a group of Wessington Springs residents formed the Shakespeare Garden Society to buy and restore the grounds in the hopes that it would attract tourists.

[10] A plaque honoring the Shays was installed in the garden in 2009, alongside a new hybrid daylily grown specifically for the occasion.

[9] The 2-acre (0.81 ha) property is located on Alene Avenue North on the west side of Wessington Springs, South Dakota.

[2] The Shay House was constructed as a replica of Anne Hathaway's 16th-century cottage in Shottery, Stratford-upon-Avon, England, and as such was built in the Tudor Revival style.

[2] Media related to Shakespeare Garden and Hathaway Cottage (Wessington Springs, South Dakota) at Wikimedia Commons