One of the
United States, was formed by the division of
Dakota Territory into two States in 1889.
It is bounded on the north by
North Dakota, east by
Minnesota and
Iowa, south by
Nebraska, and west by
Wyoming and
Montana.
In latitude it lies between 43° and 46° N., and in longitude between 96° 20' and 104° W.; area, 77,650 square miles, in fifty-one counties.
Population, 1890, 328,808; 1900, 401,570.
Capital, Pierre.
Lewis and
Clarke ascend the
Missouri River on their way to the
Pacific, leaving the mouth of the river May 14, 1804, reaching the mouth of the
Columbia River Nov. 7, 1805; and returning by the
Missouri, arrive at
St. Louis......Sept. 23, 1806
Fort Pierre established......1829
First steamboat to navigate the
upper Missouri, the
Yellowstone, built by the American Fur Company at
Pittsburg, ascends the river as far as
Fort Pierre......1831
Treaty of Traverse des
Sioux signed by the Indians, ceding to the
United States the territory east of the
Big Sioux River......1851
Gen. W. S. Harney, with 1,200 men, marches from the
Platte River to
Fort Pierre, where they encamp for the winter......1855
First settlement established at
Sioux Falls by the
Western Town-lot Company, of
Dubuque, Ia......1857
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By organizing
Nebraska Territory, May 30, 1854, and
Minnesota State, May 11, 1858, the remainder of
Dakota is left without legal name or existence......1858
Territory of Dakota organized with an area of 150,932 square miles, by act of Congress......March 2, 1861
Seat of government for
Dakota Territory located at
Yankton......1862
Sioux Falls destroyed by the
Sioux Indians, and settlers flee to
Yankton......1862
Fort Dakota built on reservation at
Sioux Falls......1865
Line of the
Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. Paul Railroad built from
Sioux City, Ia., to
Yankton, completed......1873
Military and scientific exploring expedition, under
Gen. G. A. Custer, arrives at the
Black Hills, July, 1874, from Fort Abraham Lincoln.
Specimens of gold are washed from the soil near
Harney's Peak, where it was known to exist in 1867, but emigration thither was stopped by
General Sherman on account of Indian troubles.
This visit causes great excitement among the
Sioux Indians......1874
Gold discovered in
Deadwood and Whitewood gulches......1875
Indians relinquish their titles to lands in the
Black Hills and western counties of
southern Dakota......1876
Town of
Deadwood laid out......1876
Dakota school for deaf-mutes at
Sioux Falls opened......1880
Yankton College, chartered in 1881, opened at
Yankton......1882
Tin, detected as a black sand accompanying gold from the
Black Hills, by
Professor Pearce, of
Argo, is practically discovered by
Maj. Andrew J. Simmons, of
Rapid City......1883
Seat of government removed from
Yankton to
Bismarck......Sept. 11, 1883
A convention called by some 400 delegates who met at
Huron, June 19, convenes at
Sioux Falls, Sept. 4, and frames a constitution for the
State of Dakota to comprise the southern half of the
Territory......Sept. 19, 1883
University of
South Dakota at Vermilion opened......1883
Pierre University at East Pierre chartered and opened......1883
Sioux Falls University opened......1883
United States Senate passes a bill for the admission as a State of the southern half of
Dakota Territory; that portion north of the 46th parallel to be called the
Territory of Lincoln......1884
Agricultural college at Brookings opened......1884
Dakota University at
Mitchell opened......September, 1885
Constitutional convention called by the legislature at
Sioux Falls frames a constitution for
South Dakota......Sept. 25, 1885
Legislature passes a local option law......1887
School of mines at
Rapid City, established by act of legislature in 1885, is opened......1887
A majority vote for the division of
Dakota Territory into two States, North and
South Dakota, at an election held......November, 1887
Act admitting
South Dakota signed, a constitutional convention to meet at
Sioux Falls, July 4, 1889......Feb. 22, 1889
Election held by proclamation of territorial governor,
A. C. Mellette, April 15, 1889, for delegates to a constitutional convention to meet July 4, and the
Sioux Falls constitution of 1885 favored by 37,710 votes to 3,414......May 14, 1889
Sioux Falls constitution amended and adopted by a convention at
Sioux Falls, July 4, which adjourns......Aug. 5, 1889
Charles A. Foster, of
Ohio,
William Warner, of
Missouri, and
Gen. George A. Cook, a committee appointed by the
President, arrive at the
Sioux reservation early in June, and secure the consent of threefourths of the Indians to open for settlement 26,751,105 acres of their land in the northwestern part of
South Dakota......August, 1889
Arthur C. Mellette, Republican, elected governor of
South Dakota, the
Sioux Falls constitution adopted by 70,131 to 3,267; the article prohibiting the manufacture and sale of intoxicating liquors adopted by 40,234 to 34,510, and Pierre chosen as the temporary capital......Oct. 1, 1889
First State legislature convenes at
Pierre......Oct. 15, 1889
South Dakota admitted into the
Union with the northern boundary the seventh standard parallel......Nov. 2, 1889
Proclamation by
President Harrison opening up the
Sioux reservation, 9,000,000 acres, and a rush of immigrants who
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had assembled on the east bank of the
Missouri......Feb. 10, 1890
Legislature creates a State board of charities and correction, a board of regents of education, a State board of equalization, a board of pardons, a bureau of labor statistics, the office of State engineer of irrigation, a State meteorological bureau, a State inspector of mines, and a State board of pharmaceutical examiners......1890
Pierre selected as the permanent capital of the
State.......1890
Farmers' Alliance and Knights of Labor parties meet in State convention at
Huron, report in favor of woman suffrage, prohibition, and tariff for revenue only, and unite under the name of the Independent party......June 6, 1890
Dakota soldiers' home, established at
Hot Springs, Fall River county, in 1889, is opened......Nov. 27, 1890
Battle with Big Foot's Indian band on
Wounded Knee Creek; some 250 Indans killed, including forty-four squaws and eighteen papooses.
Loss to United States troops, thirty-two killed, thirty-nine wounded......Dec. 29, 1890
General Miles, after the Indians at Pine Ridge agency surrender, Jan. 15, declares the
Indian outbreak at an end......Jan. 19, 1891
James H. Kyle elected
United States Senator......Feb. 16, 1891
Australian ballot law enacted at session of......Jan. 6–March 7, 1891
Sisseton Indian reservation opened to settlers......April 15, 1892
Catholic Sioux congress opens at
Cheyenne agency; 6,000
Sioux Indians present......July 3, 1892
C. H. Sheldon, Republican, elected governor......1892
Board of medical examiners created and practice of medicine regulated......1893
Election of railroad commissioners provided for......1893
C. H. Sheldon, Republican, elected governor......1894
Prize-fighting in the
State prohibited......1895
Andrew E. Lee, Populist, elected governor......1896
United States Circuit
Judge A. J. Edgerton dies......Aug. 10, 1896
[
John A. Garland appointed successor.]
The board of regents of education according to amendment of State constitution controlling all State educational institutions,
Charles N. Herreid,
Robert H. Haira,
H. H. Blair,
H. L. Hough, and
F. A. Spafford appointed......1897
James H. Kyle elected
United States Senator......1897
Constitutional amendment providing for a State dispensary system adopted......1898
First Regiment mustered into the
United States service......May 12, 1898
Woman suffrage defeated by an adverse majority of 4,008......Nov. 8, 1898
Act carrying into effect provisions of constitutional amendment relating to initiative and referendum passed......1899
Andrew E. Lee, Populist, elected governor......1899
Charles N. Herreid, Republican, elected governor......1900
School of technology at
Aberdeen established......1900
Act creating food and dairy commissioner and enforcement of the pure food laws, passed......1901
State Historical Society established......1901
Circulating school library law enacted......1901
Judges Bartlett Tripp,
J. M. Brown, and ex-
United States Senator G. C. Moody appointed by
Governor Herreid a committee to codify the laws of the
State......1901
Act providing for the State board of agriculture......1901
Act giving governor absolute and unlimited power of removal of certain constitutional and all appointive officers......1901
Act establishing law department of State University passed......1901
United States Senator Kyle dies......July 1, 1901
Governor Herreid appoints
A. B. Kittredge Senator to fill vacancy......July 11, 1901
The Supreme Court renders a decision construing the constitutional amendment establishing the initiative and referendum which practically abolishes the same......1901
Beginning of new era in railroad building......1901
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Tennessee 
