Yankton is a city in and the
county seat
A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US ...
of
Yankton County,
South Dakota
South Dakota (; Sioux: , ) is a U.S. state in the North Central region of the United States. It is also part of the Great Plains. South Dakota is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux Native American tribes, who comprise a large po ...
,
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...
.
The population was 15,411 at the
2020 census,
and it is the principal city of the
Yankton Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes the entirety of Yankton County and which had an estimated population of 23,297 as of July 1, 2021. As the first capital of
Dakota Territory
The Territory of Dakota was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 2, 1861, until November 2, 1889, when the final extent of the reduced territory was split and admitted to the Union as the states of N ...
, it was named after the Yankton tribe of Western
Dakota people
The Dakota (pronounced , Dakota language: ''Dakȟóta/Dakhóta'') are a Native American tribe and First Nations band government in North America. They compose two of the three main subcultures of the Sioux people, and are typically divided ...
; Yankton is derived from the Dakota word ''I-hank-ton-wan'' ("the end village").
Yankton is located on the
Missouri River just downstream of the
Gavins Point Dam and
Lewis and Clark Lake, and just upstream of the confluence with the
James River
The James River is a river in the U.S. state of Virginia that begins in the Appalachian Mountains and flows U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map , accessed April 1, 2011 to Chesap ...
. The United States
National Park Service
The National Park Service (NPS) is an agency of the United States federal government within the U.S. Department of the Interior that manages all national parks, most national monuments, and other natural, historical, and recreational properti ...
's headquarters for the
Missouri National Recreational River are located in the city. The
Human Services Center was established as a
psychiatric hospital
Psychiatric hospitals, also known as mental health hospitals, behavioral health hospitals, are hospitals or wards specializing in the treatment of severe mental disorders, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, eating disorders, dissociat ...
in 1882 and is on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...
.
Yankton is commonly referred to as the "River City", due to its proximity to the Missouri River and the importance the river played in the city's settlement and development. Yankton has also earned the nickname "Mother City of the Dakotas", due to the early important role it played in the creation and development of the Dakota Territory, which later became the 39th and 40th U.S. states of North and South Dakota.
Owing to the early exploitation of
Fort Hays Limestone for
cement manufacture, including shipment of cement to the construction of the
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal ( es, Canal de Panamá, link=no) is an artificial waterway in Panama that connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean and divides North and South America. The canal cuts across the Isthmus of Panama and is a condui ...
, Yankton once also had the nickname "Cement City".
[ With ]
Geography
Yankton is located at (42.881647, −97.392485).
in southern South Dakota on the state's border with
Nebraska
Nebraska () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Kansas to the south; Colorado to the sout ...
. The city is located on one of the last free-flowing, natural stretches of the
Missouri River; this segment of the river, between
Gavins Point Dam four miles west of Yankton, and Ponca State Park in Nebraska, has been designated by the U.S.
National Park Service
The National Park Service (NPS) is an agency of the United States federal government within the U.S. Department of the Interior that manages all national parks, most national monuments, and other natural, historical, and recreational properti ...
as the
Missouri National Recreational River.
The city is located approximately six miles west of the point where the
James River
The James River is a river in the U.S. state of Virginia that begins in the Appalachian Mountains and flows U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map , accessed April 1, 2011 to Chesap ...
flows into the Missouri.
The central business district of the city is located on a natural landing along the Missouri River, and city rises in the west to "Mount Marty" (actually a high bluff along the river). The city is also intersected by the Marne Creek, which also flows into the Missouri River.
Lewis and Clark Lake is located four miles west of the city.
According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of th ...
, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water.
Yankton has been assigned the
ZIP codes 57078-57079 and the
FIPS place code 73060.
Climate
Yankton has a humid continental climate (Koppen Dfa), with cold winters and hot summers.
Demographics
2010 census
As of the
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses inc ...
of 2010, there were 14,454 people, 5,909 households, and 3,348 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 6,365 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 92.1%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White ...
, 2.1%
African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 2.3%
Native American, 0.7%
Asian, 1.3% from
other races, and 1.6% from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...
or
Latino of any race were 3.4% of the population.
There were 5,909 households, of which 27.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.1% were married couples living together, 10.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 43.3% were non-families. 37.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.17 and the average family size was 2.87.
The median age in the city was 40.4 years. 20.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 26% were from 25 to 44; 26.1% were from 45 to 64; and 17.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 50.5% male and 49.5% female.
2000 census
As of the
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses inc ...
of 2000, there were 13,528 people, 5,369 households, and 3,232 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,743.2 people per square mile (673.1/km
2). There were 5,735 housing units at an average density of 739.0 per square mile (285.3/km
2). The racial makeup of the city was 94.35%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White ...
, 1.64%
African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 1.58%
Native American, 0.50%
Asian, 0.03%
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/ racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...
, 0.90% from
other races, and 0.99% from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...
or
Latino of any race were 2.46% of the population.
There were 5,369 households, out of which 29.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.5% were married couples living together, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.8% were non-families. 34.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.96.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 23.4% under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 28.2% from 25 to 44, 21.4% from 45 to 64, and 17.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.0 males.
As of 2000 the median income for a household in the city was $31,843, and the median income for a family was $44,009. Men had a median income of $29,012 versus $20,577 for women. The per capita income for the city was $17,954. About 6.2% of families and 10.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.8% of those under age 18 and 9.1% of those age 65 or over.
According to the 2003 Coldwell Banker Housing Price Comparison Index (HPCI), Yankton was found to have the lowest housing costs of any municipal entity in the entire United States. This is no longer the case as of the 2005 HPCI.
History
Native inhabitants
The site of Yankton was occupied by the Yankton Sioux (Dakota) prior to the arrival of European settlers. As part of the vast
Louisiana Purchase
The Louisiana Purchase (french: Vente de la Louisiane, translation=Sale of Louisiana) was the acquisition of the territory of Louisiana by the United States from the French First Republic in 1803. In return for fifteen million dollars, or ap ...
, the site of Yankton was visited by
Lewis and Clark
Lewis may refer to:
Names
* Lewis (given name), including a list of people with the given name
* Lewis (surname), including a list of people with the surname
Music
* Lewis (musician), Canadian singer
* "Lewis (Mistreated)", a song by Radiohead ...
in 1804. In the journals of the expedition, the explorers write of a meeting on August 30, 1804, with members of the
Yankton Sioux Tribe on a Missouri River bluff presently known as
Calumet Bluff
Calumet Bluff is a hill about 180 feet high overlooking Lewis and Clark Lake and the Missouri River in Cedar County, Nebraska, U.S., where the Lewis and Clark Expedition held its first council with the Sioux Indians for two days in 1804. Today ...
. As recently as 1857, the present day site of Yankton was occupied by a village of Yankton Sioux led by Chief ''Pa-le-ne-a-pa-pe'' ("Struck by the Ree"). Two years later, with the signing of the
Yankton Treaty of 1858, the land was opened for settlement. The city was founded where the small Rhine Creek (renamed Marne Creek in
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...
) flowed into the Missouri River. The city grew as a stop for steamboats to take on fresh water and supplies, especially after steamboat traffic boomed when gold was discovered in the
Black Hills
The Black Hills ( lkt, Ȟe Sápa; chy, Moʼȯhta-voʼhonáaeva; hid, awaxaawi shiibisha) is an isolated mountain range rising from the Great Plains of North America in western South Dakota and extending into Wyoming, United States. Black ...
.
Dakota territorial capital
With two days left in his term, President
James Buchanan
James Buchanan Jr. ( ; April 23, 1791June 1, 1868) was an American lawyer, diplomat and politician who served as the 15th president of the United States from 1857 to 1861. He previously served as secretary of state from 1845 to 1849 and repr ...
signed a law on March 2, 1861, creating the
Dakota Territory
The Territory of Dakota was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 2, 1861, until November 2, 1889, when the final extent of the reduced territory was split and admitted to the Union as the states of N ...
. Yankton was designated as the territorial capital, and newly inaugurated President
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln ( ; February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was an American lawyer, politician, and statesman who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln led the nation throu ...
appointed his personal physician,
William A. Jayne of Springfield, Illinois, as the first territorial governor. The territorial capitol building, a plain, two-story wooden structure, was located at the intersection of Fourth and Capitol Streets; the original structure has been demolished, but a replica of the building has been constructed in Yankton's Riverside Park. Yankton served as the territorial capital until 1883 when the capital was moved to
Bismarck (now the capital of North Dakota).
Yankton Stockade
In response to the
Dakota War of 1862 in western Minnesota, Governor Jayne issued a proclamation on August 30, 1862, requiring every male between the ages of 18 and 50 in every settlement in eastern Dakota, be formed into militias to protect against expected attacks from the Native Americans. In response, the Yankton militia built a stockade at the corner of Third Street and Broadway Avenue of approximately 200,000 square feet. Settlers from the surrounding area, and as far away as Sioux Falls and Bon Homme County, fled to Yankton to seek shelter in the structure.
Although roving bands of Native Americans did approach Yankton over the course of several weeks, no attack ensued, and the stockade was eventually abandoned and torn down. There is a historical marker at the site of the former stockade.
Among the most notable events that occurred in Yankton while capital,
Jack McCall, murderer of
Wild Bill Hickok in
Deadwood on August 2, 1876, was tried in Yankton for Hickok's murder, found guilty, and was hanged on March 1, 1877, at the age of 24. His body is buried in a Yankton cemetery.
Yankton College
Due to the urging of the Reverend
Joseph Ward
Sir Joseph George Ward, 1st Baronet, (26 April 1856 – 8 July 1930) was a New Zealand politician who served as the 17th prime minister of New Zealand from 1906 to 1912 and from 1928 to 1930. He was a dominant figure in the Liberal and Un ...
of Yankton, the General Association of Congregational Churches in Dakota Territory voted in May 1881 to establish "Pilgrim College" in Yankton, which was to be the first private institution of higher learning in Dakota. When the college was incorporated in August 1881, the name had been changed to "Yankton College". Classes commenced in October 1882, and
Yankton College played a prominent role in the city for over 100 years.
Then, in 1983, the small liberal arts college was forced to close due to financial insolvency. After remaining vacant for several years, the historic campus, which is listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...
, was purchased by the United States
Federal Bureau of Prisons
The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) is a United States federal law enforcement agency under the Department of Justice that is responsible for the care, custody, and control of incarcerated individuals who have committed federal crimes; that i ...
for use as a minimum security prison. The
Federal Prison Camp – Yankton houses approx 850 male inmates.
River Port and the Flood of 1881
Since its founding, Yankton enjoyed a natural advantage as a steamboat landing along the
Missouri River due to the fact that its landing stretched along the entire length of the town's riverfront. The first steamboat to reach Yankton from St. Louis arrived in 1859, providing goods and supplies to settlers and fur-traders in upper and central Dakota. Since then, the city continued to grow and quickly became the second largest city in South Dakota. The railroad reached Yankton in 1872. In 1874, gold was discovered in the Black Hills and prospectors rushed into Dakota Territory. By 1880, Yankton had become an established riverboat port on the Missouri River. It retained its position as the second largest city in South Dakota until the beginning of the 20th century.
The city's status as an important port was literally crushed on March 27, 1881, when an ice dam on the Missouri River burst, sending flood waters and giant blocks of ice flowing towards the town.
The resulting flood waters continued to accumulate behind the debris, and by March 29, the town's riverfront and downtown were covered in water, ice and rock, destroying or stranding several riverboats that were moored there. As a result of this flood, and the expansion of railroads as a preferred method of shipping goods, Yankton's river boat traffic was reduced, and the city's role as a prominent stopping point on the way west dwindled over the next several years.
Francis Marion Ziebach established the second newspaper in the area that became South Dakota, the ''Weekly Dakotan'', in Yankton on June 6, 1861, bringing his outfit from
Sioux Falls by team and wagon. A second newspaper, started by Francis Marion Ziebach, is still published today as the Yankton ''Press and Dakotan''.
In 1882, the
Human Services Center was established as a psychiatric hospital. On June 2, 1883, Dakota Territory Governor
Nehemiah G. Ordway
Nehemiah George Ordway (November 10, 1828July 3, 1907) was an American politician who was a New Hampshire state senator and the seventh Governor of Dakota Territory. Ordway was regarded as one of Dakota Territory's most controversial governors. ...
moved the territorial capital from Yankton to
Bismarck, present-day
North Dakota
North Dakota () is a U.S. state in the Upper Midwest, named after the indigenous Dakota Sioux. North Dakota is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba to the north and by the U.S. states of Minnesota to the east, ...
.
National Register of Historic Places
As evidence of its rich historical past, Yankton has 26 individual properties and 6 historic districts within the city listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...
, maintained by the
U.S. National Park Service. Each individual district contains several structures, and include:
* the Yankton (residential) Historic District,
* the
Yankton College Historic District,
* the Yankton High School Historic District,
* the Yankton Historic Commercial District
* the
House of Gurney Historic District, and
* the South Dakota Human Services Center campus.
Government
Yankton is governed by the City Commission, under a
Council-Manager form of Local Government. The City Commission is responsible for
legislative functions such as establishing policy, passing
local ordinance
A local ordinance is a law issued by a local government. such as a municipality, county, parish, prefecture, or the like.
China
In Hong Kong, all laws enacted by the territory's Legislative Council remain to be known as ''Ordinances'' () a ...
s, and voting
appropriations. The City Commission appoints the City Manager to oversee the administrative operations, implement its policies, and advise the commission. The manager position is similar to that of corporate chief executive officer (CEO), providing professional management to the board of directors. There are nine Commissioners that are elected by the citizens, and the Mayor is elected by the commission. As of 2018 the current Mayor is Nathan Johnson.
The
Yankton Police Department provides
law enforcement
Law enforcement is the activity of some members of government who act in an organized manner to enforce the law by discovering, deterring, rehabilitating, or punishing people who violate the rules and norms governing that society. The term ...
for the city's residents.
In 2006 it employed 29 sworn personnel.
Education
Yankton is served by the Yankton Public School District (K-12), Sacred Heart Catholic School (pK-8), and
Mount Marty College.
Yankton was once home to
Yankton College; founded in 1881, it was the first
liberal arts
Liberal arts education (from Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as La ...
college in the
Dakota Territory
The Territory of Dakota was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 2, 1861, until November 2, 1889, when the final extent of the reduced territory was split and admitted to the Union as the states of N ...
. The college closed in 1984. The campus was acquired by the
Federal Bureau of Prisons
The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) is a United States federal law enforcement agency under the Department of Justice that is responsible for the care, custody, and control of incarcerated individuals who have committed federal crimes; that i ...
in 1988 for use as the Federal Prison Camp – Yankton.
The Yankton School District has a variety of
extracurricular activities including athletics and non-athletics. The athletic teams are universal on all levels of education including the Yankton Middle School and the
Yankton High School. The boys' athletic teams are known as the Yankton Bucks and the girls' teams are known as the Yankton Gazelles. Yankton's debate team is the host of the annual
Lewis and Clark
Lewis may refer to:
Names
* Lewis (given name), including a list of people with the given name
* Lewis (surname), including a list of people with the surname
Music
* Lewis (musician), Canadian singer
* "Lewis (Mistreated)", a song by Radiohead ...
Debate Tournament, held on the last weekend of the month of January.
Yankton is home to
Mount Marty University, a private
Benedictine
, image = Medalla San Benito.PNG
, caption = Design on the obverse side of the Saint Benedict Medal
, abbreviation = OSB
, formation =
, motto = (English: 'Pray and Work')
, foun ...
Catholic institution of higher learning. Mounty Marty College Academy was founded in 1922 and subsequently changed their name to Mount Marty College in 1951 when they became a four-year, baccalaureate degree granting institution. The most recent change was the addition of doctoral programs and a transition to Mount Marty University in 2020. Mount Marty University athletes are known as the Lancers and compete in the
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) established in 1940, is a college athletics association for colleges and universities in North America. Most colleges and universities in the NAIA offer athletic scholarships to its stu ...
.
Recreation
The City of Yankton maintains fourteen municipal parks, including Fantle Memorial Park, which is the location of an outdoor public swimming pool, and Riverside Park, which is home to the city's Riverside Baseball Field. There are two golf courses in the city: the Fox Run municipal golf course, and the private golf course located at Hillcrest Golf and Country Club. The City of Yankton and the Yankton School District jointly maintain and operate the Yankton High School and Summit Activities Center; this facility offers an indoor swimming pool, several gymnasiums, and a public weight lifting room.
The double-decker Meridian Bridge over the
Missouri River was decommissioned for traffic in October 2008 after the new Discovery Highway Bridge was opened. This old bridge was converted to a pedestrian bridge (photo), and is part of the city's extensive pedestrian and bicycle path system. The Brokaw-Auld Trail is a linear park and recreational path along Marne Creek, and the State of South Dakota has developed trails and paths to and throughout the Lewis and Clark Recreation Area.
Four miles west of Yankton,
Lewis and Clark Lake attracts over 1.5 million visitors per year. The Lewis and Clark State Recreation Area, extending approximately two miles along the north shore of Lewis and Clark Lake, offering camping, swimming, hiking/biking trails, and boating facilities. The Lewis and Clark Resort and Marina is located within the park and offers cabin rentals, marina slips, convenience store, and a waterfront restaurant. The
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
, colors =
, anniversaries = 16 June (Organization Day)
, battles =
, battles_label = Wars
, website =
, commander1 = ...
also maintains public recreation areas along the Missouri River just downstream of
Gavins Point Dam.
Transportation
Air transportation is provided by the
Chan Gurney Municipal Airport
Chan Gurney Municipal Airport is a regional airport located three miles north of Yankton, in Yankton County, South Dakota. It is named for John Chandler Gurney, a native of Yankton who was a sergeant in the U.S. Army during World War I and ...
, owned by the City of Yankton; however, the nearest airports with commercial flights are
Sioux Falls Regional Airport in
Sioux Falls and
Sioux Gateway Airport in
Sioux City, Iowa
Sioux City () is a city in Woodbury and Plymouth counties in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 85,797 in the 2020 census, making it the fourth-largest city in Iowa. The bulk of the city is in Woodbury County ...
.
U.S. Route 81 serves the city as a north–south highway that connects the city with
Nebraska
Nebraska () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Kansas to the south; Colorado to the sout ...
across the
Missouri River to the south via the
Discovery Bridge, which replaced the Historic
Meridian Highway Bridge
The Meridian Highway Bridge is a bridge that formerly carried U.S. Route 81 across the Missouri River between Nebraska and South Dakota. The Meridian Highway Bridge connects Yankton, South Dakota with rural Cedar County, Nebraska. The Meridian Bri ...
in 2008.
Interstate 90
Interstate 90 (I-90) is an east–west transcontinental freeway and the longest Interstate Highway in the United States at . It begins in Seattle, Washington, and travels through the Pacific Northwest, Mountain West, Great Plains, Midwest, and ...
is approximately 65 miles north of the city, and
Interstate 80
Interstate 80 (I-80) is an east–west transcontinental freeway that crosses the United States from downtown San Francisco, California, to Teaneck, New Jersey, in the New York metropolitan area. The highway was designated in 1956 as one ...
is about 160 miles south of the city, via U.S. Route 81. U.S. Route 81 is also signed as Broadway Avenue within city limits.
South Dakota Highway 50
South Dakota Highway 50 (SD 50) is a state route serving south central and southeast South Dakota. The current alignment begins at the junction of South Dakota Highway 34 at "Lee's Corner" east of Fort Thompson, and ends at the Iowa border ne ...
serves the city as an east–west highway and includes a four-lane divided highway that connects the city to
Interstate 29, approximately 33 miles to the east.
South Dakota Highway 52
South Dakota Highway 52 (SD 52) is a state route that runs just north of the Missouri River, across southeast South Dakota. It begins at a junction with South Dakota Highway 37 north of Springfield, and terminates in Yankton at U.S. Highway ...
connects the city to the
Lewis and Clark Lake area, about four miles to the west.
Media
Broadcasting in Yankton began in 1922 when
WNAX radio went on the air. Today, two AM radio stations and two commercial FM stations are licensed to Yankton:
Radio
AM radio
FM radio
Several low-power non-commercial FM stations are licensed to Yankton.
There are no commercial television stations based in Yankton. Stations from
Sioux Falls and
Sioux City
Sioux City () is a city in Woodbury and Plymouth counties in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 85,797 in the 2020 census, making it the fourth-largest city in Iowa. The bulk of the city is in Woodbury County ...
serve Yankton. One Sioux Falls station,
KTTW
KTTW (channel 7) is a religious television station in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, United States, owned and operated by Tri-State Christian Television (TCT) with transmitter in Rowena, South Dakota. It is rebroadcast on KTTM in Huron, whose transm ...
(digital channel 7), is rebroadcast on analog channel 21 in Yankton.
KUSD-TV, the flagship station of South Dakota Public Broadcasting, is based in nearby Vermillion.
Yankton is also home to ''South Dakota Magazine'', a statewide bi-monthly publication that explores the history, culture, arts, travel and outdoors of the state. It is published in a historic building constructed in 1875 by Territorial Governor John Pennington.
Culture
Mount Marty University offers several cultural assets and venues in Yankton, including the Bede Art Gallery, which showcases artwork from regional and Native American artists, as well as Marian Auditorium, which hosts performing and fine art events. The college is also home to Great Plains Writers' Tour, which brings award-winning professional writers to campus for readings and class workshops. Previous authors include former United States poet laureate
Ted Kooser, American Book Award winner
Maria Mazziotti Gillan,
Elizabeth Cook-Lynn,
David Lee, and
William Kloefkorn, among others.
Yankton is also home to the
Dakota Territorial Museum, which is housed in the newly restored Mead Cultural Education Building on the campus of the Human Services Center in north Yankton. The collection contains information and artifacts about the heritage and development of the City of Yankton and the surrounding area. The museum's collection includes artifacts of Dakota Territory, Native American inhabitants, and early pioneers. The museum complex also contains several outbuildings, such as a restored rural school house and the Great Northern Railway Depot which will be moved to the new location at 82 Mickelson Drive in the latter part of 2019. The museum also displays a retired Burlington Northern Railway caboose.
Yankton's Riverboat Days is an annual celebration held in the third full weekend in August. The primarily free event attracts 135,000 people and hosts over 150 artists and over 50 food vendors at Riverside Park. Other activities include a rodeo, parade, golf tournament, and snowmobile grass drag race.
Sports
The
National Field Archery Association, NFAA, moved its headquarters from Redland, California to Yankton, South Dakota.
Special sporting events
The
National Field Archery Association's Easton Yankton Archery Complex hosted nearly 600 archers from 51 countries for the 2015 World Archery Youth Championships.
Contemporary culture
Games
*Yankton is a Native American settlement featured in the video game ''
Empire: Total War.''
*One of the fictional U.S. states featured in the 2013
Rockstar Games title ''
Grand Theft Auto V
''Grand Theft Auto V'' is a 2013 action-adventure game developed by Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. It is the seventh main entry in the ''Grand Theft Auto'' series, following 2008's ''Grand Theft Auto IV'', and the fifteenth in ...
'' is called North Yankton, named after both the city and county. However, the real U.S. state it's based on is
North Dakota
North Dakota () is a U.S. state in the Upper Midwest, named after the indigenous Dakota Sioux. North Dakota is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba to the north and by the U.S. states of Minnesota to the east, ...
, as opposed to Yankton's actual home of South Dakota.
Television
*Yankton is mentioned numerous times as the territorial capital in the western TV series
''Deadwood''.
*Yankton is mentioned in ''
The Middle'' episode, "Hecks on a Train" (2015).
Notable people
* Chief ''Pa-le-ne-a-pa-pe ''("
Struck by the Ree" or "Strikes the Ree"), Yankton Sioux (Western Dakota) Tribe, signatory of
Yankton Treaty of 1858 opening up eastern South Dakota for U.S. expansion
[Karolevitz, Robert F. (1972). ''Yankton: A Pioneer Past -'' North Plains Press – 1972 – pp. 2–4. U.S. Library of Congress Number 72-88949]
*
William A. Jayne, born in
Springfield, Illinois
Springfield is the capital of the U.S. state of Illinois and the county seat and largest city of Sangamon County. The city's population was 114,394 at the 2020 census, which makes it the state's seventh most-populous city, the second largest ...
, first governor of Dakota Territory, 1861–1863; territorial delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives, 1863–1864.
* The Reverend
Joseph Ward
Sir Joseph George Ward, 1st Baronet, (26 April 1856 – 8 July 1930) was a New Zealand politician who served as the 17th prime minister of New Zealand from 1906 to 1912 and from 1928 to 1930. He was a dominant figure in the Liberal and Un ...
, born in
Perry Center, New York, educator and founder of Yankton College; his statue is in Statuary Hall in the U.S. Capitol.
* General
William H. H. Beadle, born in
Parke County, Indiana
Parke County lies in the western part of the U.S. state of Indiana along the Wabash River. The county was formed in 1821 out of a portion of Vigo County. According to the 2010 census, the population was 17,339, an increase of 0.6% from 17,241 ...
, Surveyor General of Dakota Territory and educator; his statue is in Statuary Hall in the U.S. Capitol.
*
John Chandler "Chan" Gurney, served as United States Senator from South Dakota between 1939 and 1951
*
Lyle Alzado,
NFL player, played college football at Yankton College
*
Tom Brokaw, former
NBC anchorman and native of
Pickstown, South Dakota, graduated from Yankton High School
*
Wynn Speece
Winifred (Wynn) Hubler Speece (1917–2007) was the "Neighbor Lady" on WNAX (AM) radio for 64 years from 1941 to 2005. Speece began working at WNAX in 1939 shortly after graduating from Drake University
Drake University is a private universi ...
, WNAX radio personality (Neighbor Lady)
*
Adam Vinatieri
Adam Matthew Vinatieri (born December 28, 1972) is an American former football placekicker who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 24 seasons with the New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts. Considered one of the greatest ...
,
NFL placekicker and free agent, was born in Yankton
*
Stephanie Winslow, singer
*
Robert H. Warren, fourth superintendent of the
United States Air Force Academy
The United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) is a United States service academy in El Paso County, Colorado, immediately north of Colorado Springs. It educates cadets for service in the officer corps of the United States Air Force and U ...
*
Lawrence Welk, bandleader and native of
Strasburg, North Dakota
Strasburg is a historically German speaking village in Emmons County, North Dakota, United States. The population was 379 at the 2020 census. Strasburg was founded in 1902.
History
Strasburg was laid out in 1902 when a spur of the Chicago, Mi ...
, resided in Yankton while he served as the WNAX AM radio bandleader
*
Colton Iverson
Colton Miller Iverson (born June 29, 1989) is an American professional basketball player for the Akita Northern Happinets of the Japanese B.League. He played college basketball for the Minnesota Golden Gophers men's basketball, University of Minn ...
, basketball player,
Colorado State University
Colorado State University (Colorado State or CSU) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Fort Collins, Colorado. It is the flagship university of the Colorado State University System. Colorado S ...
, NBA
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics ( ) are an American professional basketball team based in Boston. The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Atlantic Division. Founded in 1946 as one of t ...
second-round draft pick, 2013
*
Layne Somsen
Layne R. Somsen (born June 5, 1989) is currently the starting left fielder for Crow Bar Softball in Sioux Falls, SD. He is a former American professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cincinnati Reds in 2016 ...
, baseball pitcher,
South Dakota State University
South Dakota State University is a public land-grant research university in Brookings, South Dakota. Founded in 1881, it is the state's largest and most comprehensive university and the oldest continually-operating university in South Dakota. The ...
, MLB
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division and were a charter member of ...
22nd round draft pick, 2013
*
Ralph A. Gamble
Ralph Abernethy Gamble (May 6, 1885 – March 4, 1959) was a Republican politician who represented Westchester County, New York in the United States House of Representatives from 1937 to 1957. He was a member of the prominent Gamble family of So ...
, former US Congressman
*
Maury Nipp, NFL player
*
Abner S. Flagg
Abner S. Flagg (December 13, 1851 – September 18, 1923) was an American politician and businessman.
Born in Princeton, New Jersey, Flagg moved with his parents to Lancaster, Wisconsin in 1854. From 1874 to 1879, Flagg lived in Yankton, Da ...
, Wisconsin State Assemblyman
['Wisconsin Blue Book 1897,' Biographical Sketch of Abner S. Flagg, pg. 693–694]
*
Dave Koehler, Illinois State Senator
*
Grant Marsh, record-setting steamboat captain. His statue is in Riverside Park in Yankton.
See also
*
Federal Prison Camp, Yankton
The Federal Prison Camp, Yankton (FPC Yankton) is a minimum-security United States federal prison for male inmates in Yankton, South Dakota. It is operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons, a division of the United States Department of Justice. Th ...
*
Gavins Point Dam
*
Human Services Center
*
Lewis and Clark Lake
*
Missouri National Recreational River
*
Mount Marty College
*
National Register of Historic Places listings in Yankton County, South Dakota
*
Yankton College
References
External links
City of Yankton – Official City Government WebsiteVisit Yankton, South Dakota – Yankton Convention and Visitors BureauYankton Area Chamber of Commerce
Riverboat Days and Summer Arts Festival annual festival every 3rd weekend in August.
Missouri National Recreational River – U.S. National Park ServiceYankton Press & Dakotan – local newspaperSouth Dakota Magazine – state magazineWNAX AM radioGavins Point Dam / Lewis and Clark Lake – U.S. Army Corps of EngineersLewis and Clark Recreation Area – South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks
{{Authority control
Cities in South Dakota
Former colonial and territorial capitals in the United States
Cities in Yankton County, South Dakota
County seats in South Dakota
Micropolitan areas of South Dakota
South Dakota populated places on the Missouri River
Populated places established in 1869
1869 establishments in Dakota Territory
Forts along the Missouri River