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It was south and west of Yankton, Dakota Territory. This 1872 map can be viewed in the Archives and Special Collections. Map of Military Department of the Platte, Nebraska. Washington, D.C.: Engineer Dept., U.S. Army (Washington D.C.: N. Peters, Photo-lithographer), 1872. CHILSON COLLECTION MAP 4190 W728 1872

While doing research in an archival collection, have you ever come across intriguing, but completely off-topic items that have nothing to do with your research? For example, while working with the Edward Perry Churchill collection I found a research paper he wrote in 1916 on “The Learning of a Maze by Goldfish.” What do you think? Did the goldfish figure out the maze? This research paper can be found in the Printed Material series, Box 2, Edward Perry Churchill papers. Happy Archives Month

While doing research in an archival collection, have you ever come across intriguing, but completely off-topic items that have nothing to do with your research? Working with the George Prescott Scott papers in the Archives and Special Collections, I found a presentation he gave in 1982 on “Split Brains and Spooky Vibes.” Title aside, the presentation is a surprisingly serious essay on biophysical chemistry. While in the archival box, check out the folder on the Spooky Vibes Emblem, which is based on shapes found in nature. This presentation can be found in the Presentations/Plays/Poems series, box 6, folder 25, George Prescott Scott papers.

The following summary is from the guide to his papers at the Archives and Special Collections: Frank L. Farrar was born April 2, 1929, in Britton, South Dakota. Farrar was the only Governor of South Dakota who was also elected governor at South Dakota Boys State. He attended and graduated from the University of South Dakota with a business degree and a law degree. He served in the Korean War. In 1953, he married Patricia Henley and had five children. After leaving the army, Farrar opened a law practice in Britton, served as Marshall County Judge and State’s Attorney for Marshall County. He was also elected president of the South Dakota State’s Attorneys Association. Then, Farrar was elected as the youngest South Dakota Attorney General for three two-year terms in 1962. In 1968, Farrar was elected governor. One of his major accomplishments was signing the Narcotics Drug Act to fight against drug users and dealers. In 1970 he was defeated for reelection and returned to his law practice. The Frank L. Farrar papers consist primarily of materials from his time as South Dakota governor. Collection size 3.5 linear ft.

Eastern part of SD was in Iowa Territory 1838–1846. Morse, Sidney Edwards. Eastern part of SD was in Minnesota Territory 1849–1858. Rogers, Henry D., A. Keith Johnston, and John Murray. Western part of SD was in Nebraska Territory 1854–1861. Colton, Joseph Hutchins. SD was entirely in Dakota Territory 1861-1889. The original boundaries of Dakota Territory are shown on the first map below. The final boundaries are shown in the second map below. Johnson, Alvin Jewett. Mitchell, Samuel Augustus. All these maps can be viewed at the Archives and Special Collections. Prior to Iowa Territory, the area that would become South Dakota was Native American land, Louisiana Territory, Missouri Territory, Michigan Territory and Wisconsin Territory.

The WPA papers at the University of South Dakota Archives and Special Collections have recipe cards for 50 different ways you can prepare a pheasant. The South Dakota WPA Writers Project selected 12 of the 50 for their booklet “Fifty Million Pheasants.” Below is not one of the twelve, but it sounds tasty. To see a list of the Writers’ Program projects in South Dakota: Writers’ Program of the Work Projects Administration in the State of South Dakota. A Catalog of South Dakota Writers’ Project Publications : Fall and Winter, 1941-42. Vermillion: U of South Dakota, 1942. Z1335 .W75x or GOV DOCS ED 1200:W 939.

The mound appears on this 1856 map as Little Spirits Hill. Warren, Gouverneur Kemble. Spirit Mound was described by local Indigenous people to the Lewis and Clark expedition in 1804. Twenty years ago in 2001, it was replanted with native grasses and joined the South Dakota state park system as Spirit Mound Historic Prairie. In 2010, a geologic survey determined the mound to be a rock-cored drumlin created by a glacier. Check out the websites for Spirit Mound Trust or the Spirit Mound Historic Prairie for more information. U.S. Geological Survey. Both maps can be viewed in the Archives and Special Collections. Information about the addition of Spirit Mound Historic Prairie to the South Dakota state park system can be found in the William J. Janklow papers at the Archives and Special Collections. Geologic survey by Cody Miller, Origin and Erosion of Spirit Mound, Spirit Mound Trust website (accessed November 8, 2021).

This vintage photograph postcard is in the Works Progress Administration Records in the Archives and Special Collections. It was copyrighted in 1912 by L. E. Stair of Mitchell, SD. The WPA Records also contain a short story about this photograph as told by Mr. L. E. Stair.

Darrow, A. N., et al. Map of the Missouri River : from Its Mouth to Three Forks, Montana. Missouri River Commission, 1892-1895. Archives and Special Collections doesn’t have all the maps in this set, but we do have the indexes and maps for South Dakota under call number RICHARDSON COLLECTION 1472 M5 1895 U545. This map shows Vermillion, South Dakota and area after the flood of 1881 moved the Missouri River away from the town.

Even his wife Eleanor did not know what was in it. In her cookbook, she described the dressing as having a tangy flavor all its own. George McGovern was an US senator from South Dakota and the Democratic Party presidential nominee 50 years ago in the 1972 presidential election. This cookbook is in the Chilson Collection in the Archives and Special Collections at the University of South Dakota.