SDGENWEB South Dakota Timeline

Date Event
100 Million years ago Dinosaurs roamed the Dakota landscape.
40,000 - 50,000 years ago First humans reached North America.
500 - 1000 Mound builders lived throughout much of the midwest, including along the Big Sioux River.
1250 - 1500 Mandan-like tribe florished in Missouri River region.
1500s Arikara (Ree) migrated northward from Texas seeking relief from drought.
1664 Charles II of England granted to James, Duke of York (his brother) all of the land west of the Hudson River (including South Dakota). James never exercised this grant.
1717 France granted to John Law all of Louisiana (including South Dakota) with full rights of governing, operating, and protecting the territory.
1720 Louisiana reverted to France.
1743 Verendrye claimed the Missouri Valley for France. Planted a lead engraved plate at Fort Pierre as proof.
1750 "Sioux" tribes move into Dakota.
1762 France ceded Louisiana to Spain.
1800 Louisiana reverted to France.
1803 France sold Louisana to the United States for $3 million.
1804 District of Louisiana created, administered by Indiana. Lewis and Clark reach South Dakota.
1812 Missouri Territory organized - South Dakota included within its borders.
1817 First permanent settlement - Ft. Pierre.
1831 Steamboat "Yellowstone" first operated on Missouri River.
1834 Michigan Territory organized - extended as far west as the Missouri River.
1836 Wisconsin Territory created - extended as far west as the Missouri River.
1838 Iowa Territory created - included all lands north of the present state of Missouri between the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers.
1849 Minnesota Territory established - included all land north of present state of Iowa between the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers.
1858 Minnesota admitted as a state with present boundaries. Dakota orphaned. Treaty with Yankton tribe to buy all their land between the Big Sioux and the Missouri Rivers, except 400,000 acres in the eastern portion of Charles Mix Co., creating the Yankton Sioux Reservation.
1861 Dakota Territory created - included everything from the Minnesota border to the Rocky Mountains.
1863 First homestead filed in Dakota Territory.
1874 Custer discovers gold in Black Hills.
1877 Land closed to settlement by President U. S. Grant. Dawes Act passed. Reservations to be broken into 160 acre allotments for Indian farms.
1879 Land re-opened for settlement by white people.
1889 South Dakota admitted as a state with present boundaries.
1892 - 1904 Rosebud Reservation in Gregory Co. thrown open to homesteaders.
1895 Excess land in in the Yankton Reservation thrown open to homesteaders. Land sold for up to $3.75 an acre.
1900 "Free Homes Bill" becomes law. Surplus lands given to settlers.
1904 Pierre becomes the capitol of South Dakota.
1907 Surplus lands in Tripp County opened for homesteads.
1908 Surplus lands on Cheyenne River and Standing Rock Reservations opened for settlement.
1912 Surplus lands in Bennett, Mellette, and Washabaugh Counties opened for homesteads.
1939 Badlands made a National Monument.
1941 Mt. Rushmore finished.