First newspapers in South Dakota…

February 13, 2012 by  
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The very first printing of any kind to be done in present-day South Dakota wasn’t until Sept. 20, 1858, relatively late for that section of the country. It was an election notice, and less than a year later the first newspaper appeared on July 2, 1859 titled the “Democrat“,  printed in Sioux Falls. It published on an irregular schedule for less than a year when it was discontinued for lack of support. Reports are that the newspaper was revived as the “Northwestern Democrat“, however no copies under that name have survived. The press was destroyed by a band of hostile Sioux Indians in 1862.

The second newspaper in South Dakota was the “Weekly Dakotian” begun in Yankton on June 6, 1861, by Frank Ziebach. A year later it was absorbed by its rival, the “Press“, becoming the “Press and Dakotan“, and a bit  later the “Dakota Union“.

Note:  Images are not currently available for any of the above… but will be added if/when they are available.

Perhaps the most famous 19th century title is “The Black Hills Pioneer” which was printed in Deadwood City beginning in 1876. It would be an issue in early August of that year that would report the death of  Wild Bill Hickok while playing cards that would be one of the most sought after newspapers for any collection.

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Filed under: Collecting Newspapers, Common Questions, Newspaper Collecting Ideas, Noteworthy Issues, Post Civil War, Pre Civil War, The Hobby, Valuation of Issues
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