Faulk County, SD History .....Chapter XVIII Faulk Co. in 1908 1909
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CHAPTER XVIII.

FAULK COUNTY IN 1908.



    Faulk county is most favorably located in Central South Dakota. It is a

little north of the geographical center of the state and embraces a most

beautiful portion of that most wonderful wheat belt that produces No. 1 hard,

and is known all over the world. In extent it is north and south, twenty-four

miles; east and west, forty-two miles comprising a total area of one thousand

and eight square miles divided into twenty-eight congressional townships, six

miles square. It is a high plateau, slightly rolling, lying east of, and at the

foot of, a light range of coteaux that divide the waters of the James from those

of the Missouri river, and gradually sloping toward the James river. The Snake,

or the Nixon, river rises in the extreme western portion of the county and runs

east through its center, emptying into the James river near Ashton in Spink

county, supplying a large region with beautiful, clear spring water. In addition

to the water from the river, springs and lakes, there are now in Faulk county

360 flowing artesian wells, which have completely removed Faulk county from the

dry belt into the "sure crop" region of the country.



    There are now thirteen railroad towns in the county, five besides the City

of Faulkton, on the main line of the Chicago and Northwestern railroad from

Gettysburg, in Potter county, to Watertown, Brookings, St. Paul, Minneapolis,

Milwaukee and Chicago. Three are on the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul, on its

extension from Aberdeen via Roscoe, in Edmunds county, and Faulkton, to Orient.

The Minneapolis & St. Louis railroad, passing through the northern part of the

county from east to west to the Missouri river at LeBeau, has five stations,

around which are springing up live and promising towns. A grade from Aberdeen

direct to Pierre, passing through the county via Faulkton from northeast to

south west, which, if not ironed in the near future, will be as soon as the

traffic along its line actually demands it. The completion of this line will

make Faulk county one of the best, as far as railroad facilities to meet the

demands of the agricultural industries are concerned, in all the northwest.



    Typographically, Faulk county is without a peer. Its gradual descent from

the western line of the county to the eastern line, though slightly rolling,

gives many- of the most delightful views to be found. Its high altitude, clear,

bracing atmosphere, its charming, sunshiny days and lovely, moon shining and

starlight nights are entrancing to the beholder. Its luxuriant grasses and quick

response to the tiller of its soil, are the wonder and admiration of the

agriculturalist.



    Its high altitude or some unknown cause gives shorter, milder and more

desirable winters than are found either immediately east or west of the county.

The soil is heavy, fertile and very productive, adapted to stock-raising and

farm products of every variety. Wheat, oats, corn, flax, barley and rye are

staple crops. All varieties of vegetables are successfully raised in the most

enormous quantities and of the finest quality. Though a comparatively new

county, Faulk county took the third premium in 1885 and the second premium in

1887, for the best county exhibit at the Territorial Agricultural Fair. At the

State Fair at Aberdeen in 1891, Faulk county took the first premium on general

farm products; also at the State Fair at Yankton in 1903 and 1904 and at Huron

in 1905. In fact she has never made an exhibit without receiving a premium,

which speaks volumes for her climate conditions, the fertility of her soil and

the perseverance and skill of her husbandmen.



    The rich, nutritious buffalo grass, which is indigenous to the entire

county, not only in the usual grazing season, but through the entire year

(unless covered with snow) furnishes abundant feed to keep horses and neat stock

in-good growing condition. For the winter of 1907-8 there was only a part of one

day in which, the snow was too deep for stock to live and thrive upon the range.

I learn from a reliable farmer and stockman that his horses and neat cattle

steadily thrived and actually gained in flesh through the entire winter. The

season of 1908 has returned an abundant harvest, commanding high prices on the

market and the outlook for the future was never so encouraging as at the present

time.



    The climate is delightful, the atmosphere dry, but rain is generally

abundant when most needed. The roads are muddy only for a few hours after the

rain ceases, the water passing down into the ground almost immediately. The

seasons are as early, the summer is as long and the autumn as late, as in states

farther east and south of South Dakota. Seeding is generally completed here

before it is begun in Northern Iowa and while Minnesota, and Wisconsin are

snowbound.



    The most careful observation .warrants the opinion that nowhere in northern

latitude can a more desirable location be found for successful diversified

farming, than in Faulk county, South Dakota, where there is abundant room for an

agricultural population of 20,000 or 25,000. In 1883 and 1884 a large number of

persons came to Faulk county for the sole purpose of securing a quarter section

of government land under the preemption law, and, after proving up—making final

proof—returned to their homes, holding their land as an investment, until it

should become more valuable. Thousands of acres of these lands are now on the

market and can be obtained for less than half the price of inferior and less

productive lands in northern and central Iowa.



    The future of Faulk county, from a financial, social and intellectual

standpoint, is exceedingly flattering, The steady westward trend of emigration

warrants the prediction that Faulk county lands will soon be in the hands of

actual, industrious farmers, becoming the richest and most prosperous in its

various agricultural productions and placing more of them upon the market, than

any other county in the northwest.



    Another important fact to be taken into account by the home-seeker, is the

educational advantages of Faulk county. More than 35,800 acres of these rich,

fertile lands constitute a school fund in perpetuity. While a wise policy may

determine that they shall not be sold, they can be rented and the rich,

luxuriant grasses utilized for hay and pasturage, while at no very distant

future a revenue should be realized to materially lighten the burden of taxation

for our common schools.



    With the best of school facilities and commodious houses of worship at

almost every desirable point in the entire county, one can make no mistake in

securing a quarter or half section of these rich, productive lands for a

permanent home.



    The city of Faulkton, the county seat, is located on the bank of the Nixon

river on sections 14 and 15, township 118, range 69, near the geographical

center of the county, and with its immediate suburbs has about 1,000

inhabitants. A commodious, well constructed and convenient court house, good for

the next fifty years, four churches—Methodist Episcopal, Congregational, Free

Methodist and Roman Catholic—a fine school building with school second to none

in its primary and preparatory courses, a high school of the first order.



    With an intelligent, educated class of citizens, deeply interested in

sustaining the high standard attained, and with a determination that the

education of the young people of this city shall hold them in the front rank,

our educational facilities would appear to be assured.



    The Masonic Lodge and Royal Arch Chapter of Masons, Odd Fellows, Knights of

Pythias, Maccabees, Workmen, Woodmen, Eastern Star, Ladies of the Maccabees,

Degree of Honor, Woman's Relief Corps, Grand Army of the Republic, Tuesday Club,

Modern Brotherhood of America and the various organizations connected with the

churches, speak well for the social, intellectual, moral and religious standing

of the people.





Additional Comments:
From:



HISTORY OF

FAULK COUNTY

SOUTH DAKOTA

CAPTAIN C. H. ELLIS



TOGETHER WITH BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF PIONEERS AND PROMINENT CITIZENS



ILLUSTRATED

19O9





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