This Big Day in S.D. History: Gov. Berry Dies
Former Governor Tom Berry (D) died in Sioux Falls, SD on October 30, 1951. He was one of the few Democrats to serve as governor. He served from 1933-1937 during the heart of the Great Depression.
Sources: http://www.netstate.com/states/government/sd_formergov.htm http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/berry.html http://www.sdhistory.org/arc/Governors/berry.htm
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Reader Comments (4)
Too bad some rich Democrat didn't get behind converting it to a museum on the New Deal in South Dakota.
Gov. Berry was big on reducing spending, and passing an income tax.
South Dakota has been a 1 party state since 1889!
Republicans running South Dakota for the next 116 years?
Surely YOU can dream bigger than that, right?
Bernie Hunhoff, once candidate for governor himself, told this story about Tom Berry. While campaigning for governor, Berry arrived at a ranch and there was no flatbed hay wagon for a podium so the farmer cranked up his F-10 Farmall and scooped together some hay and manure from the cowyard to make a platform.
Berry climbed up on top of the pile, held his nose and winced, and commented, “This is the first time I’ve ever been asked to speak on a Republican platform!”
In town for a big convention, his opponent signed a Hot Springs hotel register "Jensen and Chauffeur." Right behind him, Democratic candidate Berry signed "Tom Berry and suitcase."