Source: Minnehaha County History.

Source: http://www.crh.noaa.gov/fsd/?n=fsdtrivia04

April 30th, and May 1st, 1967 a late season blizzard swept across the northern plains. One of the latest major storms on record for the state began late on the April 30th and continue into the first day of May. Snowfall across western South Dakota was generally in the 5 to 12 inch range with 16" at Lemmon and 30" in the northern Black Hills. Winds of 40 to 50 mph reduced visibilities to near zero and piled the snow into 4 to 5 foot drifts. Livestock losses were estimated at around 5% from the storm.

Eastern South Dakota, Southwest Minnesota, and Northwest Iowa only received light snow.

Source: http://www.historicaldocuments.com/TreatyofFortLaramielg.htm

Historical Documents
Treaty of Fort Laramie

In this treaty, signed on April 29, 1868, between the U.S. Government and the Sioux Nation, the United States recognized the Black Hills as part of the Great Sioux Reservation, set aside for exclusive use by the Sioux people.

Source: http://puffin.creighton.edu/lakota/1868_la.html

FORT LARAMIE TREATY APRIL 29, 1868

TREATY WITH THE SIOUX-- BRULÉ, OGLALA, MINICONJOU, YANKTONAI, HUNKPAPA, BLACKFEET, CUTHEAD, TWO KETTLE, SANS ARCS, AND SANTEE--AND ARAPAHO

15 Stat., 635.
Ratified, Feb. 16, 1869.
Proclaimed, Feb. 24, 1869

Articles of a treaty made and concluded by and between Lieutenant-General William T. Sherman, General William S. Harney, General Alfred H. Terry, General C. C,. Augur, J. B. Henderson, Nathaniel G. Taylor, John B. Sanborn, and Samuel F. Tappan, duly appointed commissioners on the part of the United States, and the different bands of the Sioux Nation of Indians, by their chiefs and head-men, whose names are hereto subscribed, they being duly authorized to act in the premises.

*** 

Source: http://www.crh.noaa.gov/fsd/?n=fsdtrivia04

Source: http://www.crh.noaa.gov/fsd/?n=fsdtrivia04

On April 28th, 1994 winter returned to eastern South Dakota western Minnesota and western Iowa just three days after temperatures in the 80s and severe thunderstorms ripped across the region. A strong area of low pressure moved across the plains states and heavy snow developed across the tri-state area. Snow accumulated in the 5 to 12 inch range across eastern South Dakota with 5 to 10 inches in southwest Minnesota and northwest Iowa. Heavy snow fell to the crashes of thunder at Sioux Falls where 4 inches accumulated in one hour. The 10.5 inches that piled up in Sioux Falls was the most ever recorded for so late in the season.

S.D. native and longtime TV game show host Bob Barker.

Source: http://www.cbs.com/daytime/price/about/bios/cast_bios_bbarker.shtml

On April 26, 2002 , Bob broke Johnny Carson’s record for continuous performances on the same network television show. Johnny retired from The Tonight Show after 29 years, seven months and 21 days ( 10/1/62 – 5/22/92). Bob bypassed that record in 2002 – and is still going strong!

Source: http://www.crh.noaa.gov/fsd/?n=fsdtrivia04

A major Spring storm affected the Northern Plains from April 25th through the 29th, 1984. The storm brought heavy snow and strong winds to western South Dakota paralyzing a third of the state for over three days. Snow amounts were heaviest in the northern Black Hills where 67 inches fell at Lead and 44 inches fell at Deadwood. The storm resulted in the loss of large numbers of livestock with, at least, 13,000 cattle and 15,000 sheep falling victim to the storm. The heavy wet snow wreaked havoc with the electricity as 10,000 people were without power at one time or another....some areas north of Rapid City to the North Dakota border were without power for up to 1 and a half days. After the heavy snow...strong winds produced a major blizzard. The storm resulted in several million dollars worth of damage and losses across western South Dakota.

As heavy snow pounded western SD on the 26th thunderstorms ripped across the eastern portion of the state and into northwest Iowa and southwest Minnesota. Two separate lines of storms moved east across the area producing golf ball size hail and winds in excess of 60 mph in some areas. Funnel clouds were sighted near Worthington, MN, but only straight-line wind damage was reported in the area. By April 29th, 1984 the thunderstorms gave way to snow across the tri-state area as 3 to 7 inches blanketed the region.

Source: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,51003,00.html

South Dakota Senate Race a Proxy War

Wednesday, April 24, 2002

By Carol McKinley

Farm Bill Played Out in Crucial Midwestern State

One-term incumbent Democratic Sen. Tim Johnson and the state's at-large Republican Rep. John Thune are racing for the Senate seat in South Dakota, but the showdown is turning out to be a proxy war between President Bush and Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle.

A Thune victory could turn the one-seat Democratic majority in the Senate over to the Republicans. It would also be an immense blow to Daschle's prestige, even though South Dakota's senior senator is not up for re-election.

Gov. Tom Berry (D-S.D.)

Sources: http://www.netstate.com/states/government/sd_formergov.htm, http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/berry.html and http://www.sdhistory.org/arc/Governors/berry.htm

Author Ole Rolvaag.

Source:http://people.mnhs.org/authors/biog_detail.cfm?PersonID=Rolv336