Bon Homme County, South Dakota

Bon Homme County ( ; ) is a county in the U.S. state of South Dakota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 7,003. Its county seat is Tyndall.

History

Bon Homme County was created in 1862. "Bon Homme" was first used by Lewis and Clark in 1804 as the name for a 2,000 acre island in the Missouri River. When settlers arrived in the late 1850s they borrowed the name, and when the county was created it was named for the village of Bon Homme. A proposal to change the county name to "Jefferson" in 1865 was rejected. The French word "bonhomme" means "good man." The original island is now submerged under Lewis and Clark Lake. The village of Bon Homme was the original county seat until 1885, when it moved to Tyndall.

Bon Homme County is the point of origin for the Siberian alien, Kali tragus, a type of tumbleweed, first reported here in 1877, probably introduced in a shipment of flax seed from Ukraine.

Geography

thumb|right|[[Lewis and Clark Lake on the Missouri River in the southern part of the county]]

Bon Homme County lies on the south line of South Dakota. Its south boundary line abuts the north boundary line of the state of Nebraska (across the Missouri River). The west boundary line of the county is roughly defined by Choteau Creek, which flows southward to discharge in the river. The county terrain consists of low rolling hills, sloping to the river valley; most of the area is devoted to agriculture. The terrain's highest point is the county's NW corner, at ASL.

The county has a total area of , of which is land and (3.1%) is water.

Major highways

20px South Dakota Highway 25
20px South Dakota Highway 37
20px South Dakota Highway 46
20px South Dakota Highway 50
20px South Dakota Highway 52

Adjacent counties

Hutchinson County – north
Yankton County – east
Knox County, Nebraska – south
Charles Mix County – west

Protected area

Bucholz Waterfowl Production Area
Charley Creek Unit
Cosby Waterfowl Production Area
Missouri National Recreational River (part)
Sand Creek Recreation Area
Schaefer Waterfowl Production Area
Scheffel Waterfowl Production Area
Snatch Creek Recreation Area
South Bon Homme State Shooting Area
Springfield State Recreation Area
Tabor State Lakeside Use Area

Lakes

Lake Henry
Hruska Lake
Kloucek Lake
Lewis and Clark Lake (part)
Meiers Lake

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, there were 7,003 people, 2,378 households, and 1,503 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 2,810 housing units.

Of the residents, 18.5% were under the age of 18 and 21.5% were 65 years of age or older; the median age was 43.1 years. For every 100 females there were 144.9 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 157.0 males.

Politics

Bon Homme County voters often vote Republican. In only two national elections since 1976 has the county selected the Democratic Party candidate.