Davison County is a county in the U.S. state of South Dakota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 19,956, making it the 10th most populous county in South Dakota. Its county seat is Mitchell. The county was created in 1873 and organized in 1874. It was named for Henry C. Davison, the first settler in the county.

Davison County is part of the Mitchell, SD Micropolitan Statistical Area.

History

The area's first settlement occurred in 1871 in "Firesteel Creek"; the settlers were Herman Cady Greene and John Head. Greene brought lumber from Yankton in 1872 and built a frame house. The small community which grew around this house was called Firesteel. It became part of a county created by the territorial legislature in 1873.

In 1881 the territorial legislature met and considered two bills redefining the boundaries of Hanson and Davison Counties. They considered adjusting the two counties' boundaries by either combining the two, or changing their method of separation. A public vote determined to add four townships to the west, and split the two previous counties down the middle.

The settlement originally called "Arlandton" was renamed "Mount Vernon" in 1882; by 1883 it boasted a hardware store, a livery stable, lumber yard, drugstore, cigar maker, and a hotel.

During the latter part of the nineteenth century the county was served by railroad spur lines. By the mid-twentieth century, those lines had been abandoned and removed. The terrain slopes to the east, and rises toward its SW corner. Its highest point is on the western portion of its southern border, at ASL.

The county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.3%) is water. It is the fourth-smallest county in South Dakota by area.

Major highways

  • 20px Interstate 90
  • 20px South Dakota Highway 37
  • 20px South Dakota Highway 42

Transit

  • Jefferson Lines

Adjacent counties

  • Sanborn County – north
  • Hanson County – east
  • Hutchinson County – southeast
  • Douglas County – southwest
  • Aurora County – west

Demographics

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See also

  • National Register of Historic Places listings in Davison County, South Dakota

References

  • Davison County, SD government website