South Dakota State Archives South Dakota State Historical Society

History and Founding

The South Dakota State Archives is a programme of the South Dakota State Historical Society (SDSHS), which traces its origins to the Old Settlers Association of Dakota Territory, organised in 1862, and established its official relationship with state government in 1901. The State Archives itself was formally created by the South Dakota State Legislature in 1975, though archival collections had been gathered since 1891 when the Historical Society was formally established. The collections were housed in various facilities until 1989, when the Cultural Heritage Center—a 63,000-square-foot facility in Pierre—was completed, consolidating archives, historic preservation, museum, and research and publishing programmes under one roof.

Collections and Holdings

The State Archives is the official repository for South Dakota state government records, including those of the governor's office, legislature, court system, state agencies, boards, and commissions. It also holds county and local government records, private manuscript collections, photographs, maps, sound and video recordings, and an extensive collection of South Dakota newspapers on microfilm dating to the 1880s. The South Dakota Digital Archives provides online access to selected collections, including over 50,000 photographs and digitised manuscript and government document collections.

Notable Materials Related to Journalism and Media

The archives holds a significant collection of South Dakota newspapers on microfilm, a valuable resource for researchers studying the state's press history. The digital archives also provides access to birth, death, and marriage notices printed in South Dakota newspapers. Several manuscript collections in the archives document the careers of political figures and journalists whose correspondence includes newspaper clippings and media-related records.

Access and Usage

The State Archives research room is located at the Cultural Heritage Center, 900 Governors Drive, Pierre, South Dakota. It is open Monday through Friday during business hours. Researchers may access collections in person or request copies. Finding aids are available through the State Archives' ArchivesSpace online platform. Donations of historically significant materials related to South Dakota are welcomed.