Aurora county is situated on the western water shed of the 
James river, between that stream and the Missouri River. It is 
bounded on the north by Jerauld County, on the east by Sanborn 
and Davison on the south by Douglas and Charles Mix and on the 
west by Brule County. It comprises twenty congressional towns, 
720 square miles and 400,800 acres.
	The northern portion of the county is drained by branches 
of Firesteel Creek, the western and southwestern by Platte Creek 
which, discharges into the Missouri River in Charles Mix County 
and the south-eastern by streams which flow partly into the James 
River in Hutchinson County and partly into the Missouri River in 
the Yankton Indian Reservation. These last mentioned streams in 
Aurora County are mostly intermittent, flowing only a portion of 
the year.
	There are several considerable bodies of water in the county, 
the principal of which are White Lake in the northwestern part, a 
fine sheet of water covering 3000 acres and Platte Lake near the 
west line, having an area of 1200 or1500 acres.  A half a dozen 
smaller lakes are scattered over the central portions of the 
county. There are few marshes and very little waste land.
	The famous Wessington Hills extend into the northeastern 
corner of the county, where they break the monotony of the 
wide-spreading prairie and afford some very picturesque scenery.
	The southern portions of the county are generally speaking, 
composed of broad rolling prairie, having a rich productive soil 
adapted tothe growth of grasses, grains and vegetables of the 
northern temperate zone. The county is mostly well settled by a 
thrifty class of young Americans.
	The Chicago, Milwaukee and St Paul Railway passes through 
the county near its center, affording good shipping facilities 
and aiding in the rapid development of the county.
	ORGANIZATION   The county was created by an act passed 
at the session of 1880-1881. the commissioners appointed by the 
Governor were E H McIntosh, J B Smart and Charles Brudenbach, who 
met inPlankinton, August 20,1881 and appointed the following 
officers: Register of deeds and ex-officio County Clerk C J 
Anderson, Judge of ProbateJ J Kibbe, Sheriff  J Siffler, 
Treasurer J Thorp, Surveyor J D Miracle, Assessor J W Thomas, 
Coroner S H Bakewell, Justices D W Shyrock, George Saville, 
R Hooper,  Constables Charles Palmer, W H Webster, C W P Osgood, 
D N Shepard. At this meeting the county seat was temporarily 
locates at Plankinton.
	On the 20th of August 1882 the county was divided into 
five voting  precincts and judges of election were appointed 
for each precinct. The county officers chosen at the first 
regular election held in November 1882, were the following: 
Commissioners R S Bateman, Charles Brudenbach, W H Hooper, 
Sheriff J Stiffler, Register of Deeds C J Anderson, Judge of 
Probate W M Smith, Treasurer J M Campbell, Assessor L G Wilson, 
Surveyor J H Rogers, Superintendent of Schools A G Owen, Coroner 
R F Brown, Justices R V Burnham, F Keiser and M Ryan, Constable 
A C Solberg. At this election Plankinton was made permanent 
county seat.
	In February 1882, Judge Edgerton appointed G L Beckett 
clerk of the district court.The following are the present 
county officers, Register of Deeds C J Anderson, Clerk of Court 
B H Sullivan, Judge of Probate W M Smith Sheriff Joseph Stiffler, 
Coroner R F Brown, Treasurer James M Campbell, Surveyor J H 
Rogers, Superintendent of Schools A G Owen, Assessor W L Anderson.
	The county has a court house and jail, altogether costing 
about $20,000.
	EARLY HISTORY   The following interesting statements 
relating to the early settlement of the county were furnished by 
Sheriff Joseph Stiffler.
	In February 1880 Joseph Stiffler made claim of the south 
half of Section 22, Town103, Range 64. At that time, with the 
exception of the Firesteel settlement, there were no other 
settlers in the county.
	In April following, G F Francis located on the west half 
of Section 27 Town 103 Range 64 and in the same month J M 
Campbell located land in Sections 23 and 24 town 103 Range 64. 
In June E H McIntosh and J D Miracle arrived within a week of 
each other, the former locating on the southeast quarter of 
Section 14 and the latter on the northwest quarter of the same 
Section Town 103 Range 64. These were all settlements made during 
that summer.
	In the month of October T C Granger, H B Lovejoy, C Johnson, 
E Nye, William Anderson, C J Anderson, E Vrooman and others made 
settlement.     
	During the winter of 1880-81, E H McIntosh, J M Campbell, 
J D Miracle, T C  Granger, H B Lovejoy, C Johnson, E Nye, E 
Vrooman, Joseph Stiffler, O Wiekert, William anderson and 
William Sutherby remained in the county, mostly in the vicinity 
of Plankinton. The winter in Dakota , as well as other sections 
of the United States was very cold.
	FIRESTEEL SETTLEMENT   In May or June of 1879 J 
Breidenbach, A P Ames and -- McKinley made permanent settlement 
in town 104 range 63 and during that year George Saville, George 
T Gibbs, C Breidenbach and P McGovern made claims and settled 
permanently in the spring of 1880.
	PLANKINTON   The land covering the site of Plankinton was
pre-emted by Ira Woolen, who built a claim shanty very early in 
1880, about one block south and one west of the present depot 
grounds of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St Paul Railway Company. 
He proved his claim on the 10th of August following and on the 
same day sold his right and title to General Lawler of the 
Chicago, Milwaukee & St Paul Railway Company, who proceeded to 
lay out a town. On the first of July 1881, General Lawler sold 
the property to G E Dibble and C F Wick and the latter gentleman, 
in January 1882 sold half interest to F H Clark.
	The original town plat covered eleven blocks, eight north 
of the railway and three south. The first edition consisting of 
twelve blocksnorth of the railway was made by Miracle and Clark, 
March 2,1882. An addition of nine blocks on the south was made 
the same day byMiracle & Clark and there have been several later 
additions.
	In August 1880, T J Ball erected a one-story frame building,
about 14 by 20 feet in size, on the ground where the present 
Commercial House stands, which was occupied as a saloon. In 
September following he sold the building to C J Anderson who 
moved it to the corner of Main and First streets, now occupied 
by the Plankinton House, where he opened a stock of groceries in 
charge of his brother, Wm L Anderson.
	A Post Office was established in September 1880 and J D
Miracle was appointed first Postmaster. The office was kept in 
Andersons store.
	In October 1880 T C Granger erected the original Plankinton
House adjoining Anderson's store and in the same month H B Lovejoy
moved a small building from Michell and set it on the ground where 
the First National Bank now stands. C Johnston wintered in 1880-81, 
in a small building which he put on the rear end of the First 
National Bank lot.
	In October, Joseph Stiffler built a livery barn 24 by 36, 
near where his present structure stands. At that time it was the 
largest building in the city. The railway company erected a depot 
and sectionhouse the same fall.
	In the summer of 1881, J J Kibbe erected a building for a 
drug store on the site now occupied by R Brown's store and about 
the same time the Mansion House was built. D Evans and F R Eaton 
also erected business houses and from that time to the present 
the progress of the town has been steady and continuous.
	Plankinton was incorporated as a village under authority 
of the board of county commissioners, the people voting unanimously 
in favor of organization at an election held September7,1882. At 
the first charter
election held September 22nd of the same year, the following 
persons were elected. Trustees C Thompson, President C C Irons,
T C Granger, W H Ferguson, Clerk F P Baum, Treasurer George G 
Welch, Marshal J T Thompson, Justice John Rogers, Assessor E 
J Marvin.
	The present board ( spring of 1884 ) is constituted as 
follows; Trustees H C Holmes, President S B Clark, F H Clark, 
T M Lindsey, J D McCormack, Clerk F P Baum, Treasurer G G Welch, 
Justice John Rogers, Marshal D W Shepard, Assessor, vacancy.
	CHURCHES The first church organization in the place was 
effected by the Congregationalists, in June 1882 under the 
supervision of  Rev. P E Holp and include seventeen members. 
A fine church was erected in 1883. 
	The Methodists followed in December of the same year, 
under the management of Rev. E O Murray and the society built 
a house of worship in 1883.
	The Catholics organized in the fall of 1882, Rev. Father 
F Flannigan in charge. The communicants include about sixty 
families.
	Of secret orders there are a lodge of Knights of Honor
organized December 29,1882 with thirty charter members, O O H
organized in August 1882 having a present membership of 175 
and I O G T organized in October1882 with fifty members.
	A board of trade was organized in March 1882. The present
officers are, R W Welch president, S B Clark vice president, Capt.
Brown treasurer, T F Rigg secretary. 
	An agricultural society was incorporated under the general 
law July 7, 1883, with the following charter members Gideon E 
Clark president, S B Clark vice president, T C DeJean second vice 
president, John Rogers secretary,  C F Francis treasurer, Capital 
stock $5000. The association owns seventy acres of land near the 
town, with a good half-mile track. Its first fair and exhibition 
was held October 3, 4 and 5 and resulted very successfully. $2500 
were paid in premiums
	NEWSPAPERS   The Aurora County Standard was first issued
February 17,1882 by A M Amdrews. On the 17th of March 1883, T F 
Rigg purchased half interest and on the 5th of February 1884 
became sole owner. It is a large size quarto sheet, printed on a 
steam power press and the office is extensively fitted up for 
every variety of job work.
	The Dakota Free Press was established in November 1882 by
F Kibbe, the first issue appearing the 22nd of the month. In July 
1883 a half interest was purchased by C J Stockwell and on the 
1st of December following, I G Hardin became joint owner with 
Mr Stockwell. The paper is six-column quarto, handsomely printed 
and well edited.
	The Plankinton post office under the administration of 
A M Andrews has become one of the important institutions of 
this region. It has been fitted up solely by Mr Andrews at a 
heavy expense and now ranks as one of the best appointed in the 
territory.
	The Bank of Plankinton was established in February 1882 
with the following officers, R W Welch cashier, G G Welch 
assistant cashier. The building is constructed of chalkstone of 
the Cretaceous formation and considered fireproof. It is 25 by 
40 feet in dimensions and two stories in height, has a plateglass 
front, a fire and burglerproof safe with a time lock and cost 
complete $4500.
	From a private banking house it was changed to a national 
bank on the 10th of March 1884 with the following board of 
directors. R W Welch president, B H Sullivan vice president, 
G G Welch cashier, C F Hatton, J D Barton, W M Smith, A D Nelson. 
Mason's Bank ( John and Arion Mason proprietor's ) was organized 
June 1,1883 with capital of $100,000.
	Messrs. Bassett, Hunting and Co of McGregor, Iowa erected 
a grain elevator with a grain capacity of 40,000 bushels in 
August 1883.The business in Plankinton managed by D D Fraser.
	D R Putnam of Iowa also erected a steam elevator with a 
capacity of 20,000 bushels in September 1883, Nelson and James 
are agents at Plankinton.	
	A post of the Grand Army of the Republic no. 27 was 
organized in July 1883, chartered September 15. Its membership 
numbers 216.
	A lodge of the A O U W was organized December 7, 1882. 
The present membership is about thirty. A lodge of the I O O F 
was organized March 8,1883 and has a membership of between 
thirty and forty.
	SCHOOLS A school was organized in the fall of 1881. 
Henry Hoffman was the first teacher. The present fine building 
was erected in 1882 at an expense of $2500. The school is a 
graded one.
	The city of Plankinton though scarcely three years of 
age may boast of numerous features both of a public and private 
nature of which any place might well be proud. Among the notable 
improvements may be mentioned a fine three story courthouse 
building 42 by 62 feet in dimensions to cost $15000, in process 
of construction a good jail with cells constructed of the best 
steel and costing the county $5000, a good frame school building 
with four departments, two handsome church edifices Congregational 
and Methodist, a steam roller flour mill with a capacity of 
seventyfive barrels per day, two banks, a large numberof well 
stocked business houses, two live newspapers the peers of
any in the country, three good hotels and a general air of 
energy and thrift which indicates continued progress in all 
legitimate enterprises.
	WHITE LAKE   The following information regarding this place
was furnished by Mr W H Hooper a prominent citizen of the place.
	In may 1880 he left Winnesheik County Iowa and came
through Dakota with a team. After a careful examination of Aurora
County he finally filed a soldiers declaratory statement on a 
portion of Section 35, Town 105, Range 64 and in July following 
returned to Iowa. At this time Ames, Bradenbach brothers and 
McKinley were settled on Firesteel Creek. In May 1881 he returned 
to Dakota where in June following he was joined by his brother 
George F. In July the brothers filed their claims, W H on the 
northeast quarter of Section 14, Town 103, Range 66 and George F 
on the northwest quarter of the same section, town and range.
	In August James H McFarland traveled on foot from Yankton
and filed on a tree claim and also preempted a quarter section 
a half mile north of the town site of White Lake.
	In September 1880 John Tovey, Miss Emma Goodykoontz
and Henry Lamont settled on Platte Creek in Town 103 Range 66.
During the same fall John Hanten, Michael Wagner, M Oppel and 
Henry Lucas located in the same town.
	During the winter of 1880-81 Ansel Goodykoontz settled on
a portion of the Cloverdale Ranch and in the summer of 1881 the 
Herrick settlement, in Town 104 Range 66, was made on the banks
of White Lake. The first settlers were Arthur Herrick, his father 
and Dr Cole. These were the only settlements in the vicinity 
previous to 1882.
	A post office was established at W H Hooper's residence,
with Mr Hooper as Postmaster, on the 31st of October 1881. It was
named Windsor. The regular mail service began on the 1st of January
1882, the route being from Canton in Lincoln County to Chamberlin
in Brule County. At this date the Chicago, Milwakee, & St Paul 
Railway was completed some distance west of White Lake and the
mail was thrown from the train as it passed. The first mail for 
the place consisted of a letter and a postal card addressed to 
Postmaster Hooper.
	In April 1882 G F Hooper laid out into a town plat the east
half of the northwest quarter of Section 14 and the post office was
immediately removed to the new town, which was called Yorktown
and the name of the post office changed to correspond soon after.
	In June 1882 the Hooper Bros. and Robey put up the first
building erected on the town site, which was occupied as a land and
loan office and also for a post office. Soon after Brown and Cook
built a drug store, L H Caulum a hardware store, T Tryon a flour
and feed store, C W Hardy a harness shop, G Griffith a boot and 
shoe store,  H Swenson a shoe shop, Foster a blacksmith shop and
Lucas and Braught a livery stable. These all stood on the east 
half of the northwest quarter of Section14. 
	In November 1881 G L Beckett relinquished his claim to the
east half of the northeast quarter of Section 15 and in November 
JohnHaten, in connection with M Oppel made an arrangement with 
the railway company and the two, placing script on the 160 acres 
before mentioned, laid out a new town adjoining Yorktown and 
named it White Lake. This was in January 1882. The White Lake 
House was erected by M Oppel in the same month and a saloon was 
opened about the same time. The town site proprietors erected a 
large store, since known as the Johnson and Tatman block.
	 In July or August following most of the buildings on 
the old town site were removed to the new town.
	In April 1883 Messrs. Mizner, Hager, Windle, and Hooper
laid out an addition to the town on part of the southwest quarter 
of the southwest quarter of Section11, Town 103, Range 63. The 
first building erected on this addition was Messrs. Reed and Sons 
land office. In June or July the Baker House was put up by S L 
Baker of Bellview, Iowa.
	On the 1st of January 1883 the name of the post office was
changed to White Lake and on the 1st of April that same year F L
Pratt was appointed Postmaster.
	In November 1881 G F Hooper sold the west half of the
northwest quarter of Section14 to the railway company in 
consideration for the location of a station here. The company 
transferred to John Hanten and the latter covered it with script. 
The railway company also secured the right to the east half of 
the northeast quarter of Section 15 which they sold to Mr Hanten 
who covered the same with script. Soon after Messrs, Hanten, 
Oppel, Johnson and Tatman formed a company and laid out an 
addition of nine blocks, south of the railway, near the center 
of town partly on Sections 14 and 15 in January 1882. In March 
1883, Gillis and Co purchased from Hanten and Co their interest 
and in June following, Gillis' first addition was platted, 
covering the land between  the railway and the section line on 
the north. Gillis' second addition was laid out June 15,1883, 
comprising the remainder of the northwest quarter of Section 
14 and the northeast quarter of 15 lying around the nine 
blocks before mentioned.
	On the 15th day of June 1883,the firm of Hooper, Baker, 
Hager and Page purchased the Gillis additions to White Lake.
	W H Hooper's original homestead residence was a frame 
building 14 by 16 feet with a sod addition 12 by 10 feet. It 
was known as the "sod hotel at 36" being located at the 36 mile 
siding on the railway. It was a rendezvous for all settlers 
coming to the region. Mrs Hooper was the first female settler 
in the Township and Mrs Herrick and daughter were the first in 
Town 103 Range 66.
	SCHOOLS   The first school building was erected in the 
summer of 1883 at an expense of $200. It stood on the Hanten 
and Oppel town site. the first teacher was Miss Mary Ryan.
	NEWSPAPERS   There are two papers in White Lake, the 
Times established August 28,1882 by F M Pratt and the Dispatch 
established in July 1883 by Nevin and Merritt.
	BANKS   The White Lake branch of Michell was established 
August 28, 1883. E Butterfield president and H Huyssen cashier.
	The Aurora County Bank was organized in September 1883, 
E S Rowley president and W S Sinclair cashier.
	There is a grain elevator of 20,000 bushels capacity 
erected by Bassett Huntting and Co in July 1883.
	The only religious organization in the place is the 
Methodist Episcopal.
	The place is well situated for trade, with fine 
agricultural and grazing country surrounding it and has a 
present population of 500
or more.

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