South Dakota Gazetteers

You can study local histories and maps to learn about the places in South Dakota where your family lived. There are two very helpful guides that will help you identify South Dakota place-names.


 * R. L. Polk &amp; Company. Northwestern Gazetteer: Minnesota, North and South Dakota and Montana Gazetteer and Business Directory. St. Paul, Minnesota: R. L. Polk &amp; Company, 1914. (Family History Library films 1321220-1.)
 * Phillips, George H. The Postoffices of South Dakota, 1861-1930. Crete, Nebraska: J-B Publishing, 1975. (Family History Library book 978.3 E8p.)

Online Resource

 * The Columbia Gazetteer of North America - http://www.bartleby.com/69/
 * U.S. Census Bureau: U.S. Gazetteer - http://www.census.gov/cgi-bin/gazetteer
 * U.S. Geological Survey: Geographic Names Information System (GNIS)
 * University of South Dakota: South Dakota Place Names(many resources are referenced in this guide)' '''
 * Directory of Cities and Towns in South Dakota - http://www.fallingrain.com/world/US/46/

Photo
Photo courtesy of http://rockyweb.cr.usgs.gov/outreach/articles/isntthatspatial_7_placenames.html. Go to this website to learn more about place names.