Statehood

The discovery of gold, the coming of the railroad, the defeat of the Sioux, and the availability of land led to a great increase in the territory's population between 1878 and 1887. It was during this period that the majority of Scandinavian immigrants came to Dakota Territory. The population, about 80,000 in 1880, rose to about 250,000 by 1885, and to about 300,000 by 1890. As more and more settlers arrived, Dakotans became dissatisfied with their territorial status and began to work for statehood.

Many persons wanted to divide the territory into northern and southern sections, each to become a state. Others favored the creation of a single state from the entire territory. In 1883 the territorial capital was moved from Yankton, in the southeastern corner, to Bismarck, in present North Dakota. This change caused many persons in the southern part to advocate the creation of South Dakota as a separate state.

On February 22, 1889, President Cleveland signed an act of Congress that divided the territory into two sections along a line just south of the 46th parallel. The act further authorized each section to set up a government in preparation for statehood. In South Dakota a constitution was adopted, Arthur C. Mellette was elected governor, and Pierre was chosen as the state capital. South Dakota was formally admitted to the Union on November 2, 1889.