Ziebach County, South Dakota

Ziebach County, South Dakota
Location in the U.S. state of South Dakota
South Dakota's location in the U.S.
Founded	1911
Named for	Frank M. Ziebach
Seat	Dupree
Largest city	Dupree
Area
• Total	1,971 sq mi (5,105 km2)
• Land	1,961 sq mi (5,079 km2)
• Water	9.3 sq mi (24 km2), 0.5%
Population
• (2010)	2,801
• Density	1.4/sq mi (1/km²)
Congressional district	At-large
Time zone	Mountain: UTC-7/-6

Ziebach County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Dakota. As of the 2010 census, the population was 2,801. Its county seat is Dupree. It is the last county in the United States alphabetically.

The county's per-capita income makes it the fourth poorest county in the United States. However, another study states that the county is the poorest in the nation.

History

Ziebach County was created in 1911, encompassing parts of the former counties of Schnasse, Armstrong and Sterling, which were the last three extinct counties of South Dakota to cease to exist. It was named for Frank M. Ziebach, a noted political figure in the Dakota Territory during the territorial period from 1861 to 1889. Previously the area had been used by trappers and in 1907 part was briefly a reservation for Ute Indians displaced from Utah and Wyoming. Early in the 20th Century cattle were raised in substantial numbers, but when the railroad bypassed the area this industry declined. Limited homesteading also occurred on the more fertile lands.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,971 square miles (5,100 km²), of which 1,961 square miles (5,080 km²) is land and 9.3 square miles (24 km²) (0.5%) is water. Almost the entire county lies within the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation. The balance of the county, along its extreme northern county line, lies within the Standing Rock Indian Reservation. It is one of five South Dakota counties that lie entirely on Indian reservations.

Buttes

Ziebach County is part of the Great Plains and is characterized by rolling grasslands and numerous buttes. The buttes form the highest points of elevation in Ziebach County and their names, latitude/longitude coordinates, and summit heights are:

• Bessie Butte 2,474 feet (754.08 m)
• Eagle Butte 2,484 feet (757.12 m)
• Gray Butte 2,316 feet (705.92 m)
• High Elk Hill 2,395 feet (730.00 m)
• Joshua Butte 2,165 feet (659.89 m)
• Marple Butte 2,484 feet (757.12 m)
• Mud Butte 2,500 feet (762.00 m)
• Mud Butte 2,365 feet (720.85 m)
• Rattlesnake Butte 2,411 feet (734.87 m)
• Saint Patrick Butte 2,356 feet (718.11 m)
• Squaw Teat Butte 2,365 feet (720.85 m)
• Thunder Butte 2,733 feet (833.02 m)

Major highways

• U.S. Highway 212
• South Dakota Highway 20
• South Dakota Highway 34
• South Dakota Highway 63
• South Dakota Highway 65
• South Dakota Highway 73

Adjacent counties

• Corson County, South Dakota - north
• Dewey County, South Dakota - east
• Haakon County, South Dakota - south
• Meade County, South Dakota - southwest
• Perkins County, South Dakota - northwest

National protected area

• Grand River National Grassland (part)

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1920	3,718		—
1930	4,039		8.6%
1940	2,875		−28.8%
1950	2,606		−9.4%
1960	2,495		−4.3%
1970	2,221		−11.0%
1980	2,308		3.9%
1990	2,220		−3.8%
2000	2,519		13.5%
2010	2,801		11.2%
Est. 2014	2,826		0.9%
U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2014

As of the census of 2000, there were 2,519 people, 741 households, and 594 families residing in the county. The population density was 1.3 people per square mile (0.5/km²). There were 879 housing units at an average density of 0.4 per square mile (0.2/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 72.29% Native American, 26.40% White, 0.08% Asian, 0.12% from other races, and 1.11% from two or more races. 0.99% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 741 households out of which 47.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.9% were married couples living together, 23.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.8% were non-families. 17.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.40 and the average family size was 3.81.

In the county, the population was spread out with 40.6% under the age of 18, 10.8% from 18 to 24, 24.7% from 25 to 44, 16.5% from 45 to 64, and 7.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 24 years. For every 100 females there were 97.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.1 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $18,063, and the median income for a family was $18,672. Males had a median income of $19,038 versus $21,167 for females. The per capita income for the county was $7,463. About 45.20% of families and 49.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 61.10% of those under age 18 and 27.20% of those age 65 or over. In 2009, it was one of 17 counties in the United States where half of all children live in poverty.

Communities

Cities

• Dupree (county seat)
• Eagle Butte

Unincorporated communities

• Cherry Creek
• Glad Valley

Unorganized territories

The county is divided into three areas of unorganized territory: Dupree, North Ziebach, and South Ziebach.

See also

• Frank M. Ziebach
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Ziebach County, South Dakota
• Thunder Butte