Roberts County / Grant County

The Grant face ends its seat fight with the railroad's arrival; the town that won took the railroad's name too. Milbank was founded in 1880, when the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul first laid rails into what became South Dakota, named for the railroad director Jeremiah Milbank, and incorporated in 1881. It counted 3,544 people in 2020. Its other trade is underfoot: the Dakota Granite Company, incorporated there in June 1925, quarries and cuts Dakota Mahogany, an orange and black stone shipped as monuments, mausoleum slabs and raw block.

What the plaque says

You are entering Roberts County South Dakota Long the home of Sisseton, Wahpeton & Cuthead Yanktonaise Sioux, it became part of Deuel & Cheyenne Counties in 1862; Deuel ex- tending N to 46th parallel (4 miles N) in 1872. The Reservation extending S to Lake Kampeska in a giant flatiron was established in 1867. Grant County included the part SE of the Reservation from 1873 to 1883, when Roberts County, named for S. G. Roberts, Territorial Councilman of Fargo, was created. Org. Aug. 6, 1883 by Frederick Dittes, Charles Crissey, Indian Agent and Reuben R. Hall, at Dittes' Residence, Travare 2 miles SW of Browns Valley was named county seat. In 1884 Wilmot won the election but, losing two court actions, stole the records and it was named by 1885 Legislature as county seat. It in turn lost an election in 1898 to Sisseton, who, fearing court action, in turn stole the records to again win approval in the 1900 election. White settlement on the Reservation came in 1892 and the railroad to Sisseton in 1893. Post offices were: Sisseton Agency, 1872; Wilmot, 1881; White Rock, 1885; Corona, 1886; Summit, Sisseton and Effington, 1892. Rosholt, Victor, Hammer, Claire City, 1914, when the Soo Line entered the county. With great historic background (see giant map at Sisseton) many lakes, wonderful vistas from its high coteau, a pictur- esque and fruitful countryside, Roberts County welcomes you. Erected 1959 by Roberts County Commissioners Hull, Christofferson, Helgeson, Dybdahl and Dickenson You are entering Grant County South Dakota Named for U. S. Grant, was part of Deuel from 1862 until created in 1873, then extending North to Sisseton Reservation line near Brown's Valley and down that line to intersect its south boundary extended near Lake Kampeska. It lost its SW corner to Codington in 1879 and its northern part to Roberts in 1883. The first settlers were Moses Mireau and Solomon Robar, near present Big Stone, in 1865. They were joined by Louis Shoreau and Oliver Martell in 1871 and in 1874 Levi Card at Yellowbank and John Blake & Ludwig Reischka settled in Whetstone Valley and James G. Lamoreau near present Marvin in 1877. In 1873, Mireau, Shoreau & Martell were appointed commissioners but failed to act and Feb. 8, 1878 Judge Shannon made William R. Movious, who had been postmaster at Inkpa City (Big Stone) since June 30, 1875, County Clerk. Governor Howard appointed Card, Lamoreau and Robar commissioners and they organized county at Inkpa City June 17, 1878. In election 1881, Milbank was 13 votes shy of two-thirds but soon got part of records by force and failed to get balance by stealth and it was Feb. 21, 1883 before the Court made Milbank county seat. Granville, Geo, W. Bartlett, Postmaster, December 4, 1879, became Milbank, August 19, 1880, when railroad reached there. Other towns are Twin Brooks 1879, Troy 1880, Marvin, Revillo, Stockholm, 1884; Strandburg 1888, Albee 1889, La Bolt 1899. Some splendid vistas are to be seen from high western Coteaus. Erected 1959 by Grant County Commissioners

Where it stands

More markers nearby

• American Legion Junior Baseball Monument — 7.5 mi
• Gen. A. A. Humphrey Post — 7.5 mi
• Brown Earth Indian Church — 16 mi
• Legend of Punished Woman's Lake — 21 mi