McCook County

McCook County lies in the southeastern portion of the state of South Dakota along US Interstate 90 between the cities of Mitchell and Sioux Falls and has a total area of approximately 576 square miles. The centrally located town of Salem is the county seat and is located at the crossroads of US Highway 81 and SD Highway 38. The county is currently comprised of five incorporated communities (Bridgewater, Canistota, Montrose, Salem and Spencer) and sixteen townships.

McCook County was established by the territorial legislature in 1873 and was first organized in 1878. The original county seat was located at Cameron in a small building donated by a local resident. In 1880, a countywide election moved the county seat to Bridgewater, where a small courthouse was built; however, in 1882 the residents of Salem convinced the territorial convention to move the county seat to Salem. In 1884, the county built a small, two-room courthouse on the same site where the present courthouse is located. In 1893, that structure was enlarged into a two-story, wood-framed building with a stone foundation, brick veneer, and an ornate cupola. A new all brick courthouse was constructed in 1934.


Resources:
Welcome to McCook County South Dakota, http://www.mccookcountysd.com (accessed August 9, 2013).