Editing Butte County, South Dakota

{{short description|County in South Dakota, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county               = Butte County
 | state                = South Dakota
 | seal                 = 
 | founded              = March 2, 1883<br/>May 6, 1883
 | seat wl              = Belle Fourche
 | largest city wl      = Belle Fourche
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 2266
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 2250
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 16
 | area percentage      = 0.7
 | population_as_of     = 2020
 | population_total     = 10243
 | pop_est_as_of        = 2024
 | population_est       = 10891 {{increase}}
 | density_sq_mi        = auto
 | time zone            = Mountain
 | web                  = butte.sdcounties.org
 | named for            = Hills in the county
 | ex image             = BUTTE COUNTY COURTHOUSE, BELLE FOURCHE.jpg
 | ex image cap         = Butte County Courthouse
 | district             = At-large
}}

'''Butte County''' is a [[County (United States)|county]] in the [[U.S. state]] of [[South Dakota]]. As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the population was 10,243.<ref name="QF">{{Cite web |title=State & County QuickFacts |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/buttecountysouthdakota/PST045224 |access-date=March 21, 2024 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> Its [[county seat]] is [[Belle Fourche, South Dakota|Belle Fourche]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Find a County |url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archive-date=May 31, 2011 |access-date=June 7, 2011 |publisher=National Association of Counties}}</ref> The county was established in the [[Dakota Territory]] on March 2, 1883, and given the descriptive name based on the French word for a hill.<ref>Joseph Nathan Kane, ''The American Counties'' (4th Ed.), (The Scarecrow Press, 1983), pp. 68, 479</ref>

==History==
===Prehistory===
In 1975, [[Plesiosauria|plesiosaur]] fossils dating to the [[Cretaceous]] Period (ca. 110 million years ago) were discovered in Butte County. In the 1980s, a 90-million-year-old fossil of a clawless [[lobster]] was discovered. A [[Tyrannosaurus|''Tyrannosaurus rex'']] skeleton was found in 1981.

The early human history of the Belle Fourche River Valley has been traced to about 3000 BC. The first people of the area were [[Plains Indians|Native Americans who resided on the northwestern plains of North America]]. The earliest known evidence of human activity in the area dates to the Middle Plains Archaic Period of the Plains Indians (ca. 3000–1500 BC). Traces of [[tipi ring]]s dating from this period have been found. In 1979 and 1980, archeologists excavated a fortified and previously inhabited site west of Belle Fourche that dated to AD 1000. This site was called the Smiley-Evans Site and had been recorded in 1959. Until 1984, only 47 archaeological sites had been recorded, but after the excavation of the Smiley-Evans Site, several investigations were undertaken. {{as of|1989}}, 199 archaeological sites had been discovered in the county.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Engebretson |first=Pat |title=A History of Butte County, South Dakota |last2=Heck |first2=Kay |last3=Herrett |first3=Helen |publisher=Curtis Media |year=1989 |isbn=0-88107-139-0 |location=Dallas TX}}</ref>

==Geography==
Butte County lies on the west edge of South Dakota. Its northwestern boundary line abuts the eastern boundary line of the state of [[Montana]], and its southwestern boundary line abuts the eastern boundary line of the state of [[Wyoming]]. The Butte County terrain consists of semi-arid rolling hills cut by drainages oriented NW-SE. A relatively small portion of the area is dedicated to agriculture, including the employment of [[center pivot irrigation]].<ref>[https://www.google.com/maps/place/Butte+County,+SD/@44.6982493,-103.5672353,24740m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x532d998f998ce73b:0x6a3428390d5ff4c9!8m2!3d44.9251992!4d-103.7008932 ''Butte County SD''  Google Maps (accessed January 31, 2019)]</ref> The terrain slopes to the southeast, and its highest point is on the western boundary line near the SW corner: {{convert|3,865|ft|m|abbr=on}} ASL.<ref>{{Cite web |title="Find an Altitude" Google Maps (accessed January 31, 2019) |url=https://www.daftlogic.com/sandbox-google-maps-find-altitude.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190521043409/https://www.daftlogic.com/sandbox-google-maps-find-altitude.htm |archive-date=May 21, 2019 |access-date=January 31, 2019}}</ref>

The county has a total area of {{convert|2266|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|2250|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|16|sqmi}} (0.7%) is water.<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 22, 2012 |title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files |url=http://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/counties_list_46.txt |access-date=March 22, 2015 |publisher=US Census Bureau}}</ref>

===Major highways===
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
* [[Image:US 85.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Route 85 in South Dakota|U.S. Highway 85]]
* [[Image:US 212.svg|23px]] [[U.S. Route 212#South Dakota|U.S. Highway 212]]
* [[Image:SD 34.svg|20px]] [[South Dakota Highway 34]]
* [[Image:SD 79.svg|20px]] [[South Dakota Highway 79]]
* [[Image:SD 168.svg|23px]] [[South Dakota Highway 168]]
{{div col end}}

===Adjacent counties===
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
* [[Harding County, South Dakota|Harding County]] - north
* [[Perkins County, South Dakota|Perkins County]] - northeast
* [[Meade County, South Dakota|Meade County]] - southeast
* [[Lawrence County, South Dakota|Lawrence County]] - southwest
* [[Crook County, Wyoming]] - west
* [[Carter County, Montana]] - northwest
{{div col end}}

===Protected areas===
* Belle Fourche Dam State Game Production Area
* Belle Fourche National Wildlife Refuge <ref>[https://www.google.com/maps/place/Belle+Fourche+National+Wildlife+Refuge,+Belle+Fourche,+SD+57717/@44.6705394,-103.8075165,12z/data=!4m13!1m7!3m6!1s0x532d998f998ce73b:0x6a3428390d5ff4c9!2sButte+County,+SD!3b1!8m2!3d44.9251992!4d-103.7008932!3m4!1s0x532d7ecaef08a4f7:0x9815e33322cc3663!8m2!3d44.7224664!4d-103.6958313 ''Belle Fourche National Wildlife Refuge, Belle Fourche SD''  Google Maps (accessed January 31, 2019)]</ref>
* Newell Lake State Game Production Area
* Newell Lake State Lakeside Use Area
* Rocky Point State Recreation Area

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1890= 1037
|1900= 2907
|1910= 4993
|1920= 6819
|1930= 8589
|1940= 8004
|1950= 8161
|1960= 8592
|1970= 7825
|1980= 8372
|1990= 7914
|2000= 9094
|2010= 10110
|2020= 10243
|estyear=2024
|estimate=10891
|estref=<ref name="USCensusEst2024">{{cite web|title=County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2024 |url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-counties-total.html |access-date=March 15, 2025}}</ref>
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web|title=U.S. Decennial Census |url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=July 20, 2014}}</ref><br>1790–1960<ref>{{cite web|title=Historical Census Browser |url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu |publisher=University of Virginia Library |url-status=live |date=2007 |access-date=July 20, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091212224028/http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu/ |archive-date=December 12, 2009}}</ref> 1900–1990<ref>{{cite web|last=Forstall |first=Richard L. |title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990 |url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/sd190090.txt |publisher=United States Census Bureau |url-status=live |date=March 27, 1995 |access-date=July 20, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19990219135447/http://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/sd190090.txt |archive-date=February 19, 1999}}</ref><br>1990–2000<ref>{{cite web|title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000 |url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |url-status=live |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=July 20, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100327165705/http://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-date=March 27, 2010}}</ref> 2010–2020<ref name="QF"/>
}}

===2020 census===
As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], there were 10,243 people, 4,196 households, and 2,760 families residing in the county.<ref>{{Cite web |title=US Census Bureau, Table P16: Household Type |url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=Butte%20County,%20South%20Dakota%20p16&y=2020 |access-date=March 21, 2024 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> The [[population density]] was {{convert|4.6|PD/sqmi}}. There were 4,673 housing units.

===2010 census===
As of the [[2010 United States census|2010 census]], there were 10,110 people, 4,160 households, and 2,786 families in the county. The population density was {{convert|4.5|PD/sqmi}}. There were 4,621 housing units at an average density of {{convert|2.1|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}. The racial makeup of the county was 94.2% white, 1.9% American Indian, 0.2% black or African American, 0.2% Asian, 0.1% Pacific islander, 0.8% from other races, and 2.6% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 3.0% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 40.9% were [[Germans|German]], 16.6% were [[Irish people|Irish]], 15.7% were [[Norwegians|Norwegian]], 10.4% were [[English people|English]], and 5.2% were [[Americans|American]].

Of the 4,160 households, 30.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.3% were married couples living together, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 33.0% were non-families, and 28.5% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.92. The median age was 41.1 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $39,041 and the median income for a family was $52,829. Males had a median income of $37,429 versus $25,273 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,418. About 11.5% of families and 15.6% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 25.0% of those under age 18 and 8.9% of those age 65 or over.

==Communities==
===Cities===
* [[Belle Fourche, South Dakota|Belle Fourche]] (county seat)
* [[Newell, South Dakota|Newell]]

===Towns===
* [[Fruitdale, South Dakota|Fruitdale]]
* [[Nisland, South Dakota|Nisland]]

===Census-designated place===
* [[Vale, South Dakota|Vale]]

===Unincorporated communities===
{{div col|colwidth=28em}}
* [[Arpan, South Dakota|Arpan]]<ref>[https://www.google.com/maps/place/Arpan,+SD+57762/@44.7883182,-103.6578397,15z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m13!1m7!3m6!1s0x532d998f998ce73b:0x6a3428390d5ff4c9!2sButte+County,+SD!3b1!8m2!3d44.9251992!4d-103.7008932!3m4!1s0x532d82a517fb6d4d:0x1cb4cc85ae00594f!8m2!3d44.7884143!4d-103.6491394 ''Arpan SD''  Google Maps (accessed January 31, 2019)]</ref>
* [[Castle Rock, South Dakota|Castle Rock]]<ref>[https://www.google.com/maps/place/Castle+Rock,+SD+57762/@44.9644333,-103.4331086,15z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m13!1m7!3m6!1s0x532d998f998ce73b:0x6a3428390d5ff4c9!2sButte+County,+SD!3b1!8m2!3d44.9251992!4d-103.7008932!3m4!1s0x532dbca96ac67d09:0xb7b8b2b0b95a9d94!8m2!3d44.964555!4d-103.424263 ''Castle Rock SD''  Google Maps (accessed January 31, 2019)]</ref>
* East Butte<ref>[https://www.google.com/maps/place/East+Butte,+SD/@44.9083219,-103.5126159,10z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x532da932216b0e63:0xce0d5f66567c6969!8m2!3d45.0536447!4d-103.2625752 ''East Butte SD''  Google Maps (accessed January 31, 2019)]</ref>
* [[Hoover, South Dakota|Hoover]]<ref>[https://www.google.com/maps/place/Hoover,+SD+57760/@45.1124889,-103.2758797,15z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m13!1m7!3m6!1s0x532d998f998ce73b:0x6a3428390d5ff4c9!2sButte+County,+SD!3b1!8m2!3d44.9251992!4d-103.7008932!3m4!1s0x532db5eae1d51643:0x8aa48ee9034139b4!8m2!3d45.1125424!4d-103.2670212 ''Hoover SD''  Google Maps (accessed January 31, 2019)]</ref>
* [[Minnesela, South Dakota|Minnesela]]
* West Butte<ref>[https://www.google.com/maps/place/West+Butte+Unorganized+Territory,+SD/@44.8918225,-104.011381,10z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x532d850b07f3a671:0xb64f5b0d103e7f8c!8m2!3d44.9251992!4d-103.7008932 ''West Butte Unorganized Territory SD''  Google Maps (accessed January 31, 2019)]</ref>
{{div col end}}

===Townships===
* [[Union Township, Butte County, South Dakota|Union]]
* [[Vale Township, Butte County, South Dakota|Vale]]

==Politics==
Like most of South Dakota, Butte County is a Republican stronghold. No Democratic presidential candidate has carried Butte County since [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] in 1932. Although Roosevelt in the [[1936 United States presidential election|following election]] and [[Lyndon B. Johnson|Lyndon Johnson]] in [[1964 United States presidential election|1964]], respectively, came within six and fourteen votes of claiming the county during landslide Democratic victories, apart from these instances, no Democratic presidential candidate since 1920 has reached forty percent of the county's vote.
{{PresHead|place=Butte County, South Dakota|whig=no|source1=<ref>{{Cite web |last=Leip |first=David |title=Atlas of US Presidential Elections |url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS |access-date=April 13, 2018 |website=uselectionatlas.org}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP/Whig vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|4,024|942|116|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|3,731|939|132|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|3,357|696|298|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|3,073|1,002|133|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|2,821|1,306|129|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|3,166|1,009|96|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|2,760|840|89|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1996|Republican|1,947|1,132|578|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1992|Republican|1,674|973|1,053|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|2,291|1,256|35|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|2,865|784|18|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|2,850|843|205|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1976|Republican|2,055|1,366|51|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|2,452|1,085|26|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1968|Republican|2,090|1,017|196|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1964|Republican|1,877|1,863|0|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1960|Republican|2,496|1,318|0|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|2,231|1,028|0|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1952|Republican|2,689|837|0|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1948|Republican|1,726|1,065|51|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1944|Republican|1,824|928|0|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1940|Republican|2,164|1,384|0|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1936|Republican|1,525|1,519|101|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|1,594|1,684|59|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|1,988|840|38|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1924|Republican|1,199|277|681|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1920|Republican|1,722|672|765|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|537|930|145|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1912|Progressive|0|601|862|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1908|Republican|1,636|915|166|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1904|Republican|793|330|55|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1900|Republican|492|420|13|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1896|Democratic|222|286|2|South Dakota}}
{{PresFoot|1892|Populist|154|28|202|South Dakota}}

==See also==
{{commons category|Butte County, South Dakota}}

*[[National Register of Historic Places listings in Butte County, South Dakota]]

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

{{Geographic Location
|Centre    = Butte County, South Dakota
|North     = [[Harding County, South Dakota|Harding County]]
|Northeast = [[Perkins County, South Dakota|Perkins County]]
|Southeast = [[Meade County, South Dakota|Meade County]]
|Southwest = [[Lawrence County, South Dakota|Lawrence County]]
|West      = [[Crook County, Wyoming]]
|Northwest = [[Carter County, Montana]]
}}

{{Butte County, South Dakota}}
{{South Dakota}}
{{Authority control}}
{{coord|44.91|-103.49|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-SD_source:UScensus1990}}

[[Category:Butte County, South Dakota| ]]
[[Category:1883 establishments in Dakota Territory]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1883]]

[[es:Condado de Campbell (Dakota del Sur)]]