Editing Harding County, South Dakota

{{short description|County in South Dakota, United States}}
{{use mdy dates|date=December 2021}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county             = Harding County
 | state              = South Dakota
 | ex image           = Golden Valley Norwegian Lutheran Church.JPG
 | ex image cap       = [[Golden Valley Norwegian Lutheran Church]] in [[Ralph, South Dakota]]
 | seal               = 
 | coordinates        = {{coord|45|35|47.8|N|103|28|25.935|W|region:US-SD_type:county|display=inline}}
 | founded year       = 1881 (created)<br/>1898 (dissolved)<br/>1908 (re-created w revised shape)<br/>1909 (organized)
 | founded date       = 
 | seat wl            = Buffalo
 | largest city       = Buffalo
 | city type          = town
 | area_total_sq_mi   = 2678
 | area_land_sq_mi    = 2671
 | area_water_sq_mi   = 6.5
 | area percentage    = 0.2
 | population_as_of   = 2020
 | population_total   = 1311
 | pop_est_as_of      = 2024
 | population_est     = 1325 {{increase}}
 | density_sq_mi      = auto
 | named for          = J. A. Harding
 | time zone          = Mountain
 | district           = At-large
}}

'''Harding 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 1,311,<ref name="QF">{{cite web|title=State & County QuickFacts|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/hardingcountysouthdakota/PST045224|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=March 21, 2024}}</ref> making it the third-least populous county in South Dakota. Its [[county seat]] is [[Buffalo, South Dakota|Buffalo]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Find a County |url=https://ce.naco.org/?find=true |publisher=[[National Association of Counties]] |access-date=March 21, 2025}}</ref>

Harding County was established as a county in the [[Dakota Territory]] on March 5, 1881, but was not organized at that time. Its name recognized J. A. Harding, who had been Speaker of the House of Dakota Territory.<ref>Joseph Nathan Kane, ''The American Counties'' (4th Ed.), (The Scarecrow Press, 1983), pp. 148, 479</ref> Its boundaries were altered in 1883, in 1889, and in 1894. On November 8, 1898, Harding County was dissolved and its territory assigned to Butte County. However, on November 3, 1908, it was again created (with altered boundaries) from Butte County's area, and on February 17, 1909 its governing organization was completed.<ref>[https://publications.newberry.org/ahcbp/documents/DAKs_Individual_County_Chronologies.htm Individual County Chronologies/Harding County] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210508123626/https://publications.newberry.org/ahcbp/documents/DAKs_Individual_County_Chronologies.htm |date=May 8, 2021 }}  ([[Newberry Library]]) accessed February 3, 2019.</ref>

[[Custer National Forest]] has its South Dakota portion in Harding County, and [[South Dakota State University]] operates the [[Antelope Range and Livestock Research Station]] about {{convert|14|miles}} east of Buffalo.

==Geography==
Harding County lies at the northwest corner of South Dakota. Its western boundary line abuts the east boundary line of the state of [[Montana]], and its north boundary line abuts the south boundary line of the state of [[North Dakota]].<ref name="HCSD">{{Cite web |title=Harding County · South Dakota |url=https://www.google.com/maps/place/Harding+County,+SD/@45.259797,-104.0006484,11.25z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x532e633b7ddf75d1:0xd444dcc8523330c!8m2!3d45.5482666!4d-103.5995692 |access-date=April 27, 2024 |website=Google Maps |language=en}}</ref> Its terrain consists of high hills, generally sloping to the east. Its highest point is a ridge that runs northwest to southeast near the county's southwest corner, at {{convert|3,366|ft|m|abbr=on}} ASL.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.daftlogic.com/sandbox-google-maps-find-altitude.htm |title="Find an Altitude"  Google Maps (accessed February 3, 2019) |access-date=February 4, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190521043409/https://www.daftlogic.com/sandbox-google-maps-find-altitude.htm |archive-date=May 21, 2019 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

Harding County has a total area of {{convert|2678|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|2671|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|6.5|sqmi}} (0.2%) is water.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/counties_list_46.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=March 26, 2015|date=August 22, 2012|title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files}}</ref> It is the fourth-largest county in South Dakota by area.

===Major highways===
* [[Image:US 85.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Route 85#South Dakota|U.S. Highway 85]]
* [[Image:SD 20.svg|20px]] [[South Dakota Highway 20]]
* [[Image:SD 79.svg|20px]] [[South Dakota Highway 79]]

===Adjacent counties===
{{div col|colwidth=33em}}
* [[Bowman County, North Dakota]] - north
* [[Adams County, North Dakota]] - northeast
* [[Perkins County, South Dakota|Perkins County]] - east
* [[Butte County, South Dakota|Butte County]] - south
* [[Carter County, Montana]] - west
* [[Fallon County, Montana]] - northwest
{{div col end}}

===Protected areas===
* [[Custer National Forest]] (partial)
* Gardner Lake State Game Production Area
* Mallula State Game Production Area
* State Experiment Farm and Antelope Reserve
<ref name=HCSD/>

===Lakes===
* Lake Gardner - it is 203 acres in surface area and is approximately 14 feet deep at its deepest point. Channel Catfish, Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Yellow Bullhead, and Yellow Perch inhabit the lake.
* Leger Dam
* Rabbit Creek Dam - this lake has a surface area of 17 acres and is inhabited by a variety of warm water fish including Largemouth Bass.
* Vessey Dam - Eight acres in size, this lake is stocked with rainbow trout.
<ref name=HCSD/>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1910= 4228
|1920= 3953
|1930= 3589
|1940= 3010
|1950= 2289
|1960= 2371
|1970= 1855
|1980= 1700
|1990= 1669
|2000= 1353
|2010= 1255
|2020= 1311
|estyear=2024
|estimate=1325
|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 1,311 people, 537 households, and 358 families residing in the county.<ref>{{Cite web|title=US Census Bureau, Table P16: Household Type |url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=Harding%20County,%20South%20Dakota%20p16&y=2020 |access-date=March 21, 2024 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> The [[population density]] was {{convert|0.5|PD/sqmi}}. There were 720 housing units.

===2010 census===
As of the [[2010 United States census|2010 census]], there were 1,255 people, 539 households, and 348 families in the county. The population density was {{convert|0.5|PD/sqmi}}. There were 731 housing units at an average density of {{convert|0.27|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}. The racial makeup of the county was 95.9% white, 1.5% American Indian, 0.1% black or African American, 0.1% Asian, 0.7% from other races, and 1.7% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.6% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 41.4% were [[Norwegians|Norwegian]], 31.8% were [[Germans|German]], 18.4% were [[Irish people|Irish]], 13.2% were [[English people|English]], and 2.6% were [[Americans|American]].

Of the 539 households, 26.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.5% were married couples living together, 4.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 35.4% were non-families, and 32.1% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.87. The median age was 43.3 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $34,792 and the median income for a family was $46,111. Males had a median income of $38,929 versus $20,924 for females. The per capita income for the county was $22,004. About 13.7% of families and 16.1% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 19.5% of those under age 18 and 16.9% of those age 65 or over.

==Politics==
Harding is a heavily Republican county in [[President of the United States|Presidential]] and [[United States Congress|Congressional]] elections. The last Democrat to win a majority in the county was [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] in his 46-state 1936 landslide. [[Jimmy Carter]] in 1976 almost carried the county, but since then the solitary Democrat to top 22 percent of Harding County's ballots has been [[Michael Dukakis]] in the [[1988-89 North American drought|drought]]-influenced 1988 election – and none of the last seven Democratic presidential candidates have topped so much as twenty percent. In 2008, Republican [[John McCain]] won 78% of the county's vote, while in 2012 [[Mitt Romney]] won 86% of the vote, and [[Donald Trump]] in 2016 won 90%, his strongest showing in South Dakota,{{citation needed|date=September 2018}} with [[Hillary Clinton]] narrowly securing second place from [[Gary Johnson]].
{{PresHead|place=Harding County, South Dakota|whig=no|source1=<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS|title=Atlas of US Presidential Elections|first=David|last=Leip|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=April 13, 2018}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP/Whig vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|754|48|18|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|748|49|16|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|695|38|37|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|638|82|19|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|575|135|24|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|704|94|17|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|650|64|17|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1996|Republican|537|151|97|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1992|Republican|515|139|227|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|633|259|8|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|723|186|3|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|727|205|42|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1976|Republican|470|459|16|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|637|253|0|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1968|Republican|564|266|65|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1964|Republican|489|487|0|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1960|Republican|676|382|0|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|650|376|0|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1952|Republican|809|294|0|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1948|Republican|529|479|32|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1944|Republican|552|493|0|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1940|Republican|755|670|0|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|524|819|39|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|625|715|104|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|1,032|368|18|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1924|Republican|702|107|322|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1920|Republican|648|213|248|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|520|597|134|South Dakota}}
{{PresFoot|1912|Progressive|0|325|777|South Dakota}}

In the [[South Dakota Senate]] Harding is part of the 28th Senate district, which is held by Republican [[Ryan Maher]]. In the [[South Dakota State House of Representatives|State House]] Harding is part of district 28B, which is held by Republican [[Neil Pinnow]].

==Communities==
===Towns===
* [[Buffalo, South Dakota|Buffalo]] (county seat)
* [[Camp Crook, South Dakota|Camp Crook]]

===Unincorporated communities===
{{div col|colwidth=33em}}
* [[Harding, South Dakota|Harding]]
* [[Karinen, South Dakota|Karinen]]
* [[Ladner, South Dakota|Ladner]]
* [[Ludlow, South Dakota|Ludlow]]
* [[Ralph, South Dakota|Ralph]]
* [[Redig, South Dakota|Redig]]
* [[Reva, South Dakota|Reva]]
<ref name=HCSD/>
{{div col end}}

===Ghost towns===
* [[Bullock, South Dakota|Bullock]]
* [[Gustave, South Dakota|Gustave]]

==See also==
* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Harding County, South Dakota]]
* [[Dogie Butte]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

{{Geographic Location
|Centre    = Harding County, South Dakota
|North     = [[Bowman County, North Dakota]]
|Northeast = [[Adams County, North Dakota]]
|East      = [[Perkins County, South Dakota|Perkins County]]
|South     = [[Butte County, South Dakota|Butte County]]
|West      = [[Carter County, Montana]]
|Northwest = [[Fallon County, Montana]]
}}

{{Harding County, South Dakota}}
{{South Dakota}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Harding County, South Dakota| ]]
[[Category:1909 establishments in South Dakota]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1909]]