Formed November 3, 1908 (59th county)
Perkins County (2,842), Bison (304), Lemmon (1,161)
The red/brown brick Modern design was constructed in 1970. It replaced a wooden 1909 structure. The structure is on Main Street at Coleman Avenue. The courthouse is ½ mile south of South Dakota State Highway 20. Hengel Associates are the architects. The county was founded on November 3, 1908 as the 59th county. Lemmon was the first county seat but was immediately replaced by Bison in 1909. Perkins County is named for Henry E. Perkins. The county seat is named for the animal. The county seat of Harding County and Buffalo County also are named for the animal.
Perkins County government consists of a sheriff and 5 Commissioners. Four Circuit Court Judges and One Magistrate Court Judge serve Perkins, Butte, Corson, Dewey, Harding, Lawrence, Meade, and Ziebach counties. Perkins County is on the northwest border with North Dakota. Rapid City, South Dakota is south and Pierre, South Dakota is southeast of the county. The county center is 1.5 miles Northeast of Bison. The county is surrounded clockwise by North Dakota and Corson, Ziebach, Meade, Butte, and Harding counties.
The area of the county is 2872 square miles. It is 2 out of 66 in the state. It ranks 48 out of 66 in population in the state. It has a density of 1.0 persons per square mile making it 64 out of 66 in the state. Perkins County has 51.6% of its population in its incorporated areas. United States Highway 12 enters the county from the east, Corson County, and exits to the north, North Dakota. The county is a rectangle. Bison is located near the center of the county. Lemmon is on the northern border of the county. Bison is the county seat and Lemmon is the largest city. Bison is 10.7% of the county population while Lemmon is 40.9% of the county population.
Bison
Lemmon
