Clark

Formed April 8, 1873 (16^th county)

Clark County (3,844), Clark (1,149)

The Art Deco structure was built of red/tan brick in 1934.  It is on Commercial Street, 2^nd Avenue, Smith Street, and 3^rd Avenue.  The courthouse is one block north of United States Highway 212.  A classier courthouse from 1888 was in Clark earlier, the only county seat.  The courthouse architects are Hugill and Blatherwick.  The county was formed on April 8, 1873 as the 16^th county.  The county and its county seat are named for Legislator Newton Clark. 

Clark County government consists of a sheriff and 5 Commissioners.  Five Circuit Court Judges and One Magistrate Court Judge serve Clark, Beadle, Brookings, Codington, Deuel, Grant, Hamlin, Hand, Jerauld, Kingsbury, Lake, Miner, Moody, and Sanborn counties.  The county is in the northeast part of the state.  Sioux Falls, South Dakota is south and Pierre, South Dakota is west of the county.  The county center is 2.4 miles Southeast of Clark.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Day, Codington, Hamlin, Kingsbury, Beadle, and Spink counties. 

The area of the county is 958 square miles.  It is 33 out of 66 in the state.  It ranks 42 out of 66 in population in the state.  It has a density of 4.0 persons per square mile making it 41 out of 66 in the state.  Clark County has 42.9% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 212 crosses through the county from east to west from Codington County to Spink County.  The county resembles the State of New Mexico.  The City of Clark is located near the center of the county.  Clark is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 29.9% of the county population.

Willow Lake