Formed January 8, 1873 (18th county)
Douglas County (2,828), Armour (695)
The brown brick and masonry Classical Revival courthouse was constructed in 1927. An 1881 courthouse existed in Brownsdale and an 1895 and a 1902 courthouse were earlier in Armour. The current courthouse designers were Perkins and McWayne. The courthouse is at the intersection of Braddock and 1st streets. United States Highway 281 is Braddock Street in town. The structure features faux columns and veterans’ memorials are on the grounds. The county was created on January 8, 1873 as the 18th county. Brownsdale (1881), Huston (1882), Grand View (1890), and Armour (1894) have all been county seat. Douglas County is named for American Statesman Stephen A. Douglas. The county seat is named for businessman Philip D. Armour.
Douglas County government consists of a sheriff and 5 Commissioners. Six Circuit Court Judges and One Magistrate Court Judge serve Douglas, Aurora, Bon Homme, Brule, Buffalo, Charles Mix, Clay, Davison, Hanson, Hutchinson, McCook, Turner, Union and Yankton counties. The county is in the southeast part of the state. Sioux Falls, South Dakota is northeast and Pierre, South Dakota is northwest of the county. The county center is 7.9 miles North-Northwest of Armour nearer Corsica. The county is surrounded clockwise by Aurora, Davison, Hutchinson, and Charles Mix counties.
The area of the county is 434 square miles. It is 65 out of 66 in the state. It ranks 49 out of 66 in population in the state. It has a density of 6.5 persons per square mile making it 30 out of 66 in the state. Douglas County has 49.9% of its population in its incorporated areas. United States Highway 18 clips the southeast tip of the county from Hutchinson County to Charles Mix County. United States Highway 281 crosses north to south from Aurora County to Charles Mix County. The county looks like a chopping blade. Armour is near the southern border of the county. Armour is the county seat and the largest city. It is 24.6% of the county population.
Armour
Corsica
Delmont
