Tripp

Formed January 8, 1873 (37^th county)

Tripp County (5,621), Winner (2,917)

The tan brick Classical Revival building was built in 1920.  The courthouse is on a square at 3^rd, Jefferson, 4^th, and Madison streets.  United States Highway 18 is 3^rd Street.  P. P. Lewis is the designer of the courthouse.  Lamro had a 1909 courthouse previously until 1910 when Winner assumed the seat.  The courthouse features faux columns and veterans’ memorials are in front.  The county was formed on January 8, 1873 as the 37^th county.  It is named for Bartlett Tripp, territorial judge.  Winner is named for winning a location on the railroad. 

Tripp County government consists of a sheriff and 5 Commissioners.  Three Circuit Court Judges and One Magistrate Court Judge serve Tripp, Bennett, Gregory, Haakon, Hughes, Hyde, Jackson, Jones, Lyman, Mellette, Potter, Stanley, Sully, and Todd counties.  Tripp County is on the southern border with Nebraska.  Pierre, South Dakota is north and Rapid City, South Dakota is northwest of the county.  The county center is in Winner 1.2 miles Southwest of the city center.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Lyman and Gregory counties and Nebraska and Todd and Mellette counties. 

The area of the county is 1614 square miles.  It is 15 out of 66 in the state.  It ranks 31 out of 66 in population in the state.  It has a density of 3.5 persons per square mile making it 45 out of 66 in the state.  Tripp County has 58.7% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 18 passes through the county from east to west from Gregory County to Todd County.  United States Highway 183 comes from Lyman County, north, and goes to Nebraska, south.  The county is a rectangular shape with the northeast cut away.  Winner is located near the center of the county.  Winner is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 51.9% of the county population.