Walworth

Formed January 8, 1873 (38^th county)

Walworth County (5,310), Selby (613), Mobridge (3,259)

The tan and red brick courthouse was constructed in 1913.  The courthouse is on Scranton, 4^th, Theodore, and 5^th streets.  South Dakota State Highway 130 is Scranton Street.  J. P. Eisentraut provided the Classical Revival building designs.  Veterans’ memorials and a canon are on the grounds.  The county was created on January 8, 1873 as the 38^th county.  Scranton (1883), Bangor (1884), and Selby (1908) all have the county seat.  The county is named for Walworth County, Wisconsin.  Selby was named for a railroad officer.  Walworth County is the birthplace of 2 South Dakota governors, George T. Mickelson and George S. Mickelson. 

Walworth County government consists of a sheriff and 5 Commissioners.  Four Circuit Court Judges and One Magistrate Court Judge serve Walworth, Brown, Campbell, Day, Edmunds, Faulk, Marshall, McPherson, Roberts, and Spink counties.  Walworth County is situated in northern South Dakota.  The Missouri River forms its western border.  Pierre, South Dakota is south and Rapid City, South Dakota is southwest of the county.  The county center is 4.3 miles South-Southwest of Selby nearer Akaska.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Campbell, McPherson, Edmunds, Potter, Dewey, and Corson counties. 

The area of the county is 708 square miles.  It is 46 out of 66 in the state.  It ranks 33 out of 66 in population in the state.  It has a density of 7.5 persons per square mile making it 26 out of 66 in the state.  Walworth County has 78.7% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 12 crosses the county from east to west from Edmunds County to Corson County.  United States Highway 83 passes north to south from Campbell County to Potter County.  The county resembles a coffee cup with the handle broken.  Selby is located in the northern quarter of the county.  Mobridge is in the northwest corner of the county.  Selby is the county seat and Mobridge is the largest city.  Selby is 11.5% of the county population while Mobridge is 61.4% of the county population.  The county seat is pronounced SEL-BEE.  The largest city is pronounced MOE-BRIG.