Bon Homme County

Bon Homme County sits along the Missouri River in South Dakota, with gently rolling hills that slope down toward the river valley below. The landscape opens up into farmland and grassland that characterizes this region of the Great Plains.

The county was established in 1862 and named after Bon Homme Island, which Lewis and Clark documented when they traveled through the region in 1804. This island marked an important location on their westward expedition.

German, Czech, and Dutch speakers have called this area home for generations, and their cultural traditions remain woven into everyday life in the small towns here. Local communities still celebrate the customs and practices that their ancestors brought from Europe.

South Dakota Highways 25, 37, 46, 50, and 52 connect through the county and lead to Tyndall, where the main county offices are located. These routes make it easy to navigate between communities and explore different parts of the area.

Dakota Territory's first schoolhouse was built here in 1860 and opened with ten students taught by Emma Bradford. This early building reflects how quickly schools were established in frontier communities.

Location: South Dakota

Inception: April 5, 1862

Capital city: Tyndall

Shares border with: Hutchinson County, Yankton County, Knox County, Charles Mix County

Website: http://bonhomme.sdcounties.org

GPS coordinates: 42.99000,-97.88000

Latest update: December 10, 2025 15:58