Lincoln County

Lincoln County is an administrative division in southeastern South Dakota with an area of approximately 1,500 square kilometers (580 square miles). Canton serves as the county seat where government offices and the courthouse are located.

The county was established in 1862 during the period of western expansion and named in honor of President Abraham Lincoln. Its development was closely tied to settlement by farming families and the agricultural opening of the region.

Agriculture shapes how people live and work across the land, with farming families maintaining deep connections to their properties. The landscape reflects this way of life through scattered homesteads and grain storage facilities that define the rural character.

The county can be explored from several small towns, with Canton offering the main services and administrative offices. Roads connect the various communities, making it easy to drive between different areas and see the rural landscape.

The population grew from roughly 7,000 people in the 1870s to more than 65,000 by 2020, reflecting strong growth. This expansion demonstrates how agricultural opportunity and migration shaped the region's development.

Location: South Dakota

Inception: 1862

Capital city: Canton

Shares border with: Minnehaha County, Lyon County, Sioux County, Union County, Clay County, Turner County

Website: http://lincolncountysd.org

GPS coordinates: 43.28000,-96.72000

Latest update: December 7, 2025 20:20