Since 1887
A short history of Plankinton
Plankinton sprang up with the arrival of the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad to the area in 1880. The town was named for Milwaukee-based meatpacker and railroad official John Plankinton.
The voters approved the incorporation of Plankinton as a village in an election on September 7, 1882. The first officials were elected on September 22, 1882. The first village trustees were C. Thompson, C.C. Irons, T.C. Granger, W.H. Ferguson.
Plankinton was home to an annual wheat palace, which became a successful regional attraction and inspired the Corn Palace in nearby Mitchell. The first Grain Palace in South Dakota opened in Plankinton on September 29, 1891, while the last closed in October 1892.
Adapted (trimmed) from the Wikipedia article Plankinton, South Dakota, revision 1385194599 by its contributors, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.