Yankton infrastructure: education, police, healthcare

Yankton was chosen to house an insane asylum early on. The name changed over time to reflect the population. The asylum had highs and lows in economy. It was affected negatively by WWII. Wages were low and the men left for better paying jobs and the war effort. At one point,before, there were 50 patients. That was considered over populated. There was an incident that killed 18 female patients. When the asylum(1 building) was rebuilt it was done with smaller buildingS (2+ buildings) and rooms. The walls and doors became fire resistant. 

Over time mental health came to the forefront of America. People stopped hiding their "crazy relatives" at the asylum. Medication, therapy, psychiatry, all helped to reintroduce patients to society. Now the asylum is an integrated hospital with outpatient care as well. No more straight jackets. No more restraints. 

Education

Yankton has a k-12 public school system. They also have a k-8 parochial system. In 1881 the first college was founded. It was a small public liberal college. It's name did change over time. However, in 1984 the college closed due to insolvency. Currently Yankton has a private college/university in town.  However, the public college leads us to the police... Correctional facility. 

Police/Correctional Facility

4 years after the public college closed, the federal government took over the college/university and turned it into a correctional facility.  It started with female prisoners and then went co-ed a few years later. Finally it became all male prisoners when the women were transferred to another facility. 

Of course there's more to this town than meets the eye! Wow! 

Yankton county

The Wilder Clooney party passed through Yankton county. This county was established in 1862 in South Dakota. (Right during the civil war!) It's on the border of SD and MO. 

The census shows a good size population of over 20,000 people in the county. The city/town of Yankton has the majority at 14,000+.  The municipal government is run by a 5-member board. 

Yankton was named after the Yankton band of Sioux Indians.  The city became the Dakota territory capital. It would lose it's title in 1883. The capital would move to Bismarck, SD. 

Supposedly Lewis and Clark were the first white settlers to set foot in Yankton. First known white female to set foot was Pelagie Lebarge. She came in 1847 with her husband via steamboat. Interesting way to travel. I wonder if they gambled on the ship. How long did it take? 

It seems this settlement was due to be settled early. In 1861 there was already a newspaper founded there. THE WEEKLY DAKOTAN. Is the paper still running?  Did anyone save their archives? They had a steamboat and a railroad! The first settler has a last name shared with a character from LHOTP tv show. Mr. Hanson. He arrived in 1859. 

Finally the first school was held in a doctor's  home. It opened in December 1862. Reading the LHOTP books you realize certification for education was different back then. If the doctor was the true teacher then the students were very lucky. A classical education may have been attempted. Or, the teacher may have simply kept to the three R's. Reading, 'riting, 'rihmetic. It would be interesting to look into that. Is the dr home a museum now? 

Of course some negative was noted on Yankton. The then governor decided it would be the place to keep an insane asylum (1878). I'd like to know what that institute evolved in to. An asylum then was not pretty. They did not have the medicines we use today for people who suffer from mental health issues. People were tied down to keep from hurting themselves and/or other people. Did the institute evolve or did it close down eventually? Thank you Governor Howard. 

(Next post on insane asylum, collefe, and prison!) 

Yankton county has two cities, five towns, nine townships, and two unorganized territories. I wonder if the unorganized territory is unclaimed natural land. I don't know. Los Angeles county doesn't have unorganized territory. L. A. would claim and organize EVERY piece of property. Someone wants to zone it. Residential, business, adult!  

The first mayor was (unknown). The current mayor is David Carda. 

There are 2 cities 5 towns 9 townships and 2 unorganized territories in the county. It's different from Los Angeles county. Not one piece of land is not zoned in L. A. It's either residential, business, or adult (red light). 

Here is a picture from the website I reference. The Yankton county website.