"There are twenty-one and a half congressional townships consisting of 774 sq. Mi., 495,360 acres. About seven townships are on the former Winnebago reservation in the southeastern part. The Missouri washes the entire southern border including 75 miles of the windings. The islands are: Echo, Lost, L.A. Framboise, Wood, Cedar, Dorian, Okobojo and Farm. There are two creeks of consequence, Medicine Knoll and Chapelle.The county was named for Alexander Hughes of Elk Point; created in 1873 and readjusted in 1879 and was organized November 20, 1880, by Gov. Ordway. The county seat was located at Pierre. The Governor appointed three commissioners: George L. Ordway, Wm. R. Ledwich and Joseph Reed. The railroad reached Pierre about that time. Exploration dates to earliest Missouri River navigation. Several French men married Indian women and setout within the county as early as 1830. Chief settlement and trade was (in) Pierre on the west shore.
Three Rousseaus settled at the --- Medicine creek 1860. In 1855-6 Gen. Harvey established three --- camps on the east side of the river for wood and pasturage. --- Sully built Ft. Sully, five miles below Pierre. The first American settlement of prominence was made in 1873 when Thos. L. Riggs established an Indian Mission at Oahe which continues.
In 1889 Pierre became the state capitol. Government Indian School, U. S. Land Office, Dist. Court and Federal Court are located here.
Company A. First South Dakota, recruited at Pierre for the Phillipine war in 1904."
-- Doane Robinson's Hist. Of South Dakota and Alfred Theodor Andreas' Atlas (1884).
Copied from the 'Hughes County History' Compiled and Arranged in the Office of County Superintendent of Schools, Hughes County, South Dakota, Published in Spring of 1937 -- Articles contributed by pupils, teachers, pioneers and historical authorities...
