Wessington

History

A post office has been in operation in Wessington since 1882. The city took its name from the nearby Wessington Hills. The early growth of Wessington began because it was a transshipment point for locally produced grains because of the railroad (C. & N.W. Ry. Co.). This allowed local producers lower shipping costs compared to villages further from railroads, encouraging the location of other businesses in the town. Wessington originally was located in Beadle County; the cohesiveness of the community soon led to growth into neighboring Hand County. In 1918, there was a flourishing natural ice business that provisioned refrigerated freight cars. The cattle industry in the area has increased the market quality of the nation's cattle through improvements in herd management and adaptations to changing consumer demands. Many producers have received national recognition throughout the years.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all land.

Most-observed species

• Red-winged Blackbird

  Agelaius phoeniceus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  82
• Sandhill crane

  Grus canadensis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  71
• Western Meadowlark

  Sturnella neglecta Audubon, 1844 · Aves
  59
• Canada Goose (canadensis Group)

  Branta canadensis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  55
• Killdeer

  Charadrius vociferus Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  49
• Mallard

  Anas platyrhynchos Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  47
• Common Grackle

  Quiscalus quiscula (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  41
• Ring-necked Pheasant

  Phasianus colchicus Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  40

Most recent

• M 2.7 — 2026-01-09
  5 km ENE of Artesian, South Dakota
• M 2.5 — 2022-01-16
  9 km NE of Plankinton, South Dakota
• M 3 — 2014-02-07
  11 km NE of Bijou Hills, South Dakota
• M 3.5 — 2003-11-21
  22 km SSW of Wessington, South Dakota
• M 3.1 — 2002-07-26
  0 km WSW of Huron, South Dakota