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Dakota Farmer Collection

Finding Aid

Download Finding Aid and Container List

Collection Summary

Identifier

MA 38

Title

The Dakota Farmer Collection

Creator

Dakota Farmer (Aberdeen, S.D.)

Dates

1906-1946

Extent

4.79 linear feet (4 boxes) photographs, printing plates

Language

English

Repository

South Dakota State University Archives and Special Collections, Hilton M. Briggs Library, Brookings, South Dakota.

Access note

This collection is open to researchers without restrictions. The materials in the Archives do not circulate and may be used in-house only.

Preferred Citation

Name of item . The "Dakota Farmer" Collection. MA 38. South Dakota State University Archives and Special Collections, Hilton M. Briggs Library, Brookings, South Dakota.

Abstract

The Dakota Farmer first published as a newspaper in 1881, supported all sorts of agricultural organizations and promoted the development of quality livestock and crops for the Dakotas. This collection is composed of plates, publications, reports, correspondence, and photographs used for publication of the Dakota Farmer.

Historical Note

The Dakota Farmer first began as a newspaper in 1881, eight years before North Dakota and South Dakota were granted statehood.

It was first published in Alexandria in what is now Hanson County, S.D. The first owner, James Baynes, sold it within the first year of existence to Augustine Davis, and the publication moved to Huron, S.D. Davis sold a half-interest in Dakota Farmer to William Bushnell in 1883. Bushnell became sole owner of Dakota Farmer in 1885.

As editor and manager, Bushnell led Dakota Farmer into its early prominence. The publication, moved to Aberdeen, S.D. in 1893, supported all sorts of agricultural organizations and promoted the development of quality livestock and crops for the Dakotas. Bushnell himself was active in politics and eventually became state statistician for South Dakota.

Over the next century, Dakota Farmer survived and thrived with farmers through good times and bad, and became a well-respected source of information.

Webb Publishing, which published The Farmer, saw Dakota Farmer as a natural fit and purchased the magazine in 1979.

Today, Dakota Farmer is part of Farm Progress Companies. Farm Progress publishes 18 state farm magazines similar to Dakota Farmer. It owns and operates eight farm shows across the nation, including the largest in the nation, The Farm Progress Show.

Contents Note

This collection is composed mainly of plates, publications, reports, a small amount of correspondence, and photographs. The plates consist of frames, cover mast-heads, article mast-heads, frames for photographs, and other artwork used for the publication. A more detailed description of these plates is found in the container list. The publications are mainly specialty publications aimed at advertisers and marketers. The reports are surveys conducted on farmers, bankers, merchants.

An item of note is the contracting for a new cover file. This material contains several examples of other publication covers with critiques of what works and what does not. Also included in this material is three sample covers for the Dakota Farmer and correspondence between the contractor and the Dakota Farmer staff.

Related Resources

The Dakota farmer
Aberdeen, South Dakota [Dakota-North Plains Corp.], 1881-1979
Call Number: Periodical/Lower Level: 630.5 D149; also in microfilm 1884-1979.

The Dakota farmer
St. Paul, Minn.: Webb Company, 1980-1992
Call Number: Periodicals/Lower Level: 630.5 F2291, also in microfilm 1980-1989.

Dear friends--: from the pages of The Dakota Farmer, Jennie's letters from the plains, Hutton, Jennie Senrud
Aberdeen, S.D., Dakota Farmer, c.1965.
Call Number: SD Collection: S521.H87 1965

Key Words

Dakota Farmer. (Aberdeen, S.D.)

Agriculture -- North Dakota -- Periodicals

Agriculture -- Periodicals

Agriculture -- South Dakota -- Periodicals

Agriculture -- United States – Periodicals

Container List

View container list on Open Prairie

Dakota Farmer Collection Container List. MA 38

Box Folder Description Date(s)
1 1 Back to the Dakota Farmer 1916
1 2 Correspondence 1926
1 3 Dakota Merchant and Banker Survey 1930
1 4 The Dakotas as a market for Maytags (washers) 1926
1 5 Editorial comment, voluntary contributions 1934-1936
1 6 Farm Home Development in the Dakota Farmer Empire undated
1 7 Feeding the Dakotas undated
1 8 Interesting Facts about the Dakota Farmer undated
1 9 James Baynes, founder information 1924
1 10 Preliminary report and recommendations on farm journals survey among farmers, merchants, and bankers in ND & SD 1930
1 11 Promotion of SD by Greater SD Association 1937
1 12 Publication information 1946
1 13 Publications that influence farmers of the Dakotas 1931, 1935
1 14 Publications that influence farmers of the Dakotas 1934-1935
2 1 Plates— Article mastheads undated
2 2 Plates— Artwork undated
2 3 Plates— Crest undated
2 4 Plates— Frames undated
2 5 Plates— Masthead undated
2 6 Plates— ND and SD map undated
2 7 Plates— Northwest farmstead (Santa) undated
3 1 Clippings and tear-sheets, 1906-1918 1906-1918
3 2 Contracting for a new cover 1946
3 3 The Development of the Dakotas Parallels the efforts of the Dakota Farmer 1928
3 4 First Assistant to Cooks 1940-1941
3 5 Why local dealers benefit by handling advertised goods undated
4 Items Stray Shots by W.C. Allen, Traps and Trapping, Along Dakota Prairie Trails Wayside Observations by A. H. Pankow, undated undated
4 Photos MA 38-0001— Bound Dakota Farmers standing upright undated
4 Photos MA 38-0002—2 images mounted on tagboard. —“And this was Once a Bare Prairie” specimens of Ponderosa Pine, Blue and White spruce, and Scene at the home place of A. Norby, Madison, S.D. undated
4 Photos MA 38-0003— Trees on a hill from vol. 34 no. 14, July 15, 1914 issue of the Dakota Farmer 1914
4 Photos MA 38-0004— team of 2 white work horses pulling flatbed of corn with man standing on flatbed holding the reins—used as cover for Nov. 15, 1921 Dakota Farmer 1921
4 Photos MA 38-0005— person on horse with dead coyote hanging from saddle horn undated
4 Photos MA 38-0006— aerial view of a farm undated
4 Photos MA 38-0007— bison herd undated
4 Photos MA 38-0008— Dakota Farmer building and lot next to it undated
4 Plates Article mastheads: “Now You Tell One” undated
4 Plates Article mastheads: “What’s in the Air” by Radio Ranger undated
4 Plates Article mastheads: Advice from our Lawyer undated
4 Plates Article mastheads: Along Dakota Prairie Trails undated
4 Plates Article mastheads: Bees and Honey undated
4 Plates Article mastheads: Breezes from the West undated
4 Plates Article mastheads: Country Life in the Dakotas undated
4 Plates Article mastheads: Dairy and Creamery undated
4 Plates Article mastheads: Dakota Farmer Young Folks Conducted by Aunt Clara undated
4 Plates Article mastheads: Help One Another undated
4 Plates Article mastheads: Horticulture, Trees-Fruit and the Garden undated
4 Plates Article mastheads: Incomes from Your Money undated
4 Plates Article mastheads: Livestock Edited by John T. E. Dinwoodie undated
4 Plates Article mastheads: Poultry Department undated
4 Plates Article mastheads: Sheet with 6 article mastheads: Special Service Department, Subscription Department; Country Life in the Dakotas by Helen B. Russell Golden Valley Co. undated, undated
4 Plates Article mastheads: Stray Shots by W.C. Allen undated
4 Plates Article mastheads: The Dakota Farmer Editorial undated
4 Plates Article mastheads: The Home, edited by Mabel Sensor undated
4 Plates Article mastheads: What’s Doing in the Dakotas undated
4 Plates Artwork: 2 men on a sofa reading the Dakota Farmer undated
4 Plates Artwork: 3 separate border designs undated
4 Plates Artwork: Border with 3 photographs (Power on the Farm) undated
4 Plates Artwork: Car driving down road with dog in window going past a sign that reads, “Good Bye! Good Luck! Come Again!” undated
4 Plates Artwork: Farm scene with farmer shaking hands with men in suits while wife and son with dog look on undated
4 Plates Artwork: Farm scene with pigs and cows and car driving past undated
4 Plates Artwork: Old Dakota Farmer Building (Elks Building) Aberdeen, S.D. undated
4 Plates Artwork: Postman in U.S. Mail truck delivering mail to farm undated
4 Plates Artwork: Sheet with 2 designs (bees and flowers, apple orchard) undated
4 Plates Artwork: Sheet with 4 designs (book shelves, bees and flowers, apple orchard, family reading paper) undated
4 Plates Artwork: Sheet with 7 designs (book shelves, family reading paper, corn shocks, threshing, horse/cow/pigs, apple orchard, bees and flowers) undated
4 Plates Artwork: The Dakota Farmer Building entrance undated
4 Plates Frames: 12 different sheets of frames undated
4 Plates Masthead: First bound volume of the Dakota Farmer—Current Bound volume of the Dakota Farmer undated
4 Plates Masthead: The Dakota Farmer 1911
4 Plates Masthead: The Dakota Farmer 1929
4 Plates Masthead: The Dakota Farmer undated
4 Plates Masthead: The Dakota Farmer Cover (blank) undated
4 Plates Masthead: The Dakota Farmer Cover (blank) undated
4 Plates North Dakota and South Dakota maps: Dakota Railroad/County/River Map 1912
4 Plates North Dakota and South Dakota maps: North Dakota Railroad/County/River Map 1912

Administrative Information

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open to researchers without restrictions. The materials in the Archives do not circulate and may be used in-house only.

Researchers conducting extensive research are asked to make an advance appointment to access archival material. Please call or e-mail prior to visiting the collection and indicate as much detail as possible about a particular topic and intended use.

South Dakota State University supports access to the materials, published and unpublished, in its collections. Nonetheless, access to some items may be restricted as a result of their fragile condition or by contractual agreements with donors.

Copyright note

Copyright restrictions apply in different ways to different materials. Many of the documents and other historical materials in the Archives are in the public domain and may be reproduced and used in any way. There are other materials in the Archive carrying a copyright interest and must be used according to the provisions of Title 17 of the U.S. Code. The Archive issues a warning concerning copyright restrictions to every researcher who requests copies of documents. Although the copyright law is under constant redefinition in the courts, it is ultimately the responsibility of the researcher to properly use copyrighted material.

Arranged and Described by

Crystal J. Gamradt, 2003 June 11.