Buffalo County is named for the wild bison which roamed the prairie region.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Hyde County and Hand County
E – Jerauld County
S – Brule County
W – Lyman County
Created: January 6, 1864
County Seat:
Duncan 1871 – 1885
Gann Valley 1885
Buffalo Center 1886 – 1888
Gann Valley 1888 – present
County Courthouse – Gann Valley
Location: 112 Osman Avenue
Built: 1977 – 1978
Style: Modern
Architect: Dana, Larson & Roubal
Contractor: Boldt Construction of Miller
Description: The building faces west and is a one story buff colored brick and cement block structure. The building is located on spacious landscaped grounds in the center of Gann Valley. The entrance is on the northwest corner. The front is symmetrical with three bays of which the center bay projects. There are few windows in the small building. The roof line is flat. In the interior, the County Circuit Court courtroom is located on the east side. The building houses the County Circuit Court of the 1st Judicial Circuit and the County Magistrate Court.
See: The 1st Judicial Circuit includes Aurora County, Bon Homme County, Brule County, Charles Mix County, Clay County, Davison County, Douglas County, Hanson County, Hutchinson County, McCook County, Turner County, Union County and Yankton County.
History: The county was created in 1862 and Duncan was selected as the county seat. In 1885, the county seat was moved to Gann Valley and then to Buffalo Center in 1886. The county seat returned to Gann Valley in 1888. The first courthouse was a two story wood frame structure designed by Clarence Beelman and built in 1914. The building was demolished and the third and present courthouse was constructed at a cost of $250,000.
County Courthouse – Gann Valley
County Circuit Court courtroom
Photos taken 2006 and 2016
Images 9*