Yankton: A Mother City Full of Cement

The United States is full of small cities, spread out over a vast landscape. One of these towns is Yankton, South Dakota. It's likely that more people look at it from a plane than visit it. However, Yankton is full of surprises. It has two nicknames: the Mother City of the Dakotas and Cement City! Tune in to find out how Bismarck stole the territorial capital, leaving Yankton with a "bitter memory" and how Yankton is connected with some of the great engineering marvels.

Transcript

Kennen 0:15

Hello, and welcome to episode three. Of the nifty 50 show. Wow. Number three. Slow, but shortly, right. Today, we are going to go somewhere small. And somewhere that probably thought. They would have surely been more important than they are today. Which not to be offensive, but you'll see why. Today we are headed. To South Dakota. We're headed straight north from Oklahoma to a tiny town on the Missouri river called Yankton South Dakota. The inspiration for this actually came while I was flying. From Utah to Ohio. And I did not know anything about Yankton, but for some reason, it stuck in my mind. And of course I went to Wikipedia, which is one of my bestest friends. And was shocked to read. How important Yankton South Dakota? Was, and how actually affected. Global affairs. So let's get into that. So Yankton, South Dakota. Is relatively small. However, it is relatively large for South Dakota. There are roughly 23,300 people as of the last census, which makes it the seventh largest city in South Dakota. It is the county seat. Of Yankton county. And it sits on the Missouri river across from Nebraska and. If we think back to when rivers were really the main highways through the country, of course, Yankton, would've been one of the first cities in South Dakota that you came to. Today. It is about an 80 minute drive from Sioux falls, which is the largest city in South Dakota, two and a half hours from Omaha, Nebraska, and three and a half hour drive from the state Capitol pier, South Dakota. The name Yankton comes from the English pronunciation of a SU word. All of this really doesn't. Tell you much of a story. About Yankton and why Yankton is so fascinating. So let's start at 1803. The Louisiana purchase. Had just happened. Thomas Jefferson had sent Lewis and Clark to go scout it out. And see what. Had just been added to the United States. Of course they passed by on the Missouri river and past where Yankton would eventually be. Fast forward, roughly 55 years, Minnesota gains statehood eventually the Yankton treaty was signed. Which opened up. Eastern South Dakota for settlement, and you can see those reflected on a map today, or one of those cool satellite photos at night. Most of the population of South Dakota lives in the more fertile east. However, after the Yankton treaty was signed, Congress still refused to organize the territory politically. They probably have more pressing issues like a. Brewing civil war. And this continued on until 1861. When John Blair Smith, Todd. Who was the future? President's cousin in law was living in Yankton. He was the first lawyer there. And he began to campaign for territorial organization. Now when you're related to one of the most famous politicians in the country at that time. I politician who would go on to be president. Congresses. Very apt to pay attention to you. Congress, therefore organized the Dakota territory. And this was all of north and South Dakota, most of Montana and a significant portion of Northern Wyoming. President Buchanan made Yankton the territorial capital. This was one of the last things president Buchanan did as president. Because it was president Lincoln who chose the territorial governor. And he made William Jane. The governor. Now governor Jane was Lincoln's personal physician and had been the mayor of Springfield, Illinois until this appointment. I don't know if you would count, I guess it's prestigious. You're a territorial governor, but then you leave your cozy home in Springfield, Illinois for four, really the wild west. And things were just kind of ho-hum. After that for 20 years. Until a new man showed up. A man who would become very prominent in Dakota politics. And this man was Alexander Mackenzie. Alexander Mackenzie settled in North Dakota and therefore became way more involved. That side of the territory. Even today, the North Dakota state website. Says this about Alexander Mackenzie says quote, he was the single most influential person in North Dakota from 1883 to 1922. He had hundreds of friends, many of whom had accepted bribes or political positions from him. He was undoubtedly corrupt in his approach to business and politics and to quote. I guess that really tells you everything you need to know about Alexander Mackenzie. He was extremely important. And he was not afraid. To use. Under the table methods. To get what he wanted. Other people have called him a master of deception, both personally and professionally. In fact, he had a secret. Family living in New York that he would go visit and he paid for everything. Whereas he maintained his first family in North Dakota. And the first family did not know this until he had died. Must've been a very, very dramatic funeral. Well, Alexander McKenzie was very important and even. What it said to the most important person. He really didn't hold any political offices, except once he was elected sheriff. Of Bismarck and Burley county. Even though he didn't have those ambitions. He was still popular enough to be voted into office. While he was not personally ambitious towards holding the office. He made friends with people who were, he became the confidant of territory governor, and now Maya Ordway. Now of course. Who knows where now my Ordway. Lived or where he worked. But at the time, Yankton, South Dakota was still the territorial capital. Alexander McKenzie. However, with his silver tongue. Persuaded the territorial legislature to move the Capitol to the farther away. Bismarck. What does now in North Dakota? However, the law required the assembly to meet in Yankton. And how they arranged this was they all got on a train. And as the train passed through the town, they voted on the issue. I don't know if Yankton was really hated at the time, but clearly they were more interested in partying on the train. Making a quick vote. And then getting on to whatever business was next, where Alexander McKenzie probably was supposedly going to make them rich, who knows? Yank, Dan of course was extremely upset. They'd held that position for some time. Generally territorial capitals. Became state capitals. Just lots of political prestige. Any judicial appeal they made was rejected out of hand. He probably had the judges. Alexander Mackenzie probably told the judges. Yeah, just ignore him. They're just whiny little babies now. And this decision sealed. Yanked Ann's fate because in 18. 89. When. Then north and South Dakota were granted statehood. Pier. Was chosen as the state Capitol. We can't really fault. The people of. Peer or South Dakota or Congress, or whoever made pure the state capital. Because if you look at a map, peer is nearly dead center in the state. Which is very convenient when you have people traveling all over to, to. Business. Or. To go work. Politically in the state Capitol. But poor Yankton. Was still upset about it. In fact it has been said that quote Yankton has a fine historic site. And a bitter memory and the quote. I think you can find that on the state historical marker of the territorial capital. That's just a nice way to end that a bitter memory. Maybe they should campaign again. I mean. They'd be a lot closer to Omaha. And Sioux city. But I doubt that'll happen, period. Is. Over that is not the only exciting thing to happen in Yankton to be the mother, city of the Dakotas. After they lost the. Capital. To appear. They became important for another reason. And that is for cement. So a new nickname arose called cement city. Now this time cement had become extremely important. People had figured out how to make it strong. The secret had kind of been unmarried from centuries of neglect. And cement was all important in building. Yankton how's its geography to think for this, it sits on a river. Which is extremely important. You have a consistent supply of water there were trains. So easy access. Studies of GLG had indicated that there with limestone. Yankton was a natural choice for a cement plant. And it became home to the Western Portland cement company Portland cement is a type of cement. It is actually the name of the more common type of cement in general youth today. It is used as an ingredient in concrete mortar, stucco, and grout. It was developed in 19th century, England and named for its resemblance to a white stone from Dorset. Called Portland stone I guess not all cement to cement. Some cement is Portland cement, and there are other types. But of course with the massive growth, you're getting through the gilded age and The railroad and you're getting into the early 20th century. And. Building is exploding. Years high demand for cement. And so by the time Yankton what's called cement city. American made cement was displacing, imported cement. And as I said, yanks and became particularly crucial in the cement industry in the United States because of its location. The Missouri river. The local chalk. Then the railroads. And when they did studies on the claim, the chalk and they're found to be 99% pure. That's. A really good. Result of a test 99% pure probably made some really great cement. Now there were three key players. In the cement industry for Yankton, the first was Mr. Robert Yates of Omaha. Mr. William plain content of Milwaukee and Mr. John Summers of England. Mr. John Summers provided a lot of the technical knowledge of running cement plant logistics, because he was a former manager of a cement plant in Middlesex in England. Now the three of them that chose a site located west of Yankton and it was about 300 acres. In size. Then there was the question of employees and they decided that employees would commute by rail to the plant. Many workers immigrated from England to Yankton. And there were so many that they had a cricket team. Which provided the locals with some entertainment on the weekend. The plant was built in 1890. And the first shipment of cement left the plant in 1891. And a daily capacity at the beginning was about 250 barrels of semi-dry cement. So you can still go to home Depot and buy semi dry cement. You have to water it down somewhat, but it is kind of like a very sticky paste. But being wet or semi wet. It is. Very heavy. Because of the liquid. But this was used still for big building projects. So you're essentially shipping, ready to use cement from South Dakota all over. And they sent some to England where they tested it and found that the cement had a tensile strength of 1080 pounds per square inch. Pretty strong cement. In fact it was awarded in 1893, the first premium award at the Chicago. World's fair. Doesn't really say much about the people they ran against, but they became the main provider of cement for the Western United States. And. I mentioned earlier that Yankton had influenced global affairs. Are you ready? Because here it is. They even supplied cement for the building of the Panama canal. It was very well-traveled cement. And it all comes from a very small town in Southern South Dakota on the Missouri river. However, despite the success and all of the headlines and the awards. The plant could not stay out of the rat. It was constantly in debt. So in 1904, the plant changed ownership and closed for remodeling. And they switched from the selling semi-dry cement, but completely dry cement. Now this meant that you could produce four times. The amount of cement, because now you're selling out is essentially a powder, but then people would have to mix. Onsite or wherever they needed it. And so you're able to produce and ship. A larger quantity of cement than if you had made it ready to use. In 1905, Mr. William Plankinton, the president. Died. And the order of succession as was common in this time, the son took over, but he was known for being quote, less knowledgeable and quote. And as a result, the cement suffered a drop in quality. Now five years later, the plant was still running, but reduced tariffs had allowed for increased European competition. So even though American mates meant had displaced imported. Now it was starting to become cheaper to import it as well. And this hurt. Because the plant's always teetered on the edge of being. Very unprofitable. As a result, the last knowledgeable son sold the plant to a Sandusky Ohio based company. Now in Sandusky, Ohio, they probably were not interested in running a cement plant out in what they probably thought of as the boonies in South Dakota. So they had the plant shut down and the machinery dismantled and shipped east to Ohio. Now this left a shell of a building. That only remained for seven more years. When it was finally dismantled. As of now. Only one smokestack remains and you can find it. I have found it on Google earth. I have not had the opportunity to travel out to Yankton. But you can still find it west of Yankton, which is fascinating. That's all that remains of a plant that made cement. Four. Many many government projects, the Panama canal. And it was really highly awarded. And that's all that remains. Of cement city and tiny Yankton. Which is wild. So next time you are flying. Over South Dakota and you see the map and it says you're over Yankton or where you just look out your window and see it. Along the Missouri river. No, that that is where essentially north and South Dakota were born. But also that it used to be a key player in the cement industry. And the entire world. And this is why that the word fly over is annoying. Because it's not true. Wherever you go, there are stories like this. Tiny places that seem unassuming, but then are extremely impactful in history and in the surrounding area. And even the world at large. Mother city of the Dakotas cement Sydney. Call Yankton what you want, but it is not boring. But not concludes this episode. Where. Moving on eastward. To other places now. I don't don't judge a place by. Where it is.