Why Aberdeen
Aberdeen, known in Lakota as Ablíla, serves as the seat of Brown County and stands as the third-most populous city in South Dakota. Located in the northeastern portion of the state within the James River valley, the city rests roughly 11 miles west of the James River and is bisected by Moccasin Creek. It is also the home of Northern State University.
Prior to Euro-American settlement, the region was inhabited by the Sioux from around 1700 to 1879, with fur trading posts established in the 1820s. Platted in early 1881 by an official of the Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. Paul Railroad, the town was named after Aberdeen, Scotland. As four distinct rail lines established depots and crossed paths in the municipality, it earned the moniker "Hub City of the Dakotas." Early growth along Main Street was hindered by heavy rain and localized groundwater flooding, which prompted city engineers to dig an artesian well and establish a gate-controlled municipal water system.
Aberdeen possesses notable literary and historical connections. L. Frank Baum, author of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, resided in the community with his family from 1888 to 1891, operating a bazaar and editing a local newspaper. The town's small amusement park includes features honoring his Oz stories. Over the decades, the city has also hosted visits from five sitting United States presidents, ranging from William McKinley in 1899 to George W. Bush in 2002.
Cultural sights in the city center on performance spaces and art exhibits. The historic Capitol Theatre, built in 1927, serves as the home for the Aberdeen Community Theatre and acts as the venue for the annual South Dakota Film Festival held every autumn. Art enthusiasts can browse works across several local venues, including the Lincoln Gallery on the university campus, the Wein Gallery, the Aberdeen Recreation & Cultural Center Gallery, and the ArtWorks Cooperative Gallery. Additional local points of interest include the Village Bowl center and the site of the original Super 8 motel, which first opened in the city in 1974.
Aberdeen features a humid continental climate with four distinct seasons. Summers are warm and humid, receiving the vast majority of the region's annual precipitation, while winters are cold and dry with light to moderate snowfall.
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