Mellette County, South Dakota
| Mellette County, South Dakota | |
|---|---|
 Location in the U.S. state of South Dakota |
|
 South Dakota's location in the U.S. |
|
| Founded | 1911 |
| Named for | Arthur C. Mellette |
| Seat | White River |
| Largest city | White River |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1,311 sq mi (3,395 km2) |
| • Land | 1,307 sq mi (3,385 km2) |
| • Water | 3.6 sq mi (9 km2), 0.3% |
| Population (est.) | |
| • (2016) | 2,102 |
| • Density | 1.6/sq mi (1/km²) |
| Congressional district | At-large |
| Time zone | Central: UTC-6/-5 |
Mellette County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Dakota. As of the 2010 census, the population was 2,048. Its county seat is White River. The county was created in 1909 and organized in 1911. It was named by European-American settlers after Arthur C. Mellette, the last Governor of the Dakota Territory and the first Governor of the state of South Dakota.
Historically territory of the Sioux/Lakota peoples, 33.35 percent of the county's land is trust land associated with the Rosebud Indian Reservation in the neighboring county to the south. According to the U.S. Census in 2000, 52.2% of the population is Native American, mostly the federally recognized Sicangu Oyate (Upper Brulé Sioux) and the Rosebud Sioux Tribe, a branch of the Lakota people.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,311 square miles (3,400 km2), of which 1,307 square miles (3,390 km2) is land and 3.6 square miles (9.3 km2) (0.3%) is water.
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,083 people, 694 households, and 498 families residing in the county. The population density was 2 people per square mile (1/km²). There were 824 housing units at an average density of 1 per square mile (0/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 44.74% White, 52.42% Native American, 0.10% Asian, 0.24% from other races, and 2.50% from two or more races. 1.68% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
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