March 2, 2021 marks the 160th anniversary of the birth of Dakota Territory. Signed into existence by outgoing President James Buchanan, the business of organizing the new territorial government was handed to President Abraham Lincoln when he took office two days later on March 4, 1861. Lincoln found himself immersed in matters of the developing Civil War and quickly appointed Dr. William Jayne (picture) to be the first territorial governor. His was a difficult task to organize a government where none had existed previously. Jayne chose Yankton for the temporary capital, a town where only a few log cabins and sod houses stood. Many wild and woolly stories can be told about this time. Stay tuned.
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