The Arkansaw traveler., 1889-04-06
FLANDRAU. SOUTH DAKOTA.

little east of the center of Moody county. on high bench quietly sloping to the Iig Sioux river, is situated Flandrau. the county seat and principal town of the county. For beauty of location it IS not surpassed by any town in South Dakota and IS equalled by very few. There Is just enough slope towards the river to give the town excellent natural drain. age. The healthfulness of the town is remark able. So we'll htted by nature Is Flandrau for a town, that it's site and name appeared upon the maps for years before there was an actual settler in the county. A speculative town. site company, away back in ls57. i'm mpressed by the advantages of the location. laid out tow n here and named 1t in honor of Hon. Charles F Flandrau, of St. Paul, MInn., ex justice of the supreme court Of Minnesota. It's real start as a town, however, dates back only to Is7s. although there was s small store or two here prior to that time. It was settled by energetic and enterprising young men whose capital was chiefly confined to their brains. By strict attention to business they have almost invari. ably been very successful. Tn fact, there have c been only two business failures in the town since it was founded and those both happened a number of years ago The town has never been "boomed." and has grown up gradu dually in harmony with the development of the trib utary country. It boasts the largest country trade of any town of it's size in South Dakota With population of only about LOO. it con. tsins business houses As follows
 Three general stores. three grocery stores, three drug stores, two hardware stores. two millinery stores, three machinery houses. one jewelry store. one variety store. one fruit store, one bakery, two meat markets, two banks, three hotels, two restaurants, two fur. nituro stores, one photograph gallery. two blacksmith and blow shops. one wagon shop. one clothing, boot and shoe store two news. papers, two lumber yards, two steam ele vators and three gram buyers, besides a farm. CTS warehouse. Four lawyers and two phy si. clans arc engaged Tn practice In the town and there arc four resident clergy men. There is a courthouse, Jail. A water power mill, a fne creamery, a sll.0O0 school. house, and four churches.
 The people arc liberal in their support of schools and churches. The public schools are thoroughly graded. and no teachers are em. ployed who are not graduates of Normal schools of high standing.
 Moody county, Of which F!=as.-sa !. the county seat and only town of importance, is situated in the heart of the Big Sioux valley, the very cream of South Dakota, and the DOT. ton which is most rapidly developing at the present day. The farmers of the county have been remarkably successful. The character of the country Ats It for mi xed farming, and stock raising and dairying are becoming lead ing industries. A great deal of interest is taken in raising fine horsss and It cannot be many years until Moody county Is as famous for her draft horses as the region about Bloom. ington, nl., now is A large numb Der of prize. winning registered Clydesdsle horses have been imported direct from Scotland in the past three years. and at the territorial fairs they have made a clean sweep of all the blue ribbons in sight The best bred registered standard bred stallion in the territory Is owned at Flandrau. A very lively interest is now being taken in the matter of improving the quality of the cattle Tn the county.
 The people generally are a wide awake, pro- progressive set, pleasant to live among. Good district schools are maintained throughout the county. Moody county is particularly distinguished among Dakota counties for the large number of living streams of pure water it contains. Good water Is everywhere abun. dant. This is the natural home of the upland blue joint. the best native grass of America. It grows here with profu sion and luxurance that it can only atta,n in a country of exceed. ing richness of soil. with abundant rains and a total absence of stagnant water or dead levels There is really no hilly land in the county nor arc there any dead levels. The undulating character of the country is particularly pleasing to the eye, espec- ially dotted as 1t now is with a great mum. Der of artificial groves. The pure air. ab- sence of wet land and sloughs and nne quality of grasses. peculiarly at this for . dairying and sheep-raising country. Good farming land can be bought from eight to twelve dol.