1700History
== History ==
=== Settlement ===
Before Aberdeen or Brown County was inhabited by European settlers, it was inhabited by the Sioux Indians from approximately 1700 to 1879.
1879Government
This town was established on June 15, 1879, was settled in 1880, and was incorporated in 1882.
1881History
Aberdeen was first officially plotted as a town site on January 3, 1881, by Charles Prior, the superintendent of the Minneapolis office of the Chicago, Milwaukee, and St.
1882Culture
The city decided in 1882 to build an artesian ditch to control the "Frog Pond" effects; the plan was later upgraded and developed into an artesian well in 1884 to combat the hea...
1883Civil Rights
Aberdeen then operated under a city charter granted by the Territorial Legislature in March 1883.
1885Government
== Media ==
The American News, formerly The Aberdeen American News, was founded as a weekly newspaper in 1885, by C.W.
1888Sports
Frank Baum, who was later author of the book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and its many sequels, lived here with his wife and children from 1888 to 1891.
1892History
After his sojourn in Aberdeen, he moved to Chicago in 1892.
1899Military
Five sitting Presidents of the United States have visited Aberdeen: William McKinley in 1899, Theodore Roosevelt in 1903, William Howard Taft in 1911, Franklin D.
1901Government
=== Higher education ===
==== Northern State University ====
Northern State University (NSU) is a public university that was founded in 1901 and today occupies a 72-acre (290,...
1912History
Extreme temperatures have ranged from −46 °F (−43 °C) on January 12, 1912, and February 8, 1895, to 115 °F (46 °C) on July 6 and 15, 1936, although a −42 °F (−41 °C) reading occ...
1920Sports
=== Minor league baseball ===
Aberdeen has had three minor league baseball teams since 1920.
1927Architecture
The Capitol Theatre opened in 1927 and donated to the Aberdeen Community Theatre in 1991; since then more than $963,000 has been spent on renovating and preserving the historica...
1936History
Roosevelt in 1936, and George W.
1939Education
It changed its name again in 1939 when it became the Northern State Teachers College, and again in 1964, becoming Northern State College before finalizing as Northern State Univ...
1946History
The class C Aberdeen Pheasants from 1946 to 1971, and 1995 to 1997.
1951Government
==== Presentation College ====
Presentation College was a Catholic college on a 100-acre (0.40 km2) campus, and was founded in 1951.
1960Infrastructure
Louis Railway merged with the Chicago & Northwestern Railway October 1960.
1961Infrastructure
Earlier, until 1961, trains from Chicago to Seattle ran through the railroad's Aberdeen station.
1969History
Until 1969 the Milwaukee Road ran trains between Aberdeen and Minneapolis.
1972Government
== Economy ==
=== Major employers ===
=== Super 8 Motels ===
Super 8 Motels was founded in 1972 by Dennis Brown and Ron Rivett as a motel referral system, which was replaced...
1974Architecture
The first Super 8, with 60 rooms, was opened in 1974 in Aberdeen and still operates today as the Super 8 Aberdeen East.
1977Culture
Burlington Northern purchased parts of the Milwaukee Road's "Pacific Extension" into Montana when the Milwaukee Road when bankrupt and ended service in 1977.
1979Culture
The Aberdeen Community Theatre was created in 1979 and performs at the Capitol Theatre in downtown Aberdeen.
1995Infrastructure
All the lines saw little traffic and were eventually abandoned by the Chicago and Northwestern before its 1995 merger with the Union Pacific Railroad.
2000History
=== 2000 census ===
As of the 2000 census, there were 24,658 people, 10,553 households and 6,184 families residing in the city.
2002History
Bush in 2002.Presidential visits to South Dakota (updated)
== Geography ==
Aberdeen is located in northeastern South Dakota, in the James River valley, approximately 11 miles ...
2005Architecture
Rolling Hills is a combined nine-hole course and housing development which opened in 2005.
2006Education
2,528 students, ranging from first-year to graduate students, attended NSU for the 2006–2007 school year.
2007Government
The South Dakota Film Festival established in 2007 is held annually in the fall.
2010History
=== 2010 census ===
As of the 2010 census, there were 26,091 people, 11,418 households and 6,354 families residing in the city.
2011Government
=== Roller Derby ===
Aberdeen has an All-women's Roller Derby league "A-Town Roller Girlz" established in 2011, also bringing Junior Roller Derby to the area.
2014Infrastructure
Enrollment in fall 2014 was reported to be 735.
2015History
Humpty Dumpty's Great Fall Roller Coaster was added to the park, summer 2015.
2020History
=== Racial and ethnic composition ===
=== 2020 census ===
As of the 2020 census, there were 28,495 people, 12,226 households, and 6,767 families residing in the city.
2023History
As of the 2023 American Community Survey, there are 12,341 estimated households in Aberdeen with an average of 2.20 persons per household.
2024Education
On June 8, 2024, the first SABR Historical Marker in the state of South Dakota was revealed on the campus of Northern State University.
2025History
According to realtor website Zillow, the average price of a home as of July 31, 2025, in Aberdeen is $238,567.