Plankinton, SD

Serving as the county seat of Aurora County, Plankinton is a quiet, friendly South Dakota town of roughly 800 people. Situated right along Interstate 90, it offers a relaxed small-town pace where neighbors know each other and the streets are safe and peaceful. While it was originally founded in the 1880s during the railroad boom, today it provides an affordable, tight-knit community for families and retirees looking to get away from city bustle.

Plankinton also has a unique claim to fame as the birthplace of South Dakota's grain palaces. Long before neighboring Mitchell built its world-famous Corn Palace, Plankinton constructed its own Grain Palace in the late nineteenth century to celebrate local harvests. Today, that enduring agricultural pride is matched by a strong local school, wide-open prairie skies, and great outdoor recreation like pheasant hunting. With Mitchell just twenty minutes down the highway for shopping and healthcare, Plankinton gives you genuine rural charm with easy access to everyday conveniences.