Armstrong County, South Dakota

Original Armstrong County (1873–1879) An Armstrong County was created by the Dakota Territorial Legislature in 1873 in the southeastern part of the territory, taking its territory from Charles Mix County and Hutchinson County. The county was short lived and never fully organized. In 1879 it was annexed into Hutchinson County. Pyatt County (1883–1895) In 1883 Dakota Territory created a new county west of the Missouri River and named it Pyatt County. The county was formed from unorganized lands and parts of Cheyenne, Dewey (then named Rusk) and Stanley Counties. The county originally covered much of the southern part of what is now the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation. In 1898, part of the county was annexed to Stanley County to the south. The western portion was lost when Ziebach County was created in 1911. In 1952, given its small population and with much of the best land flooded by the Oahe Dam, the county was abolished and annexed into the southern part of Dewey County. In addition, tax collectors alleged that cattle owners were moving their herds into the county in order to pay lower levies. ==Geography==

Armstrong County was in area. As of 1978, the land that had been Armstrong County was part of the Sansarc-Opal association, except for the extreme northwest corner that was part of the Wayden-Cabba association. ==Politics and government==

The county was never formally organized, and was attached to Stanley County for governmental purposes. County residents were unable to vote for Stanley County officers, only state and federal positions. This created a situation of "taxation without representation", which caused a scandal in the early 1950s. The house of resident Ethan Alexander was selected as the polling place, but not enough voters were present in the county to ever have a proper board of elections. Alexander himself served as the county's assessor for years. Harry S. Truman, the Democratic nominee for 1948, won the county but fell short of unanimity by one vote, which went to Republican Thomas Dewey instead. The county swung to the Republicans for its final presidential election in 1952, when Dwight Eisenhower narrowly defeated Adlai Stevenson II six votes to five. In 1940, Armstrong County was the only county in the nation without a post office. ==Demographics and economy==

After the 1911 incorporation of Ziebach and Dewey Counties, Armstrong County had 52 people living in 8 families. The majority of county residents lived on the banks of the Missouri and Cheyenne Rivers, which provided grass and timber for the local cattle economy and whose river bottoms provided shelter. In 1950, Armstrong had the distinction of being the only county in the United States without a single civilian federal employee. Spiritual Mobilization, a group opposed to government spending, wrote a song about it: All Hail to Armstrong, South Dakota, Land of the Free You have yet to fill your quota With a Federal Employee! No one from Agriculture? How do you farm? No one from Justice? Who keeps you from harm? No one from Veterans? By whom are you paid? No one from Commerce? How do you trade? No one from Housing? Who buildeth your shacks? No one from Treasury? Who takes your tax? No one from Post Office? Who sells your stamp supply? No one from Military? Who keeps your powder dry? And no one from Security? How, then, can you be social? If you have no single bureaucrat To decide things equivocal? Even the Department of the Interior Is from Armstrong’s roster missed. Tell me, Armstrong County, How do you exist? All Hail to Armstrong County, Where there’s no 'share the pelf,' And despite the Welfare Staters, Each does things for himself! Following the demise of Armstrong County, a second song by Peter Steele was written to the tune of Battle Hymn of the Republic: They have conquered Armstrong County - they are jubilant today! In the name of tax evasion they have voted it away. The citadel of freedom has been levelled in the fray. And "progress" marches on! "Progress," "progress," we salute you! No one living shall refute you! ''Lack of dollars shan't dilute you!'' ''We'll help you on your way!'' The victors in the tussle were the tax collection men, Tried and trusted commissaries of the welfare regimen, They fought to get the shekels out of every citizen To finance "progress" on! "Progress," "progress,"... So they trampled Armstrong's freedom and its democratic stand, Got the folks of Dewey County to absorb Sudetenland. No hope on Armstrong's ramparts - "Lebensraum!" was the demand Of "progress" marching on! "Progress," "progress,"... Now they've cleansed the Armstrong stigma from the South Dakota plains. On the wallmaps of the bureaucrats no tiny speck remains To indicate a single spot where independence reigns As "progress" marches on! "Progress," "progress,"... Today in Armstrong's borders watch the cattle bend a knee To a brand new herd of bi-peds which has joined the coterie. Their genus name is Federal: their species - Employee. And "progress" marches on! "Progress," "progress,"... The moral of this story it is tragic to relate Is that freedom made it possible to have the Welfare State. Trade freedom for security and we degenerate. True progress will be gone! "Progress," "progress," we remind you! Is a slogan which can blind you! Instead of serving it can bind you! Make liberty its prey! ==References==