The county is entirely within the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation and contains part of Badlands National Park. It is an alcohol prohibition or dry county; taxes on alcohol consumed within the county go to other counties.
Oglala Lakota County is one of two counties in South Dakota that does not have its own county seat (Todd County is the other). Hot Springs in neighboring Fall River County serves as its administrative center. It is also one of five South Dakota counties that are entirely on an Indian reservation. (The others are Corson, Dewey, Todd, and Ziebach.) [Article: Why Does a Reservation County also have a County Government?]
Oglala Lakota County was renamed in May of 2015, originally it had been named Shannon County. Until 1982 Oglala Lakota and Washabaugh County, South Dakota, were the last unorganized counties in the United States. Although it was organized and received a home rule charter that year, Oglala Lakota County, as noted above, contracts with Fall River County for its Auditor, Treasurer, Director of Equalization, State’s Attorney and Registrar of Deeds.
Courthouse Closed – Labor Day
The Fall River & Oglala Lakota County courthouse in Hot Springs will be closed in observance of Labor Day on Monday September 2nd, 2024. The courthouse will resume normal hours on Tuesday September 3rd, 2024.
SD Secretary of State important information for Elections
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Courthouse Closed – 4th Of July
Fall River & Oglala Lakota County Courthouse in Hot Springs will be closed on Thursday, July 4th, 2024 in observance of the 4th of July holiday. Normal hours of 8am – 5pm will resume Friday, July 5th, 2024.
SD SOS Press Release
SECRETARY OF STATE UPDATES VOTERS ON POST-ELECTION AUDITS (Pierre, S.D.) – With the June 4th Primary Election quickly approaching, Secretary of State Monae L. Johnson would like to update voters on the newest process being implemented to ensure the accuracy of South Dakota’s elections: post-election audits. Post-election audits must be conducted within fifteen days of the completion […]