In February 1881, farmers in Yankton County obtained a charter for the first farmers' alliance in Dakota Territory. Spurred by a drop in wheat prices in 1884, the number of territorial alliances grew, and mass meetings in Clark, Huron, Mellette, and Redfield were soon denouncing railroads and demanding their regulation. In January 1885, a territorial railroad commission was created, although vigorous opposition left the new agency without any power to establish freight rates. In February 1885, alliance delegates from 11 counties in Dakota gathered in Huron to form the Dakota Farmers' Alliance, affiliated with the National Farmers' Alliance.
From the description of Dakota Farmers' Alliance records, 1887, undated (South Dakota State University). WorldCat record id: 780190961
