Sigurd Anderson papers

Collection

Identifier: MS-010

Staff Only

Content Description

This collection contains the correspondence and working files of Sigurd Anderson, spanning his terms as Governor in the 1950s as well as his later professional life into the 1970s.

Dates

Creation: 1951 - 1990

Creator

Anderson, Sigurd, 1904-1990 (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research without restriction. Researchers are advised to contact the Archives and Special Collections prior to visiting. Advance notice may be needed to retrieve items for research use.

Conditions Governing Use

Researchers must obtain a signed Permission to Publish Form if they wish to reproduce, broadcast, or otherwise disseminate information from published and unpublished works held by ASC. Permission to reproduce, broadcast, or otherwise disseminate information materials from ASC does not constitute permission from the holder of copyright or literary rights. The researcher is responsible for securing permission from the copyright holder to publish or reproduce content from materials found in the collections.

Biographical / Historical

A Norwegian immigrant, Sigurd Anderson served as the Governor of South Dakota from 1951-1955. Anderson received a B.A. degree from South Dakota State College and an LL.B. from the University of South Dakota. He served as State’s Attorney for Day County from 1939-1941 and Assistant Attorney General of South Dakota from 1941-1943. In 1947, Anderson began serving as Attorney General of South Dakota until his election as Governor. During Anderson’s two gubernatorial terms, the salaries of state employees were increased, and pension benefits were extended to Korean War veterans. In addition, the state sales tax was reduced, and highway construction expanded. Anderson served as chairman of the Missouri River States Committee during his first term, and the state’s rural credit debt was retired during his second term. After leaving office, he became a member of the Federal Trade Commission. In 1964 he returned to Webster to practice law, and three years later he was appointed Judge of the Fifth Judicial Circuit of South Dakota, where he remained until his retirement in 1975 (from National Governors Association web site, accessed 5/12/2020).