South Dakota’s Cowboy Governor Tom Berry: Leadership During the Depression

As South Dakotans endured the Great Depression and developing Dust Bowl in 1932, they elected a cowboy as their governor. Tom Berry rode in the great, iconic 1902 cattle roundup ordered by President Theodore Roosevelt. He established the successful Double X ranch next to the Badlands. Big voiced and tireless, Berry commanded the attention of all, including President Franklin Roosevelt, who broke protocol and called him “Tom” or “Cowboy” in White House meetings. Berry faced bitter political rivalries and weather that threatened to blow South Dakotans off their land, but he is remembered for his humorous wit throughout. Author Paul S. Higbee traces the history of South Dakota and its iconic governor.

Paul Higbee is a recipient of the Governor’s History Award (South Dakota), best known for features and columns appearing in South Dakota Magazine since 1986. He also taught graduate-level local history for teachers through Technology and Innovation in Education (TIE) and was lead writer for South Dakota Public TV’s Emmy Award-winning Dakota Pathways, a history series for children. Paul holds degrees from Black Hills State University and the University of Notre Dame. He and his wife, Janet, reside in the Black Hills.