Edward P. Hogan has done a considerable service for the people of South Dakota by researching and writing The Geography of South Dakota, the first such volume in 78 years. It is a book that was long overdue, but such a project also needs the right person at the ri

Berg, Donald J.

English

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The Geographical Bulletin Volume 39 Issue 2 Article 10 1997 The Geography of South Dakota Donald J. Berg South Dakota State University Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/thegeographicalbulletin  Part of the Geography Commons Recommended Citation Berg, Donald J. (1997) "The Geography of South Dakota," The Geographical Bulletin: Vol. 39: Iss. 2, Article 10. Available at: https://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/thegeographicalbulletin/vol39/iss2/10 This Book Review is brought to you for free and open access by the Active Journals at DigitalCommons@Kennesaw State University. It has been accepted for inclusion in The Geographical Bulletin by an authorized editor of DigitalCommons@Kennesaw State University. For more information, please contact digitalcommons@kennesaw.edu. and English traders, immigrants and travelers, shipbuilders and sailors, men and women of daring, of courage, and of adventure. But here also are re-called the stories of surveyors and draftsmen, engineers and printers, scuba divers and engravers, techni-cians and clerks, scientists and lithog-raphers. Men and women who often worked long hours, experienced hard-ships and privations in their travels, and brought leadership, foresight. and know-how to the solution of complex tasks. Yet the stories of these dedi-cated men and women who met and solved formidable problems is not the reason for their mention here-but to acknowledge a job well done. (pp. 187- 188) Woodford provides complete scholarly apparatus, including extensive footnot-ing. This approach is valuable to a re-searcher with interests identical to Wood-ford's but cumbersome for those with broader interests or for laypersons. Con-tained within this book, therefore, is Woodford's scholarly treatment of events leading to the creation ofthe Lake Survey, and those who served the agency and their accomplishments (and sometimes, their mistakes). Interspersed throughout the narrative are 80 photographs chosen from archival collections showing vessels used by the Survey, instruments used in making soundings and charts, and many of the individuals responsible for creating a Great Lakes saferforthose who use them. Unfortunately, there is no larger scale map of the Great Lakes region (which covers 93,000 square miles of water) con-taining locations cited repeatedly in the text. This would have aided greatly even those familiar with the Great Lakes in pin-pointing where the narrative is, literally, taking us. It is hard to imagine how those unfamiliar with the region would orient themselves. A valuable addition to the book is an extensive glossary of more than 200 nau-tical and drafting terms that are especially useful to the landlubber. And to any of us who wish to read more extensively on various aspects of the Great Lakes or the U. S. Lake Survey, Woodford provides a large bibliography of archival , primary, and secondary sources. Particularly help-ful is a guide to the archives themselves. Also included is a listing of selected pa-pers published by the U. S. Lake Survey staff from 1959-1976. For those i nter-ested in an evolution of printing technol-ogy used by the Survey, an appendix is added for that purpose, together with re-markable photographs showing staff at the machines. This book will be an im-portant addition to the Great Lakes collec-tions of historians, geographers, and oth-ers wishing to know about those responsible for making these Lakes "great". Robert B. Mancell Eastern Michigan University The Geography of South Dakota. Edward P. Hogan. The Center for Western Studies, Sioux Falls, 1995. 190 pp., maps, diags., photos, refs. and index. $20.00 ISBN 0-931170-61 -3. Edward P. Hogan has done a consid-erable service for the people of South Dakota by researching and writing The Geography of South Dakota, the first such volume in 78 years. It is a book that was long overdue, but such a project also needs the right person at the right place and the right time to author it. Hogan came to South Dakota in 1967 as the newly appointed head of the re-constituted Department of Geography at South Dakota State University in Brook-ings. From his vantage point he was able to study the landscape of his adopted state and achieve an appreciation of its diversity-a theme of his latest book. The Geography of South Dakota con-sists of 15 chapters of varying lengths and complexity that systematically deal with the physical and human geography of the state. The format is conventional as Chap-ter One presents an overview of the state, followed by chapters focusing upon the state's terrain, its weather and climate phenomena, its biogeography and its wa-ter resources. Chapters Six through 13 concentrate on the state's human geog-raphy, beginning with the native Ameri-125 1Berg: The Geography of South DakotaPublished by DigitalCommons@Kennesaw State University, 1997can cultures and concluding with the An-glo-European settlement of the area . Interim chapters explore agricultural pat-terns, mining developments, industrial and commercial geography, tourism and recreation and transportation geography. As a capstone of geographic exposition, Chapter 14 is devoted to the regions of South Dakota and the final chapter looks into the state's future. Hogan's principal idea is to take the main strength of geography-its ability to synthesize ideas, data and concepts from the various academic disciplines (such as history, sociology and economics}-and apply it to expounding upon South Da-kota 's geographical patterns, presenting a comprehensive picture. In this regard the author fulfills his goal many times over as the reader certainly comes away with an overall view of the differences found across the state's landscape. The book is not encyclopedic, yet it is thorough in its treatment of the subject matter. The Geography of South Dakota is illustrated with 33 maps (some in color) plus diagrams, tables and numerous pho-tographs, both color, and black and white. An extensive bibliography with some 330 citations supports the text. The theme of the volume is the state's spatial diversity. In every chapter Hogan cites numerous examples of the physical and human variety found within South Dakota. For example, he compares and contrasts the glaciated subtleties of the rolling plains of eastern South Dakota with the outlier of the Rocky Mountains found in the Black Hills region . The author analyzes the state's major urban area and j uxtaposes it against the wide, open 126 spaces of the northwestern area of the state. Along the way he introduces the reader to a number of not well known, but interesting to visit, locations. At the level of generalization the au-thor has presented, the book will appeal to a broad spectrum of readership. It will be useful as a textbook at both the high school and collegiate levels. Yet, general readers will find many topics of interest concerning the state's geograph ical patterns. While the author's overall text is posi-tive, some constructive comments are in order. A few outmoded concepts are evi-dent, especially in relation to soils geog-raphy. Although the terms used are ade-quate for educational and illustrative purposes, a note should be added con-cerning the contemporary U.S. Depart-ment of Agriculture's soil classification system. A few errors of fact were found, as were several editorial slips. The maps in Chapter Eight (Agriculture) might have been more effective if a light overlay showing the county boundaries had been added. In sum, if the three principles of geo-graphic exposition (explain it, map it and pictorialize it) are applied to The Geogra-phy of South Dakota, Hogan has suc-ceeded in his task. The volume represents a worthwhile addition to anyone's library who is interested in the state's geogra-phy. The book is useful for a number of purposes and, no doubt, will be utilized in those endeavors. The people of South Da-kota have been well served by their State Geographer. Donald J . Berg South Dakota State University 2The Geographical Bulletin, Vol. 39 [1997], Iss. 2, Art. 10https://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/thegeographicalbulletin/vol39/iss2/10THE GEOGRAPHICAL BULLETIN The Geographical Bulletin is published semi-annually (May and November) by the Geography honor society Gamma Theta Upsilon. It is available by subscription to students for $4.00 (U.S.) and for other individuals and insti-tutions $10.00 (U.S.). The quoted rates are for an annual subscription and include postage and handling. An authorized purchase order, personal or cashiers check, or money order in U.S. funds must accompany your sub-scription. The Geographical Bulletin began publication in 1970. A complete 25-year cumulative bibliographic index, by author is printed in Volume 38, Number 1 (May, 1996). While supplies remain , back issues from 1970 through the pres-ent are available for $2.00 per issue. Please make checks payable to The Geographical Bulletin and mail to: Prof. C. Nicholas Raphael The Geographical Bulletin Department of Geography and Geology Eastern Michigan University Ypsilanti, Michigan 48197 Telephone: (313) 487-8591 Fax: (313) 487-6979 Moving? Don' t leave Geographical Bulletin and GTU behind! To en UTe you continue to receive the Bulletin and other mail , please send or fax us your new addre s and the label or a copy of your old addres to: Dr. C. Nicholas Raphael The Geographical Bulletin Department of Geography and Geology Eastern Michigan University Ypsilanti . Michigan 48197 Fax: (3 13) 487-6979 GEO_RAPHAEL@online.emich.edu Plea e allow GTU 30 days to process changes 3Berg: The Geography of South DakotaPublished by DigitalCommons@Kennesaw State University, 19974The Geographical Bulletin, Vol. 39 [1997], Iss. 2, Art. 10https://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/thegeographicalbulletin/vol39/iss2/10

The Geography of South Dakota

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