Aberdeen was established on July 6, 1881, with the arrival of the first Milwaukee Railroad train. The city was named for Aberdeen in Scotland by Alexander Mitchell, president of the Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. Paul Railroad, the junction on which it was built. Europeans entered the fur trading region during the 1820s, but before this, the Sioux Indians lived on the land from 1700 to 1979. Many businesses and buildings were erected in Aberdeen but soon encountered problems due to periodic flooding. Initially, the rain did not seem to be a problem, but most buildings were flooded regularly over time, causing damage and turmoil in the town. Poor drainage systems and continuous rainfall caused the situation to be irreparable. This situation led the city to build an artesian ditch to control the damming of water in 1882. Through much trial and error, engineers realized the previous flaws of the artesian well plan and added a gate valve to the well to control the flow of water, giving Aberdeen its first working water supply. The newly developing Aberdeen became known as the "Hub City of the Dakotas." From an aerial view of the city, it looked like the spokes of a wheel where the railroad tracks of four different railroad companies' depots converged in the middle. These four railroad companies are why Aberdeen was able to grow and flourish as it did. The only railroad running through Aberdeen today is the BNSF Railway. In present-day Aberdeen, we see a beautiful, thriving city with a well-established economy based chiefly on agriculture but making deep trenches into the forestry, tourism, and mining industries.

Aberdeen, South Dakota, is quite the colorful patchwork of cultural, arty, outdoorsy, sporty, and foodie things. Aberdeen is brimming over with activities to draw you in and never let you go from concerts and museums to storybooks, lands, and parks.

Here is a shortlist of Aberdeen's favorite attractions and spots to visit:

Storybook Land and Land of Oz: Come and enjoy a world of joy and imagination with all the childhood storybook characters of our childhoods. Be utterly charmed on a walk through the yellow brick road in Oz or a ride on a “horse” to Dorothy's Munchkin land.

Dacotah Prairie Museum: This fascinating museum in Aberdeen's downtown district is in an iconic historic Bank building dating to 1889. The exhibits on display highlight Brown County's history and the people who lived here past and present.

Palm Garden Café and Chocolate: With cozy patios and delicious food, this café is a beautiful spot in downtown Aberdeen. Serving a tantalizing variety of food choices culminating in servings of the most delectable chocolates after a hearty meal, you will be negligent if you do not add this stop to your list.