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C Top 5:
The
SECTION
TRANSITIONS
PRESS&
DAKOTAN
Life In Yankton: 1962-2011
Saturday 8.6.11
Hellos And
Goodbyes
The third 50 years of Yankton s story
saw the old, original face of the community begin to give way to the demands of
time and the needs of a new century. During this time period, some integral components of Yankton were replaced and some
simply disappeared. There were also great
highs and tragic lows as the community
entered a new millennium.
1. THE BUILDING OF DISCOVERY BRIDGE
When Meridian Bridge opened in
1924, it bolstered Yankton s role as a regional hub and addressed the importance that highways would have to the
area s business climate, ultimately
trumping both the river and the railroad.
But after many decades of service, it
gradually became clear that the bridge s
usefulness was nearing an end and a new
structure would be needed. City representatives, as well as area officials from
both South Dakota and Nebraska, began
campaigning for a replacement bridge
that could serve the growing infrastructure demands of the modern age.
There was certainly a hope among
some locals that the old Meridian Bridge
could be salvaged in some way. But its
fate was also a major stumbling block as
part of the environmental impact study
associated with a new bridge. This left the
very real possibility that the old bridge
would have to be dismantled in order to
clear the way for the new structure.
This was finally resolved in 2003
when state officials from South Dakota
and Nebraska struck an agreement with
city officials that provided for the conversion of the Meridian Bridge into a
pedestrian/biking bridge, with the city
then taking ownership of the structure.
With that, the building of the new bridge
was ready to proceed.
Ground for the new $23.9 million
bridge was officially broken on July 4,
2007. The following year, the new structure dubbed Discovery Bridge was
completed, and it was officially dedicated
on Oct. 11, 2008, almost exactly 84 years
after the Meridian Bridge was dedicated.
As of the summer of 2011, the conversion of the Meridian Bridge was nearing
completion, meaning one of Yankton s
most recognized landmarks would continue serving people for many more
years to come.
2. THE YANKTON COLLEGE SAGA
The first college of the Dakotas trained
students for more than a century, having
endured the hardships of prairie life and
the dark, uncertain days of the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl.
ABOVE: An aerial view of the Yankton College campus during its heyday. YC s closure in 1984, and its subsequent
conversion into a federal prison camp, was
one of the biggest occurrences in Yankton
in the past 50 years. (Yankton College
archive photo) LEFT: On Oct. 11, 2008,
thousands gathered at the south edge of
Yankton to once again celebrate the opening of a new bridge. The Discovery Bridge
was officially dedicated that day, with dignitaries from both South Dakota and Nebraska on hand to greet the transition from
the 20th century bridging marvel that had
been the Meridian Bridge to this new structure a new bridge for a new century and
new millennium. Shown are, from left, Rep.
Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, Sen. John
Thune, Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman and
Sen. Tim Johnson cutting the ribbon for
the new bridge. (P&D archive photo)
TOP 5 | PAGE 18C
Pages in
History.
Generations
of Care.
Yankton Medical Clinic, P.C. first opened January 1, 1982 as a result of a merger
between the Yankton Clinic and the Medical Clinic. Both of those clinics were
organized in 1946, so our story truly traces back even further to physicians and
staff dedicated to caring for the families of Yankton and throughout the region.
The physicians that united to form Yankton Medical Clinic, P.C. were dedicated to
healthcare delivery in a group setting, with primary and specialty care physicians in
one location. Over 65 years later, we still believe the patients we serve benefit from
our joint efforts, the ease of communication under one roof, and the shared expertise
through consultation.
We join with Yankton in celebrating 150 years, as well
as celebrating over 65 years of care in our region.
1104 West 8th Street Yankton, SD 57078
605-665-7841 www.yanktonmedicalclinic.com
So Much Care, So Close to Home.
