Contract with Neighboring States In his 1870 message to the
Legislature on December 6, Governor John A. Burbank, urged the
providing of adequate care for mentally ill patients. The
Legislature responded with a law that authorized the governor to
contract with the states of Minnesota, Iowa or Nebraska for the
care of the mentally ill from Dakota Territory. A contract was
made with Minnesota in 1871 and records show three patients in
1876 and seven in 1877 being cared for at the St. Peter State
Hospital, which was the name during that time period. The
completion of the railway into Yankton in 1873 gave added
impetus to immigration and by 1878 the effect of the gold rush
was reflected in the number of Dakota patients at St. Peter
Hospital, totaling 22. Governor William A. Howard was advised in
June by Minnesota that no more patients could be accepted after
July 1 because of crowded conditions at that hospital and all
Dakota patients would have to be removed by October 1, 1878. The
Governor contacted Iowa hospita