It’s not common to hear his full name these days, but Wilmot Wood Brookings left his mark on South Dakota. He’s the reason Brookings County, the city of Brookings and the town of Wilmot have their names. Wilmot Brookings was a pioneer whose grit, ambition and determination helped shape the early Dakota Territory.
Born in Maine in 1830, Brookings was drawn westward for a life of new opportunities like many ambitious young Americans of his era. He settled in the Dakota Territory, where he made his mark as a lawyer and an early land developer. He staked claims in what would become Sioux Falls and Yankton, and soon emerged as an influential political figure in the region.
Brookings was appointed as a Dakota Territorial Supreme Court judge and as district attorney in the Yankton area. The Dakota Territorial Legislature cemented his legacy by naming the two cities and county after him.
His political service isn’t what earned him a place as a local legend. Brookings is perhaps best remembered for the harrowing winter journey which gave rise to his unforgettable nickname: “Ol’ Wooden Legs.”
During a frigid expedition in search of land, Brookings and a group of companions were caught in a severe winter storm. As the story goes, he fell into the icy waters of Split Rock Creek between present-day Sioux Falls and Yankton. By the time he was rescued, both legs had frozen beyond saving. He lived the rest of his life with wooden prosthetics, a physical hardship he managed to turn into another part of his legend. Today, Brookings stands as more than a city name. It’s a tribute to a man whose life was defined by resilience, vision and an unshakable pioneer spirit, even on wooden legs.
*This story has been written in collaboration with South Dakota State University‘s Public Relations class for our 2026 Visitor Guide. Read the guide here.*
