Yankton was settled in 1858 and named for the Yankton tribe of Sioux Indians. Yankton began as a bustling trading post and riverboat town. The busiest town in the region in the nineteenth century nestled along the bluffs of the Missouri River, teeming with railroad people and riverboat traffic. It was a favorite stopping off place for travelers, traders and soldiers. Lewis and Clark camped near the James and Missouri Rivers a short distance from Yankton. You can relive the fascinating past in the many museums, walking tours and architectural sites that are open daily for your enjoyment. A little known fact about Yankton is that it was the starting point of Lawrence Welk and his band. In 1928 Lawrence Welk went to work for the local radio station, WNAX RADIO, and for nine years was a popular daily radio program. Yankton is the largest town on the Oyate Trail that runs from I-29 to the Black Hills of South Dakota. Every year the Oyate Trail is a popular route for the bikers heading for the Badlands of South Dakota and eventually the Sturgis Rally.