VERMILLION

city, seat (1862) of Clay county, southeastern South Dakota, U.S., at the confluence of the Vermillion and Missouri rivers, near the Nebraska border. Fort Vermillion, a trading post, was built on the site in 1835, and a permanent settlement was established nearby in 1859. A flood in 1881 completely destroyed the city, which was rebuilt higher on the bluffs. Its name is derived from the river, which in turn comes from the red (vermilion) clay along the river's banks. The University of South Dakota was established by the Territorial Legislature in Vermillion in 1862 but was not opened until 1882. Vermillion is also a marketing and shipping centre for agricultural products (dairy foods, grains, and truck vegetables). Inc. city, 1877. Pop. (1990) 10,034.