Doane Robinson (1856–1946) was an American historian, author, and public official. He is best known as the "Father of South Dakota History" for his efforts to preserve the state's history and promote its development. Robinson was born in New York and moved to South Dakota in 1883. He served as the state's first secretary of state from 1889 to 1893 and was a member of the South Dakota Historical Society from its founding in 1891. He was also a prolific author, writing several books on the history of South Dakota and the Great Plains region. Robinson was a strong advocate for the preservation of South Dakota's history and culture. He was instrumental in the creation of the state's first historical society and was a major proponent of the state's first historical museum, which opened in Pierre in 1904. He also helped to establish the state's first historical marker program and was a major force behind the creation of the state's first historical park, now known as the Doane Robinson State Historic Site. Robinson's legacy lives on in South Dakota, where his name is honored in numerous ways, including the Doane Robinson Memorial Highway, the Doane Robinson Memorial Bridge, and the Doane Robinson State Historic Site.
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