[1][2] He graduated from Columbia High School, in Brown County, South Dakota.

Herseth was only the third Democrat to hold the office of Governor of the state of South Dakota.

Big Bend Dam on the Missouri River was begun during his single term in office.

The state government experienced problems resulting from hard-hitting natural disasters in South Dakota in 1959; he was defeated for reelection in 1960, and for a return to office in 1962.

[4] Herseth, died from a heart attack on January 24, 1969, aged 59, while visiting a friend at home in Aberdeen, South Dakota.