Beresford, South Dakota facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Beresford
City
Location in Union County and the state of South Dakota
Country	United States
State	South Dakota
Counties	Union, Lincoln
Incorporated	July 12, 1884
Area
• Total	1.78 sq mi (4.62 km2)
• Land	1.78 sq mi (4.62 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation	1,496 ft (456 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	2,180
• Estimate  (2022)	2,129
• Density	1,221.97/sq mi (471.71/km2)
Time zone	UTC–6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC–5 (CDT)
ZIP code	57004
Area code(s)	605
FIPS code	46-04980
GNIS feature ID	1267283
Sales tax	6.2%

Beresford is a city in South Dakota, a state in the United States. It is located in both Lincoln and Union counties.

In 2020, about 2,180 people lived in Beresford. The city is split between two larger areas: the southern part is near Sioux City, Iowa, and the northern part is near Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Beresford has its own weekly newspaper called the Beresford Republic.

Beresford's Story: How the City Began

Former Beresford train station

Beresford was first called Paris when it was founded in 1873. Later, the city was renamed after Lord Charles Beresford. It officially became a city on July 12, 1884.

After the American Civil War ended, many people moved to the Dakota Territory in the early 1870s. The government offered land to settlers through the Homestead Acts. This act allowed people to claim land if they lived on it and farmed it for a certain number of years. These early settlers worked hard to turn the land into farms.

First Settlers and the Railroad

In 1872, the family of Eli Ricard was the first to settle in the area that would become Beresford. Their land was the original spot for the town. Mr. Ricard even ran the Paris Post Office from his home.

In 1882, people learned that a railroad company, the Chicago and North Western, was planning to build tracks nearby. They also announced that a new town would be created along the railroad line. Mr. Ricard offered the railroad company 80 acres of his land if they would build the tracks through Paris.

The railroad agreed, and the tracks were built across Mr. Ricard's land. The town was then planned out. It was named Beresford after Lord Beresford, because English investors were involved with the railroad.

Early Businesses and Community Leaders

In the spring of 1883, many businesses started in Beresford. The first building was a saloon, but it was later destroyed by fire. A drug store was the second building.

Many important people helped Beresford grow. J. R. Carleton started the town's first newspaper, the Beresford News, in 1883. Charley Sundling was the first mail carrier. David Stephen was the first postmaster and merchant. Eli Ricard, the early settler, also sold furniture and even coffins.

Other pioneers included W. J. Byrnes, who ran the first hotel, and Dr. R. A. Hill, the first doctor. George Bruehler was the first harness maker, and Lars Rasmussen opened the first meat market. Beresford's first hardware store was run by Jerry and J. L. Reedy. These early businesses helped the town become a lively community.

Where is Beresford?

Beresford covers about 1.78 square miles (4.62 square kilometers) of land. There is no water area within the city limits.

The city is located right on the border between Lincoln and Union counties. Cedar Street in Beresford marks the county line. Most of Beresford, including its city hall, is in Union County.

People of Beresford

Population Facts

According to the 2010 census, Beresford had 2,005 people living in 861 households. About 29.6% of these households had children under 18. Many households (54.8%) were married couples living together.

The average age of people in Beresford was 38.5 years. About 25.4% of residents were under 18 years old. The population was almost evenly split between males (49.4%) and females (50.6%).

Beresford's Weather

Beresford is located far from large bodies of water, right in the middle of North America. This gives it a humid continental climate. This means Beresford has hot, humid summers and cold, snowy winters.

Temperatures can change a lot. In summer, daytime temperatures can reach over 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius). In winter, temperatures can drop well below zero Fahrenheit (minus 18 degrees Celsius).

Learning and Fun in Beresford

Schools in Beresford

Beresford High School is the only high school in the Beresford School District. The high school and middle school are on the South Campus. The Beresford Elementary School is on the North Campus, along with the Community Education Building. This building also hosts the Beresford Pre-School Program.

Beresford High School offers many sports for students. These include football, cross country, golf, volleyball, wrestling, track, and basketball. They also have dance and cheerleading teams.

Beyond sports, students can join many non-athletic programs. These include marching band, concert band, drama, and choir. There are also clubs like Future Farmers of America, Family Career and Community Leaders of America, and the National Honor Society. Students can also participate in the school newspaper, yearbook, quiz bowl, and student government.

Beresford Public Library

The Beresford Library started thanks to the Beresford Study Club. In 1923, club members began collecting books. They held a "book shower" and gathered 40 books. Soon, the public donated another 100 books. The club also raised $300 to buy more books.

By 1924, the library was so popular that the study club asked the city to take over. The city officially took responsibility for the library that same year.

The first library was a small space on the second floor of the fire station. By 1959, it had about 10,000 books, organized using the Dewey Decimal System. This system uses numbers to organize books by topic.

In 1963, with help from the local Boy Scouts, the library moved to the old Post Office building. At this time, they also added new things like talking books and film strips. In 1972, the library expanded again, adding a youth library in the basement.

By 1983, the library had about 20,000 books and many other media items. Today, the library is located on 3rd Street. It opened in its current spot in 1992 and now holds nearly 30,000 items for the community.

Famous People from Beresford

• William J. Bulow - He was a former Governor of South Dakota and a United States Senator.
• Robert Casey - A decorated soldier, he became a famous war correspondent and reporter.
• Don Fedderson - He was a television executive producer and creator of TV shows.
• Vince Lloyd - He was a well-known baseball broadcaster, especially for the Chicago Cubs team.
• Ernest Lundeen - He served as a mayor in Minnesota.

See also

In Spanish: Beresford (Dakota del Sur) para niños