Clough, South Dakota facts for kids

Clough was once a small town in Meade County, South Dakota, in the U.S. state of South Dakota. Today, it's known as an extinct town or a ghost town, meaning people no longer live there. The GNIS (which is like a big list of places in the U.S.) still lists it as a place that used to be populated.

History of Clough

The town of Clough was officially started in 1910. It was named after the father of one of the very first people who settled there.

A post office, which is where people would send and receive mail, was opened in Clough in 1909. This post office was very important for the community, helping people connect with the outside world. It stayed open for many years, but eventually closed its doors in 1943. After the post office closed, fewer and fewer people lived in Clough, and it eventually became a ghost town.

What is a Ghost Town?

A ghost town is a place where people used to live and work, but for some reason, everyone moved away. These towns are often left empty, with old buildings and streets that tell stories of the past.

Towns can become ghost towns for many reasons. Sometimes, the main reason people lived there, like a mine or a special resource, runs out. Other times, new roads or railways are built far away, making it hard for people to get to the town. When there are no jobs or easy ways to travel, people often leave to find new opportunities. Clough is an example of a town that became a ghost town over time.