Dewey, South Dakota facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dewey, South Dakota
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Welcome sign
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 Dewey, South Dakota
Location in South Dakota
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| Country | United States |
| State | South Dakota |
| County | Custer |
| Township | West Custer UT (portion of Custer County west of Custer State Park) |
| Elevation | 3,714 ft (1,132 m) |
| Population | |
| • Total | 7 |
| Time zone | UTC-7 (MST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-6 (MDT) |
| ZIP code |
57735
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| Area code(s) | 605 |
| FIPS code | 46-16380 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1261554 |
Dewey is a very small community located in the southwest part of Custer County, South Dakota, in the United States. It is less than one mile from the Wyoming border. This area is part of the beautiful prairie region of the Black Hills.
Only about five or six homes are in Dewey. The community has a volunteer fire department. This department is part of the Edgemont city district.
Dewey is just southwest of the Elk Mountains. This is a small mountain range that is part of the larger Black Hills. A road called South Dewey Road leads southeast into Fall River County. It goes about 6.1 miles to Burdock. From there, it continues to Edgemont, which is about 23 miles from Dewey. If you travel northwest from Dewey, you will reach Newcastle, Wyoming, about 30 miles away.
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How Dewey Got Its Name
Dewey was first known as "S and G Ranch." This name came from its original owners, Sturgis and Goodell. The name was changed to Dewey in 1890. This change happened either because of the Burlington Railroad, which built tracks through the area that year, or by the Post Office Department.
Dewey is considered a "populated place." This means it has buildings and people living there permanently. However, it is not an officially recognized town or city by the government.
A Town for Cattle Ranchers
In the first half of the 1900s, Dewey was an important town for cattle ranching. Local ranchers used the town's train station. They would ship their cattle from here to markets in other places.
Two ranches near Dewey are very special. They are listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Custer County. The Edna and Ernest Young Ranch is about three miles south of Dewey, near Beaver Creek. The Charles and Ollie Lampert Ranch is located north of Dewey.
Exploring for Natural Resources
Since the 1970s, different groups have explored the Dewey and Burdock area. These groups include the Tennessee Valley Authority and private companies. They have been looking for natural resources like uranium.
Some exploration sites still exist in the area. In 2012 and 2013, the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the Environmental Protection Agency studied the area. They looked into new ways to recover uranium from the ground.
Images for kids
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Old buildings in Dewey
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A freight rail building in Dewey
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An abandoned cabin near Dewey
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A desert scene with the Elk Mountains in the background
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Red rock canyons near Dewey
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A BNSF Railway train near Dewey
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A view of the highlands in the southern Black Hills near Dewey
