Elrod, South Dakota facts for kids

Elrod is a small place located in Clark County, South Dakota, in the United States. It's known as an unincorporated community. This means it's a group of homes and businesses that isn't officially a town or city with its own local government. Instead, it's part of the larger county area.

What is Elrod?

Elrod is a quiet community in the northeastern part of South Dakota. Even though it doesn't have its own mayor or city council, it's still a recognized place on maps. Many small communities across the U.S. are unincorporated, meaning they rely on the county for services like roads and law enforcement.

How Elrod Got Its Name

The area we now call Elrod wasn't always known by that name. When it was first settled, it was called Ida. This name was used for a short time.

The community's current name, Elrod, came from a special person: Samuel H. Elrod. He was a good friend of the person who originally owned the land where the community was built. Samuel Elrod later became a very important leader in South Dakota. He served as the Governor of South Dakota from 1905 to 1907. A governor is like the chief executive of a state, similar to a president for a country, but on a smaller scale. They are in charge of making sure the state's laws are followed and that the government runs smoothly.

The Post Office Story

A post office is a place where people can send and receive mail. The first post office in this community was opened in 1883, and it was called Ida, just like the original name of the settlement.

However, in 1884, the post office's name was changed to Elrod to match the new name of the community. This post office served the people living in Elrod for many years. Eventually, as times changed and mail services evolved, the Elrod post office was closed down in 1954.