Galena, South Dakota facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Galena, South Dakota Galena City
Unincorporated community
Galena, South Dakota Location in South Dakota Show map of South Dakota Galena, South Dakota Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	South Dakota
County	Lawrence
Founded	c. 1876
Elevation	4,790 ft (1,460 m)
Time zone	UTC-7 (Mountain (MST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-6 (MDT)
Area code(s)	605
GNIS feature ID	1265226

Galena (also known as Galena City) is a small, unofficial community in Lawrence County, South Dakota, United States. It's often called a ghost town because most people have moved away. However, a few families still live there. The U.S. Census Bureau doesn't track its population.

Why Galena Got Its Name

This community was named after a mineral called galena. This mineral was found in the rocks and mines all around the area.

Galena's Mining History

How Galena Began

In 1874, people discovered gold in the Black Hills. This discovery brought many settlers to the area, hoping to find their fortune. While people hoped for gold, they found more silver and lead ore instead. Gold was only found in small amounts.

In March 1876, many people started settling in the valley where Galena was built. They claimed areas for mining, mostly for silver. Some of the first mines were named Sitting Bull, Florence, Merritt, El Refugio, Emma, and Cora. Miners dug deep shafts into the hills and built tunnels further down the cliffs. In September 1876, Robert Florman bought the Florence mining claim.

The first homes were simple, made from dirt or wood. In October 1876, a settler named James Conzette built a cabin in Galena. He thought it might be a fort against Native American raids, but it was never used that way. It had a dirt floor and roof, and its door was made from a sluice box (a tool used in mining). The last Native American group seen in the town was in 1876, when they climbed down the ravine where the Catholic church was later built.

Galena's Boom Years

As the town grew, a sawmill was built to provide lumber for new buildings. By June 1877, Galena had about 150 to 200 people and was growing fast! It had four stores, three butchers, a place to keep horses (a livery yard), and a boarding house. By July 4th, there were 250 men and 25 women living there.

Around this time, Galena won an election against nearby camps like Caribou and Hardscrabble to get the first post office. By the end of 1877, 400 people lived in Galena, which had 75 homes and two smelters (places that melt ore to get metal). A mail route was set up from Deadwood to Galena and Virginia City.

Later, Galena had even more businesses:

• A doctor
• An assayer (someone who tests ore)
• A notary (someone who can legally witness signatures)
• A shoemaker
• Two hotels
• Two saloons
• Another livery yard
• An opera house
• A tin shop
• Two more sawmills

Two railroad lines were built to Galena from Deadwood, which helped the town grow even more. Three newspapers were published in the area: the Daily Times, the Pioneer, and the News. One July, a fire swept through the town and destroyed the opera house.

In 1881, a very successful local mining operation brought another period of growth to Galena. Older cabins were torn down because they were falling apart. The town added a barber shop, a restaurant, and a hardware store. Two more hotels were planned. Two more express delivery lines came from Deadwood, and a stagecoach line was built between Sturgis and Galena. A telephone line was also installed!

The Galena Schoolhouse was built in 1882 and is still standing today. The Galena Historical Society takes care of it. Like other schools at the time, it only ran for three months each year. One local resident was famous for his pet coyote named Tootsie!

Galena Today

In 1883, a disagreement over mining claims turned into a court case that went all the way to the Supreme Court of Dakota Territory. That same year, a man named Patrick Gorman was killed. The killer was found not guilty, as the jury decided it was self-defense. These events contributed to a slowdown in Galena's activity.

In 1886, Galena saw another busy period with eight mining companies working the land. But from then until 1897, the town was very quiet. The Union Mining Company bought all the mines nearby, but their operations failed within a year. By 1902, Galena was largely neglected.

However, in 1902, the Burlington Railroad came through, and the economy started to improve. Houses were repaired. But the railroad line was closed in 1912, and the tracks were removed in 1929. In 1940, another mining company, Gilt Edge Mines, came to Galena and helped the town revive again. The school closed in the summer of 1943.

Today, only a few families live in Galena, and there are some vacation homes. The Galena Historical Society holds an annual "Galena Open House and Walk." This event allows visitors to see historical buildings on private property, including the old schoolhouse.

Galena's Location and Weather

Where Galena Is Located

Galena is located in the northern part of the Black Hills in Lawrence County, South Dakota. It sits at an elevation of about 4,790 feet (1,460 meters) above sea level. Bear Butte Creek flows next to the town, which is in a meadow within a valley, also known as a gulch.

Galena's Climate

Famous People from Galena

• Sally A. Campbell, also known as "Aunt Sally", was a pioneer who traveled with George Custer. She claimed to be the first non-native woman in the Black Hills.