Lemmon, South Dakota facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lemmon, South Dakota
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A monument of Ed Lemmon resides in Boss Cowman Square.
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Location in Perkins County and the state of South Dakota
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| Country | United States |
| State | South Dakota |
| County | Perkins |
| Incorporated | 1908 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.10 sq mi (2.84 km2) |
| • Land | 1.10 sq mi (2.84 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 2,566 ft (782 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,160 |
| • Density | 1,056.47/sq mi (408.08/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−7 (Mountain (MST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−6 (MDT) |
| ZIP code |
57638
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| Area code(s) | 605 |
| FIPS code | 46-36340 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1267457 |
| Website | lemmonsd.com |
Lemmon is a small city in Perkins County, South Dakota, United States. In 2020, about 1,160 people lived there.
The city is named after George Ed Lemmon, a cattle rancher. He started the town in 1906. Lemmon was recognized with the South Dakota Community of the Year Award in 2012.
Contents
Where is Lemmon Located?
Lemmon is in the state of South Dakota. The city covers about 1.04 square miles (2.84 square kilometers) of land.
The northern edge of Lemmon touches the border of Adams County, North Dakota. To the east, you'll find Corson County and the Standing Rock Indian Reservation.
A Look Back: Lemmon's History
Lemmon's story began in 1902. At that time, the U.S. government leased a large area of land (about 800,000 acres) from the Standing Rock Indian Reservation to a cattle rancher named George Ed Lemmon. This is how the town got its start.
In 1919, Lemmon became a place where African Americans were not allowed to live. This was a common practice in some towns during that time.
Who Lives in Lemmon?
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1910 | 1,255 | — | |
| 1920 | 1,126 | −10.3% | |
| 1930 | 1,508 | 33.9% | |
| 1940 | 1,781 | 18.1% | |
| 1950 | 2,760 | 55.0% | |
| 1960 | 2,412 | −12.6% | |
| 1970 | 1,997 | −17.2% | |
| 1980 | 1,871 | −6.3% | |
| 1990 | 1,614 | −13.7% | |
| 2000 | 1,398 | −13.4% | |
| 2010 | 1,227 | −12.2% | |
| 2020 | 1,160 | −5.5% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 2019 Estimate |
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In 2010, there were 1,227 people living in Lemmon. They lived in 567 households. Most people (96.3%) were White. About 1.9% were Native American.
The average age of people in Lemmon was 50.8 years old. About 17.4% of the residents were under 18 years old.
Lemmon's Weather
Lemmon has a climate with warm to hot summers. Mornings can be cool. Winters are cold and dry, but the weather can change a lot.
| Climate data for Lemmon, South Dakota (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1909–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 69 (21) |
70 (21) |
85 (29) |
93 (34) |
103 (39) |
109 (43) |
115 (46) |
107 (42) |
105 (41) |
95 (35) |
82 (28) |
70 (21) |
115 (46) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 51.2 (10.7) |
53.8 (12.1) |
68.0 (20.0) |
78.6 (25.9) |
85.1 (29.5) |
92.0 (33.3) |
98.0 (36.7) |
97.7 (36.5) |
93.3 (34.1) |
82.2 (27.9) |
66.2 (19.0) |
53.0 (11.7) |
100.1 (37.8) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 28.8 (−1.8) |
32.6 (0.3) |
45.0 (7.2) |
57.7 (14.3) |
69.1 (20.6) |
78.7 (25.9) |
86.7 (30.4) |
86.0 (30.0) |
76.8 (24.9) |
59.8 (15.4) |
43.5 (6.4) |
31.9 (−0.1) |
58.0 (14.4) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 18.9 (−7.3) |
22.3 (−5.4) |
33.1 (0.6) |
44.7 (7.1) |
56.0 (13.3) |
65.7 (18.7) |
72.6 (22.6) |
71.3 (21.8) |
62.0 (16.7) |
47.2 (8.4) |
32.7 (0.4) |
22.1 (−5.5) |
45.7 (7.6) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 8.9 (−12.8) |
12.0 (−11.1) |
21.2 (−6.0) |
31.7 (−0.2) |
42.9 (6.1) |
52.8 (11.6) |
58.6 (14.8) |
56.6 (13.7) |
47.3 (8.5) |
34.6 (1.4) |
21.9 (−5.6) |
12.3 (−10.9) |
33.4 (0.8) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | −16.0 (−26.7) |
−10.6 (−23.7) |
−1.1 (−18.4) |
14.3 (−9.8) |
28.1 (−2.2) |
40.8 (4.9) |
48.7 (9.3) |
45.0 (7.2) |
32.0 (0.0) |
16.2 (−8.8) |
2.9 (−16.2) |
−10.9 (−23.8) |
−20.5 (−29.2) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −42 (−41) |
−45 (−43) |
−27 (−33) |
−6 (−21) |
10 (−12) |
29 (−2) |
37 (3) |
31 (−1) |
14 (−10) |
−10 (−23) |
−24 (−31) |
−33 (−36) |
−45 (−43) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 0.26 (6.6) |
0.48 (12) |
0.79 (20) |
1.71 (43) |
2.84 (72) |
3.03 (77) |
2.75 (70) |
2.11 (54) |
1.48 (38) |
1.54 (39) |
0.60 (15) |
0.41 (10) |
18.00 (457) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 4.5 (11) |
7.6 (19) |
7.5 (19) |
4.8 (12) |
0.7 (1.8) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
3.1 (7.9) |
5.2 (13) |
8.9 (23) |
42.3 (107) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 3.6 | 3.9 | 4.6 | 6.9 | 9.3 | 10.2 | 8.6 | 6.5 | 5.6 | 5.9 | 3.7 | 3.7 | 72.5 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 3.6 | 4.0 | 3.3 | 1.8 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 2.3 | 3.5 | 19.7 |
| Source: NOAA | |||||||||||||
Fun Things to See and Do
Lemmon is home to the Lemmon Petrified Park. This park is famous for being the world's largest park made of petrified wood. Petrified wood is ancient wood that has turned into stone over millions of years.
The park takes up a whole city block downtown. It is built entirely from petrified wood, fossils, and other stones. Construction started in 1930 and finished in 1932. Ole S. Quammen oversaw the building of the park.
Inside the park, you can find a wishing well, a waterfall, and even a castle. The castle is very heavy, weighing 300 tons! It has tall spires and turrets.
There are also two museums in the park, both built from petrified wood. The larger museum is round. It has a floor made of petrified grass and petrified logs. You can see amazing things like dinosaur claws, bird tracks, and fossilized snakes in the petrified wood. The museum also displays old items and artifacts from the Lemmon area. The park has over 100 stone formations, some as tall as 20 feet.
Events and Attractions
The Boss Cowman Rodeo and Celebration happens every second weekend in July. It is one of the biggest rodeos in South Dakota.
The Grand River Museum is located on Highway 12. This museum has exhibits about creation science, fossils, and Native American history. You can also learn about cowboys and ranch life. There is a full-size tipi and a model of Noah's Ark. Entry to the museum is free.
The Kokomo, on Main Street, is an art gallery. It features the work of sculptor John Lopez.
Local Businesses and Services
Lemmon has many useful places for its residents and visitors. There is a 9-hole golf course and an airport. You can find two convenience stores, a hardware store, and a grocery store.
The city also has an American Legion post and other businesses. There are seven churches, three banks, a library, and a movie theater. For health care, there is a clinic and a nursing home. If you need a place to stay, there are three motels in town. The Lemmon Livestock Sale Barn is just west of the city. They have sales every Wednesday.
Many people in Lemmon work at Wheeler Manufacturing, which makes jewelry. Gregorian, Inc. and Dakota Woodcrafts also provide manufacturing jobs. The school system and local farms/ranches are also major employers.
Schools in Lemmon
Lemmon has its own school district. It includes a high school and an elementary school. There used to be a small country school called Progress in Meadow. However, a tornado destroyed it in 2010. After that, its students joined the Lemmon, Bison, and Faith school districts.
Local Radio
AM Radio Stations
| AM radio stations | |||||
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| Frequency | Call sign | Name | Format | Owner | City |
| 1400 AM | KBJM | Country/Classic Hits | Media Associates | Lemmon | |
Famous People from Lemmon
- Kathleen Norris, a poet
- Gale Cleven, a pilot from World War II
- John Lopez, a sculptor
See also
In Spanish: Lemmon (Dakota del Sur) para niños
