Lily, South Dakota facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lily, South Dakota
Ghost town
Location in Day County and the state of South Dakota
Country	United States
State	South Dakota
County	Day
Area
• Total	0.30 sq mi (0.78 km2)
• Land	0.30 sq mi (0.78 km2)
• Water	0 sq mi (0 km2)
Elevation	1,857 ft (566 m)
Population  (2010)
• Total	4
• Estimate  (2013)	4
• Density	13.3/sq mi (5.1/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	57274
Area code(s)	605
FIPS code	46-37140
GNIS feature ID	1267463

Lily was a small town in Day County, South Dakota, in the United States. In 2010, only 4 people lived there. The town officially closed down in March 2017 because its population became zero. Today, Lily is known as a ghost town.

The History of Lily, South Dakota

Lily started as a train stop for the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad. This was from 1898 until 1979. The town got its name from Ross Parks, its first postmaster. He named it after his sister, Lily. Ross Parks and his sister settled here in 1883. The town's post office opened on July 13, 1883.

Famous People Connected to Lily

Hubert Humphrey's Family Roots

In 1889, Andrew Gutorm Sannes, the grandfather of future Vice President Hubert Humphrey, moved his family to Lily. He came with his wife, Tomina Larson, and their five children. One of their children was Kristine, who would become Hubert Humphrey's mother.

Andrew Sannes was a Norwegian sea captain. He opened a drugstore inside the town's general store. His family grew in Lily, with six more children born there. Their daughter Sophia was the first child born in the U.S. in Lily in December 1891. Their last child born in Lily was Thorvald, in September 1900.

Hubert Humphrey, Sr.'s Drugstore

Hubert Humphrey, Sr., who was Hubert Humphrey's father, moved to Lily in 1903. He had just finished pharmacy school in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He opened his very first drugstore in Lily.

It was in Lily that he met Kristine Sannes. She later became his wife. They got married in Lily on April 16, 1906.

Hubert Humphrey, Jr.'s Early Life

In 1907, Hubert Humphrey, Sr. and Kristine moved to Wallace, South Dakota. Their famous son, Hubert Humphrey, Jr., was born there on May 27, 1911. He was born in a bedroom above his father's drugstore.

Hubert Humphrey, Jr. later became a very important politician. He served as the Vice President of the United States. He once said, "I was baptized in the Highland Lutheran church in a rural section just north of Lily, South Dakota."

Remembering Lily: A Video Story

In 2010, a video was made about Lily's history. It was created by the McQuillen Creative Group. The video, called "Memories of Lily - A Letter to Oprah," was part of a contest. It showed what Lily was like at that time.

Geography of Lily

Lily was a small town, covering about 0.30 square miles (0.78 square kilometers). All of this area was land.

Population Changes in Lily

Lily's Population in 2010

In 2010, only 4 people lived in Lily. These people lived in 2 households, and 1 of these was a family. The town was very spread out, with about 13 people per square mile. All the residents were White.

One household had a married couple living together. The other household had a single person. One person living alone was 65 years old or older. The average household had 2 people, and the average family had 3 people.

The average age of people in Lily was 55.5 years. Most residents were between 45 and 64 years old. There were 25% males and 75% females living in the town.

See also

In Spanish: Lily (Dakota del Sur) para niños