Meckling, South Dakota facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Meckling, South Dakota
Unincorporated community
Meckling, South Dakota Location in South Dakota Show map of South Dakota Meckling, South Dakota Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	South Dakota
County	Clay
Founded	1873
Area
• Total	0.20 sq mi (0.53 km2)
• Land	0.20 sq mi (0.53 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation	1,155 ft (352 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	48
• Density	235.29/sq mi (90.94/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	57044
Area code(s)	605
FIPS code	46-41740
GNIS feature ID	2813012

Meckling is a small community in South Dakota, United States. It is known as an "unincorporated community." This means it's not a city or town with its own local government. Instead, it's part of a larger area called Clay County. In 2020, about 48 people lived in Meckling.

History of Meckling

Meckling was started a long time ago, in 1873. It was named after a man named Jones S. Meckling. He worked for the railroad, which was very important for travel and trade back then.

The Hay Capital

The land around Meckling is very good for farming. Many farms in this area grow a special plant called alfalfa. Alfalfa is a type of plant used to feed animals, especially farm animals like cows. Because so much alfalfa is grown here, Meckling has a fun nickname: the "Hay Capital of the Universe."

Every August, Meckling and a nearby town called Gayville celebrate this important crop. They host an event called the Annual Hay Days. It's a time to celebrate farming and the hay that grows in the area.

School Choices

In 1965, the local school in Meckling closed down. This meant that families living in Meckling had to choose where their children would go to school. They could pick between the school districts in Gayville or Vermillion.

However, a few families were not happy with just these two choices. They worked hard to get another option added. Thanks to their efforts, families were also allowed to choose the school district in Wakonda.

Postal Code Change

Recently, Meckling's postal code, also known as a ZIP code, was changed. It used to have its own ZIP code. Now, it shares the same ZIP code as the city of Vermillion, which is 57069.

Population Information

Here is how the population of Meckling has changed over time. The numbers come from the U.S. Decennial Census, which counts how many people live in different places every ten years.

People from Meckling

• Donna Schafer: She is a person who lived in Meckling and became a member of the South Dakota House of Representatives. This means she was elected to help make laws for the state of South Dakota. She served from 2001 to 2006.