Redfern, South Dakota facts for kids
Redfern is a historic place in South Dakota, USA. It used to be a busy community during the Black Hills Gold Rush. Imagine a small town that grew up because people were looking for gold!
Redfern is found at the bottom of Redfern Mountain, which is about 6,076 feet (1,852 meters) tall. This area is in Pennington County, South Dakota. You can find it on a gravel road that leads to Mystic, South Dakota. It's also not far from an old town called Tigerville.
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How Redfern Got Its Start
Redfern began in 1876 when the Black Hills Gold Rush was happening. Gold miners came to this area hoping to strike it rich!
Happy Camp: The First Name
When Redfern first started, it wasn't called Redfern at all. It was known as Happy Camp. A group of miners from California gave it this name. They came from a place also called Happy Camp in northern California.
The miners chose this spot because it was easy to get to. It was also on the main stagecoach route that went to Deadwood, another famous gold rush town.
From Happy Camp to Redfern
After the California miners found their gold and moved on, the area became known as Windy Flats. This name probably came from the strong winds that blew through the area!
Then, in 1890, something big happened: the railroad arrived! The railroad was building tracks towards Deadwood. The person in charge of building the railroad in this area was named George Redfern. He built a special stop here with water towers for the trains. Because of him, the place was named Redfern.
What Was Redfern Like?
The Redfern area was a hub for many things. It had lots of gold mines, old places where people used to live, and camps where people worked with timber (wood from trees). It was a busy spot for mining and logging back in the day.
