Rochford, South Dakota facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Rochford, South Dakota
unincorporated community
Rochford, South Dakota Location in South Dakota
Country	United States
State	South Dakota
County	Pennington
Township	Rochford
Founded	May 1878
Founded by	R.B. Hughes and M. D. Rochford
Elevation	5,302 ft (1,616 m)
Time zone	UTC-7 (Mountain Time Zone (MST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-6 (MDT)

Rochford is a small, historic community in Pennington County, South Dakota, in the United States. It was started in May 1878 and is not officially counted by the U.S. Census Bureau.

Why Rochford Got Its Name

Rochford was named after one of the people who helped start it, M. D. Rochford. This happened in May 1878.

History of Rochford

How Rochford Started and Mining

In August 1876, three hunters found what became the Montezuma Gold Mine by accident. Many gold miners from nearby towns like Lead and Central City came to the area. They claimed land along Little Rapid Creek.

The first building in Rochford was a cabin built by M. D. Rochford in February 1877. In March 1877, an official mining area was set up. In May 1878, M. D. Rochford and R. B. Hughes planned the town in a gulch (a small valley).

Many mines operated here, including the Silver Reef and Pride of the West. Branches of the famous Homestake Mining Company also worked in the area. The town made money from gold mines like Evangeline and Minnesota. These mines had large machines called stamp mills to crush the rock. The Stand-By mine also helped Rochford grow. It had a 40-stamp mill that used a flume (a channel) to bring water for power. This mill had a big office that people called "The Mansion." It was torn down before 1950. A sawmill also made a lot of lumber for the mining work.

Rochford's Growth and Busy Times

By December 1878, Rochford had about 500 people. It had doctors, a church, three saloons, six stores, and 100 homes. Land was sold for $10 to $60. However, there were no dance halls, casinos, or hotels yet. Some business people from Deadwood wanted to open businesses in Rochford. But they were put off because there was no daily mail service or enough mills.

Other nearby mining camps included Montezuma and Golden Centre. By January 1879, Rochford had two hotels, a theater, a butcher shop, and two restaurants. A sawmill was moved to Rochford to provide wood for new buildings.

Lawrence County paid $300 to build a road connecting Rochford to Deadwood. This helped Deadwood businesses get more trade. For a while, people thought the western part of Pennington County might become a new county called Martin County, with Rochford as its main town. But this never happened.

In 1880, the U.S. Census Bureau counted 315 people living in Rochford. The town added a pool hall and a newspaper called "The Central." A famous theater group, the Langrishe Theatre Company, even performed in Rochford. The Rochford School District started in April 1880. Another newspaper, "The Rochford Miner," also appeared but stopped in 1881. At its busiest, Rochford had 200 homes, a school, and a street full of stores with covered sidewalks.

Later Years and Today

By 1900, Rochford's population had dropped to 48 people. For a long time, there was no cemetery because no one died in the town until 1904. A few mines in the area are still working today. The town now depends on these mines and on tourism.

Some old buildings are still standing, but others are in bad shape. Today, about 25 people live in Rochford. In the 1950s, only the Moonshine Gulch Saloon, Irish Gulch Dance Hall, and one store were open. The Moonshine Gulch Saloon is still open today. Rochford now mostly survives because people visit it as a tourist spot.

Geography of Rochford

Rochford is located in the Black Hills of South Dakota. It is just south of the border between Lawrence and Pennington counties, in Pennington County. Its exact location is 44°07′28″N 103°43′11″W / 44.1244280°N 103.7196408°W / 44.1244280; -103.7196408.

Rochford is about 16 miles northwest of Hill City. It is also about 1.5 miles north of Florence and 2.5 miles northeast of Myers City. The town is on a gravel road that connects it to other towns like Mystic, Lead, South Dakota, and Deadwood. Rochford was built in a gulch near Rapid Creek.

Rochford's Climate

Rochford has a humid continental climate. This means it has four clear seasons. Summers are warm, sometimes hot, and winters are cold with very chilly nights. It can even freeze in any month of the year. The most rain falls in late spring. The amount of rain slowly goes down each month until January, when it's lowest. Then it starts to rise again.

Population of Rochford

In 1880, Rochford had 315 people. By 1900, the number dropped to 48 residents. In 2010, only 25 people lived there.

Famous People from Rochford

• Elmer Ballard, an actor known for his role in the movie Alibi.