Spearfish, South Dakota facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Spearfish, South Dakota
Hočhápȟe
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Historic commercial district of Spearfish
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| Nickname(s):
Queen City
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Location in Lawrence County and the state of South Dakota
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 Spearfish, South Dakota
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | South Dakota |
| County | Lawrence |
| Founded | 1876 |
| Incorporated | 1888 |
| Area | |
| • City | 17.24 sq mi (44.65 km2) |
| • Land | 17.24 sq mi (44.64 km2) |
| • Water | 0.01 sq mi (0.01 km2) |
| Elevation | 3,921 ft (1,195 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • City | 12,193 |
| • Density | 707.41/sq mi (273.14/km2) |
| • Metro | 25,429 |
| Time zone | UTC−7 (Mountain (MST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−6 (MDT) |
| ZIP codes |
57783, 57799
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| Area code(s) | 605 |
| FIPS code | 46-60020 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1267588 |
Spearfish is a city in Lawrence County, South Dakota, United States. Its name in the Lakota language is Hočhápȟe. In 2020, about 12,193 people lived there, making it the 10th largest city in South Dakota. Spearfish is the biggest city in Lawrence County and is home to Black Hills State University.
Contents
History of Spearfish
Early Days and Gold Rush
Before the Black Hills Gold Rush in 1876, Native American groups, especially the Sioux, used this area. When gold was discovered, the city of Spearfish was founded in 1876. It was built at the entrance of Spearfish Canyon and was first called Queen City.
Spearfish grew by providing food and supplies to the gold mining camps in the hills. Even today, many farms in the area grow fresh produce for local markets.
The Thoen Stone Discovery
In 1887, a stone called the Thoen Stone was found on Lookout Mountain. It was discovered by Louis Thoen. The stone tells a story about Ezra Kind and six others who came to the Black Hills in 1833. They found a lot of gold in 1834 but were later "killed by Indians." This discovery made people wonder about the history of gold mining in the Black Hills.
Spearfish in the 20th Century
In the 1900s, Spearfish's story was closely linked to mining and tourism. The famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright visited Spearfish Canyon in 1935. He called the area "unique and unparalleled" and even more "miraculous" than the Grand Canyon.
The Homestake Sawmill was built to provide wood for the Homestake Mine in Lead. This mine closed in 2002. In 1938, Joseph Meier brought the Luenen Passion Play to Spearfish. It became the Black Hills Passion Play, attracting thousands of visitors each summer.
Geography and Nature
Spearfish is located at 44°29′23″N 103°51′9″W. The city covers about 16.35 square miles (42.35 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with only a tiny part being water.
Spearfish Creek
Spearfish Creek is a fast-moving stream that flows out of Spearfish Canyon. It runs through the center of town all year long. What's special about this creek is how it freezes. Instead of freezing from the top, it freezes from the bottom up! This happens because the water flows so quickly that ice can only form where the water slows down, like along the creek bed. As more ice builds up on the bottom, the water level rises. Sometimes, this can cause flooding in the northern part of town.
Climate and Weather Records
Spearfish is at the base of the Black Hills and near the High Plains. This means its weather can change a lot, especially in winter. Spearfish has a humid continental climate, which means it has warm summers and cold winters. Even in winter, there isn't always snow on the ground, though it gets about 29.5 inches (75 cm) of snow each year.
| Climate data for Spearfish, South Dakota (1991–2020 normals; extremes 1893–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 79 (26) |
75 (24) |
82 (28) |
91 (33) |
96 (36) |
105 (41) |
110 (43) |
104 (40) |
105 (41) |
95 (35) |
85 (29) |
73 (23) |
110 (43) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 59.7 (15.4) |
59.9 (15.5) |
69.8 (21.0) |
78.8 (26.0) |
85.0 (29.4) |
93.4 (34.1) |
98.1 (36.7) |
96.7 (35.9) |
93.1 (33.9) |
82.1 (27.8) |
68.0 (20.0) |
60.2 (15.7) |
100.0 (37.8) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 35.9 (2.2) |
36.9 (2.7) |
45.8 (7.7) |
54.9 (12.7) |
64.3 (17.9) |
75.3 (24.1) |
83.6 (28.7) |
82.9 (28.3) |
74.0 (23.3) |
58.1 (14.5) |
45.9 (7.7) |
37.2 (2.9) |
57.9 (14.4) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 25.8 (−3.4) |
26.6 (−3.0) |
35.0 (1.7) |
43.5 (6.4) |
53.1 (11.7) |
63.3 (17.4) |
70.6 (21.4) |
69.5 (20.8) |
60.8 (16.0) |
46.8 (8.2) |
35.7 (2.1) |
27.3 (−2.6) |
46.5 (8.1) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 15.7 (−9.1) |
16.3 (−8.7) |
24.2 (−4.3) |
32.0 (0.0) |
41.8 (5.4) |
51.3 (10.7) |
57.6 (14.2) |
56.1 (13.4) |
47.6 (8.7) |
35.4 (1.9) |
25.6 (−3.6) |
17.5 (−8.1) |
35.1 (1.7) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | −7.7 (−22.1) |
−4.8 (−20.4) |
3.6 (−15.8) |
17.9 (−7.8) |
30.7 (−0.7) |
43.0 (6.1) |
50.4 (10.2) |
47.1 (8.4) |
36.0 (2.2) |
18.5 (−7.5) |
4.9 (−15.1) |
−4.3 (−20.2) |
−14.4 (−25.8) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −32 (−36) |
−33 (−36) |
−27 (−33) |
−8 (−22) |
11 (−12) |
25 (−4) |
33 (1) |
32 (0) |
15 (−9) |
−7 (−22) |
−23 (−31) |
−30 (−34) |
−33 (−36) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 0.60 (15) |
0.91 (23) |
1.19 (30) |
2.23 (57) |
3.72 (94) |
3.51 (89) |
2.35 (60) |
1.88 (48) |
1.56 (40) |
2.04 (52) |
0.70 (18) |
0.72 (18) |
21.41 (544) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 8.2 (21) |
12.7 (32) |
12.0 (30) |
8.5 (22) |
2.3 (5.8) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.1 (0.25) |
5.5 (14) |
6.3 (16) |
14.9 (38) |
29.5 (75) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 6.7 | 6.8 | 6.4 | 9.0 | 11.8 | 12.3 | 9.4 | 7.1 | 5.9 | 7.1 | 5.2 | 5.0 | 92.7 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 5.1 | 4.6 | 3.3 | 2.1 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 1.3 | 3.1 | 4.3 | 24.3 |
| Source: NOAA | |||||||||||||
World Record Temperature Change
Spearfish holds a world record for the fastest temperature change ever recorded! On January 22, 1943, at about 7:30 a.m., the temperature was -4°F (-20°C). Just two minutes later, at 7:32 a.m., it had jumped to 45°F (7°C)! This amazing 49°F (27°C) rise in two minutes is still a world record.
But the weather wasn't done yet. By 9:00 a.m., the temperature reached 54°F (12°C). Then, suddenly, it dropped back to -4°F (-20°C) in only 27 minutes! This quick change caused glass windows to crack and car windshields to instantly freeze over. Spearfish has also seen very warm winter days, like 79°F (26°C) in January 1921, which is the hottest January temperature ever recorded in South Dakota.
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 170 | — | |
| 1890 | 678 | 298.8% | |
| 1900 | 1,166 | 72.0% | |
| 1910 | 1,130 | −3.1% | |
| 1920 | 1,254 | 11.0% | |
| 1930 | 1,577 | 25.8% | |
| 1940 | 2,139 | 35.6% | |
| 1950 | 2,755 | 28.8% | |
| 1960 | 3,682 | 33.6% | |
| 1970 | 4,661 | 26.6% | |
| 1980 | 5,251 | 12.7% | |
| 1990 | 6,966 | 32.7% | |
| 2000 | 8,606 | 23.5% | |
| 2010 | 10,494 | 21.9% | |
| 2020 | 12,193 | 16.2% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
How Many People Live Here?
In 2010, about 10,494 people lived in Spearfish. There were 4,644 households, which are groups of people living together. About 2,350 of these were families. The city had about 642 people per square mile (248 people per square kilometer).
Most people in Spearfish are White (93.5%). There are also Native American (2.0%), Asian (1.1%), and African American (0.4%) residents. About 2.7% of the population is Hispanic or Latino.
The average age in Spearfish in 2010 was 33.2 years old. About 18.6% of residents were under 18, and 20.2% were between 18 and 24.
Local Media
Radio Stations
Spearfish has several radio stations you can listen to:
- AM radio: KBHB 810, KKLS 920, KDSJ 980, KTOQ 1340, KBFS 1450
- FM radio: KBHU 89.1, KJKT 90.7, KRCS 93.1, KKMK 93.9, KSQY 95.1, KZZI 95.9, KOUT 98.7, KFXS 100.3, KDDX 101.1, KFMH 101.9, KYDT 103.1, KIQK 104.1
Television Channels
You can also watch these TV channels in Spearfish:
- KHME Ch. 3 (ABC)
- KCLO Ch. 16 (CBS)
- KNBN Ch. 21 (NBC)
- KBHE-TV Ch. 26 (PBS)
Education in Spearfish
Spearfish is home to Black Hills State University. This is a four-year public university that is part of the South Dakota school system. It started as Spearfish Normal School in 1883. While it still trains many teachers, it now offers many other programs, including master's degrees. The university also hosts a summer arts institute.
The city is part of the Spearfish School District 40-2.
Transportation
Spearfish is the main location for two bus and coach companies: Dakota Trailways and Prairie Hills Transit.
You can travel to and from Spearfish using Jefferson Lines bus service. For getting around town, Prairie Hills Transit offers a local "dial-a-ride" service. This means you can call them to arrange a ride.
If you like biking, Black Hills Bike Share is a service that lets you rent bicycles. They have two stations in Spearfish: one at City Park and another at Black Hills State University.
Notable People from Spearfish
Many interesting people have connections to Spearfish:
- Blacklite District - A musical artist and YouTube star.
- Wendell E. Dunn (1894–1965) - An educator who used to live here.
- David Eddings - A fantasy author who taught at Black Hills State University.
- Johanna Meier - An international opera singer.
- Gary Mule Deer - A comedian and country musician.
- William T. Powers (1820–1909) - A manufacturer who lived in Spearfish.
- Bill Russell - A Tony-nominated playwright and lyricist known for musicals.
- Rich Sattgast - A state treasurer.
- Frank Schoonmaker (1905–1976) - Born in Spearfish, he was a travel guide writer and wine merchant.
- Ernie Smith (1909–1985) - A college and NFL football player and coach.
- Dick Termes - An artist.
- Jeff Trandahl - The 32nd Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives.
- Amy Williams - A women's basketball head coach at the University of Nebraska.
Images for kids
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Panoramic view of Spearfish in 1902.
See also
In Spanish: Spearfish (Dakota del Sur) para niños
