Sturgis, South Dakota facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sturgis
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| Sturgis, South Dakota | |
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View over Sturgis in early 2014
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Location in Meade County and the state of South Dakota
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 Sturgis
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | South Dakota |
| County | Meade |
| Founded | 1878 |
| Incorporated | 1888 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 6.51 sq mi (16.86 km2) |
| • Land | 6.42 sq mi (16.63 km2) |
| • Water | 0.09 sq mi (0.24 km2) |
| Elevation | 3,458 ft (1,054 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 7,020 |
| • Density | 1,093.46/sq mi (422.17/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−7 (Mountain (MST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−6 (MDT) |
| ZIP Code |
57785
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| Area code(s) | 605 |
| FIPS code | 46-62100 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1267596 |
| Website | City of Sturgis |
Sturgis is a city located in Meade County, South Dakota, in the United States. In 2020, about 7,020 people lived there. It is the main city of Meade County. The city was named after Samuel D. Sturgis, who was a general during the American Civil War.
Sturgis is famous for hosting one of the biggest yearly motorcycle events in the world. This event is called the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. It lasts for 10 days, starting on the first Friday of August. Many motorcycle fans from all over the world come to Sturgis for this rally.
Contents
History of Sturgis
Sturgis was started in 1878. At first, it was called Scooptown. This was because many people who lived there "scooped up" their pay from a nearby army base called Fort Meade.
Later, the city's name was changed to Sturgis. This was done to honor General Samuel D. Sturgis. In 1889, Sturgis became the main city, or county seat, of the new Meade County.
North of Sturgis, there used to be many underground missile silos. These were part of the large Ellsworth Air Force Base. These silos held Minuteman missiles, which were used for defense.
Geography and Climate of Sturgis
Where is Sturgis located?
Sturgis covers a total area of about 6.51 square miles (16.86 square kilometers). All of this area is land.
What is the weather like in Sturgis?
Sturgis has a climate with warm summers and cold winters. Here is a quick look at the weather:
| Climate data for Sturgis, South Dakota | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 72 (22) |
75 (24) |
82 (28) |
90 (32) |
100 (38) |
106 (41) |
109 (43) |
107 (42) |
104 (40) |
93 (34) |
83 (28) |
74 (23) |
109 (43) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 38 (3) |
41 (5) |
48 (9) |
59 (15) |
68 (20) |
78 (26) |
87 (31) |
86 (30) |
76 (24) |
62 (17) |
47 (8) |
38 (3) |
61 (16) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 16 (−9) |
17 (−8) |
24 (−4) |
34 (1) |
44 (7) |
53 (12) |
60 (16) |
58 (14) |
48 (9) |
36 (2) |
25 (−4) |
16 (−9) |
36 (2) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −27 (−33) |
−26 (−32) |
−20 (−29) |
0 (−18) |
16 (−9) |
31 (−1) |
39 (4) |
39 (4) |
20 (−7) |
−1 (−18) |
−20 (−29) |
−30 (−34) |
−30 (−34) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 0.45 (11) |
0.70 (18) |
1.49 (38) |
2.55 (65) |
4.12 (105) |
3.31 (84) |
2.23 (57) |
1.54 (39) |
1.43 (36) |
1.82 (46) |
0.98 (25) |
0.54 (14) |
21.16 (538) |
| Source: The Weather Channel (Historical Monthly Averages) | |||||||||||||
Population of Sturgis
How many people live in Sturgis?
The population of Sturgis has grown over the years. Here's how it has changed:
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 60 | — | |
| 1890 | 668 | 1,013.3% | |
| 1900 | 1,100 | 64.7% | |
| 1910 | 1,739 | 58.1% | |
| 1920 | 1,250 | −28.1% | |
| 1930 | 1,747 | 39.8% | |
| 1940 | 3,008 | 72.2% | |
| 1950 | 3,471 | 15.4% | |
| 1960 | 4,639 | 33.7% | |
| 1970 | 4,536 | −2.2% | |
| 1980 | 5,184 | 14.3% | |
| 1990 | 5,330 | 2.8% | |
| 2000 | 6,442 | 20.9% | |
| 2010 | 6,627 | 2.9% | |
| 2020 | 7,020 | 5.9% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 2017 Estimate |
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What is the population like in Sturgis?
In 2010, there were 6,627 people living in Sturgis. There were 2,916 households, which are groups of people living together.
Most people in Sturgis were White (93.9%). There were also Native American (2.3%), Asian (0.4%), and African American (0.2%) residents. About 2.6% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
The average age of people in Sturgis was 41.2 years. About 23.9% of residents were under 18 years old.
Fun Things to Do in Sturgis
Sturgis offers several places to visit and things to see:
- Fort Meade Recreation Area
- Sturgis Motorcycle Museum & Hall of Fame
- South Dakota Centennial Trail
- Loud American Roadhouse
Public Art and Sculptures
You can find several sculptures around Sturgis:
- Kinship at the Sturgis Community Center
- General Samuel D. Sturgis at the Hills and Plains Park
- Jesus in the Garden at the First United Methodist Church Memorial Garden
- St. Francis of Assisi at the St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church
- Large letters spelling out STURGIS
Media and Education in Sturgis
Radio Stations
Sturgis has a few radio stations:
- KBHB 810 (AM)
- KRCS 93.1 (FM)
Schools in Sturgis
Schools in Sturgis are part of the Meade School District 46-1.
Famous People from Sturgis
Many notable people have connections to Sturgis:
- Robert Willard "Bobby" Buntrock: A child actor from classic TV shows.
- Raymond W. Carpenter: A United States Army Major General who was born in Sturgis.
- Francis H. Case: A former journalist and politician.
- Scott DesJarlais: A former physician and politician.
- Carroll Hardy: Born in Sturgis, he was a former Major League Baseball player.
- J.C. "Pappy" Hoel: He is known for starting the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.
- Alice Ivers Duffield Tubbs Huckert: A famous frontier gambler who lived in Sturgis later in life.
- Marty Jackley: The Attorney General of South Dakota, born in Sturgis.
- Herbert A. Littleton: A former resident who received the Medal of Honor.
- Megan Mahoney: A former resident and basketball player.
- Paige McPherson: An Olympic bronze medalist in taekwondo.
- Larry Rhoden: Born in Sturgis, he is the South Dakota Lieutenant Governor.
- Rex Terry: Born in Sturgis, he was a banker and South Dakota politician.
See also
In Spanish: Sturgis (Dakota del Sur) para niños
