Wolsey, South Dakota facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Wolsey, South Dakota
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Location in Beadle County and the state of South Dakota
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| Country | United States |
| State | South Dakota |
| County | Beadle |
| Incorporated | 1883 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 2.30 sq mi (5.96 km2) |
| • Land | 2.27 sq mi (5.87 km2) |
| • Water | 0.04 sq mi (0.09 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,345 ft (410 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 459 |
| • Density | 202.65/sq mi (78.25/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
57384
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| Area code(s) | 605 |
| FIPS code | 46-72540 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1267660 |
Wolsey is a small town located in Beadle County, South Dakota, in the United States. In 2020, about 459 people lived there. It's a place with a rich history and a close-knit community.
Contents
Wolsey's Early History
The first people settled in the area that would become Wolsey in 1882. Just one year later, in 1883, a post office opened, and the town was officially "platted." This means its streets and building lots were planned out on a map. The town was named after Thomas Wolsey, a famous English cardinal from long ago. In 1884, the local government, called a township, was formally set up.
Where is Wolsey?
Wolsey is located in the state of South Dakota. According to the United States Census Bureau, the town covers a total area of about 2.31 square miles (5.96 square kilometers). Most of this area, about 2.27 square miles (5.87 square kilometers), is land. A small part, about 0.04 square miles (0.09 square kilometers), is water.
How Many People Live in Wolsey?
The number of people living in Wolsey has changed over the years. Here's a quick look at the population counts from different years:
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1900 | 122 | — | |
| 1910 | 436 | 257.4% | |
| 1920 | 510 | 17.0% | |
| 1930 | 455 | −10.8% | |
| 1940 | 410 | −9.9% | |
| 1950 | 391 | −4.6% | |
| 1960 | 354 | −9.5% | |
| 1970 | 436 | 23.2% | |
| 1980 | 437 | 0.2% | |
| 1990 | 442 | 1.1% | |
| 2000 | 418 | −5.4% | |
| 2010 | 376 | −10.0% | |
| 2020 | 459 | 22.1% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
Wolsey's Population in 2010
In 2010, the census counted 376 people living in Wolsey. These people lived in 165 different homes, and 106 of those were families. The town had about 165 people per square mile. There were also 194 housing units, which are places where people can live.
Most of the people in Wolsey were White (99.2%). A small number were Asian (0.3%) or from other backgrounds (0.5%). About 0.8% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.
In terms of homes, about 28.5% of households had children under 18 living with them. More than half (52.1%) were married couples. Some homes had a female head of household (9.7%) or a male head of household (2.4%) without a spouse. About 32.1% of all homes had just one person living there.
The average age of people in Wolsey in 2010 was 43 years old. About 24.5% of residents were under 18, and 17% were 65 or older. The town had a nearly even split between males (50.3%) and females (49.7%).
Famous People from Wolsey
Even though Wolsey is a small town, some notable people have connections to it:
- Greg Boe was born and grew up in Wolsey. He later became a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives, which is part of the government in the nearby state of Minnesota.
- Richard Warren Sears is very famous as the founder of Sears, Roebuck, and Co., a huge retail company. He actually started his sales career in Wolsey in the early 1880s. He began by selling watches that had not been claimed while he worked for the railroad.
- Ben H. Radcliffe served as a South Dakota State Senator. This means he was part of the state's law-making body.
See also
In Spanish: Wolsey (Dakota del Sur) para niños
