Custer, South Dakota

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Custer is a city in Custer County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 1,860 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Custer County^GR6.

[edit] Geography

Custer is located at 43°46′6″N, 103°35′51″W (43.768450° N 103.597548° W)^GR1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.7 km² (1.8 mi²), all land.

Custer has been assigned the ZIP code 57730 and the FIPS place code 15140. Its primary telephone prefix is 673 in Area Code 605.

Custer is generally considered to be the oldest established town and the "mother city" of the Black Hills of South Dakota and Wyoming. The site of one of the major encampments of the Black Hills Expedition of Brevet Major General (a largely ceremonial title, his official rank was Lt. Colonel) George Armstrong Custer's 7th Cavalry in 1874 and the location of the first public discovery of gold in the Black Hills, it was first established as the town of Stonewall (after Stonewall Jackson) by illegally trespassing gold-boomers in 1875, but the town was renamed quickly. Almost abandoned in 1876 when word of the much larger gold strikes in Deadwood Gulch spread, Custer City later became an established city, if smaller and less wealthy than the Northern Hills cities of Deadwood and Lead.

In addition to continued mining of precious metals, other industrial minerals today form the mainstay of the local mining industry, while timber production, tourism, and government services form the basis for the economy. Custer is the headquarters for the Supervisor of the Black Hills National Forest of South Dakota and Wyoming, is convenient to major tourist attractions like Jewel Cave National Monument, Wind Cave National Park, Custer State Park, Mount Rushmore National Memorial, and its own Crazy Horse Memorial.

Custer claims to have the widest Main Street in the United States. Townspeople claim the street was made wide enough for a team of oxen pulling a wagon to turn completely around, although this is an unverified (and, perhaps, unverifiable) claim to fame.

The Custer school colors are purple and gold and the mascot is the Wildcat.

Custer observes a "Gold Discovery Days" celebration and festivities annually in late July to celebrate the discovery of gold by the Custer expedition in nearby French Creek.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 1,860 people, 825 households, and 491 families residing in the city. The population density was 399.0/km² (1,033.6/mi²). There were 934 housing units at an average density of 200.3/km² (519.0/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 95.97% White, 0.38% African American, 1.61% Native American, 0.16% Asian, 0.38% from other races, and 1.51% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.51% of the population.

There were 825 households out of which 27.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.6% were married couples living together, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.4% were non-families. 36.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.17 and the average family size was 2.85.

In the city the population was spread out with 23.3% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 24.6% from 25 to 44, 25.7% from 45 to 64, and 19.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 92.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $31,739, and the median income for a family was $41,313. Males had a median income of $28,942 versus $19,688 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,216. About 6.7% of families and 11.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.9% of those under age 18 and 13.2% of those age 65 or over.

Although the above statistics for the incorporated city make it appear small, much of the population and workforce of the city live outside the city limits in unincorporated Custer County, and the steady stream of tourists year round and the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally add much to the economy of the city.