Huron, South Dakota

City of Huron, South Dakota
—  City  —
Motto: It's A Brand New Day
Location in Beadle County and the state of South Dakota
Coordinates:
Country United States
State South Dakota
County Beadle
Incorporated 1883[1]
Government
 • Type Commissioner Form
 • Mayor David McGirr (R)
Area
 • Total 8.3 sq mi (21.6 km2)
 • Land 8.2 sq mi (21.3 km2)
 • Water 0.1 sq mi (0.3 km2)
Elevation 1,280 ft (390 m)
Population (2010)
 • Total 12,592
 • Density 1,535.6/sq mi (591.2/km2)
Time zone CST (UTC-6)
 • Summer (DST) CDT (UTC-5)
ZIP code 57350 and 57399
Area code(s) 605
FIPS code 46-31060[2]
GNIS feature ID 1255722[3]
Website www.huronsd.com

Huron is a city in Beadle County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 12,592 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Beadle County.[4] Huron was the home of now-defunct Huron University (known in its later years as Si Tanka University) since 1897. Huron is also the home of the South Dakota State Fair. The Huron Plainsman, also referred to as the Plainsman, is the newspaper. The city was named after the Huron Indians.[1] It is currently the ninth largest city in the state of South Dakota, but it used to be the fourth.[5]

Huron is home to the South Dakota State Fair, which is held 6 days before Labor Day

Huron is home to a statue known as "The World's Largest Ringnecked Pheasant. "[6] Which has been refurbished in the Summer of 2011.

Huron is serviced by the Huron Police Department.

Contents

Geography and climate

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 8.3 square miles (21 km2), of which, 8.2 square miles (21 km2) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km2) of it (1.56%) is water.

Huron has been assigned the ZIP codes 57350 and 57399 and the FIPS place code 31060.

Monthly Normal and Record High and Low Temperatures
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Rec High °F 63 71 89 97 99 109 112 110 106 102 86 66
Norm High °F 24.8 31.3 43 58.3 70.5 80.3 86.1 84.4 74.7 60.9 41.4 28.8
Norm Low °F 3.5 10.8 22.3 33.9 45.8 55.4 60.7 58.6 47.3 34.9 21.1 8.4
Rec Low °F -37 -41 -24 -2 17 32 37 36 19 8 -21 -30
Precip (in) 0.49 0.57 1.67 2.29 3 3.28 2.86 2.07 1.8 1.59 0.89 0.39
Source: USTravelWeather.com [1]
Climate data for Huron, South Dakota (Airport)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 64
(18)
71
(22)
89
(32)
97
(36)
106
(41)
109
(43)
112
(44)
110
(43)
106
(41)
102
(39)
86
(30)
71
(22)
112
(44)
Average high °F (°C) 24.8
(−1.83)
31.3
(−0.4)
43.0
(6.1)
58.3
(14.6)
70.5
(21.4)
80.3
(26.8)
86.1
(30.1)
84.4
(29.1)
74.7
(23.7)
60.9
(16.1)
41.4
(5.2)
28.8
(−0.17)
57.04
Average low °F (°C) 3.5
(−13.06)
10.8
(−9.28)
22.3
(−3.5)
33.9
(1.1)
45.8
(7.7)
55.4
(13.0)
60.7
(15.9)
58.6
(14.8)
47.3
(8.5)
34.9
(1.6)
21.1
(−4)
8.4
(−10.67)
33.56
Record low °F (°C) −43
(−37.2)
−41
(−35)
−25
(−30)
−2
(−18.9)
17
(−5)
31
(−1)
37
(3)
33
(1)
18
(−4.4)
−6
(−15)
−28
(−22.8)
−34
(−33.3)
−43
(−37.2)
Precipitation inches (mm) .49
(12.4)
.57
(14.5)
1.67
(42.4)
2.29
(58.2)
3.00
(76.2)
3.28
(83.3)
2.86
(72.6)
2.07
(52.6)
1.80
(45.7)
1.59
(40.4)
.89
(22.6)
.39
(9.9)
20.90
(530.9)
Snowfall inches (cm) 7.2
(18.3)
7.5
(19.1)
9.0
(22.9)
3.2
(8.1)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
trace 1.2
(3)
6.9
(17.5)
6.8
(17.3)
41.8
(106.2)
Avg. precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) 5.5 6.5 7.9 9.0 10.8 10.3 9.3 8.0 6.8 5.9 6.2 5.2 91.4
Avg. snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) 6.6 6.8 5.2 1.8 0 0 0 0 0 .7 5.2 6.6 32.9
Sunshine hours 179.8 183.7 229.4 252.0 306.9 333.0 362.7 328.6 258.0 217.0 153.0 142.6 2,946.7
Source: The Weather Channel (records),[7] NOAA (normals, 1971–2000),[8] HKO (sun)[9]

Demographics

Historical populations
Census Pop.
1880 164
1890 3,038 1,752.4%
1900 2,793 −8.1%
1910 5,791 107.3%
1920 8,302 43.4%
1930 10,946 31.8%
1940 10,843 −0.9%
1950 12,788 17.9%
1960 14,180 10.9%
1970 14,299 0.8%
1980 13,000 −9.1%
1990 12,448 −4.2%
2000 11,893 −4.5%
2010 12,592 5.9%
U.S. Decennial Census

As of the census[2] of 2000, there were 11,893 people, 5,263 households, and 3,047 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,448.5 people per square mile (559.3/km²). There were 5,872 housing units at an average density of 715.2 per square mile (276.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 95.92% White, 0.96% African American, 1.29% Native American, 0.42% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.35% from other races, and 1.03% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.20% of the population. + As of the census[2] of 2000, there were 11,893 people, 5,263 households, and 3,047 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,448.5 people per square mile (559.3/km²).

There were 5,263 households out of which 26.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.6% were married couples living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.1% were non-families. 37.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.18 and the average family size was 2.86. + The median income for a household in the city was $29,097. Males had a median income of $27,027 versus $19,921 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,275.

Government

The City of Huron's type of government is Commissioner Form. Under the Commissioner Form of government the board of commissioners consists of a mayor and four commissioners, who are all elected at large for a three-year term. The commission has control over all departments of the city and can make and enforce rules and regulations which it may see fit for the organization, management, and operation of the departments of the city. Responsibilities are divided into the following areas: Public Safety Commissioner, Public Works Commissioner, Utilities Commissioner, and Finance Commissioner with each commissioner having oversight in each respective area.

History

Huron, located in east central South Dakota, is a result of railroad and land booms in the 1880s. The early history of the town is closely linked with the Chicago and Northwestern Railway. At the direction of Marvin Hughitt, General Manager of the Railroad, the west bank of the James River was selected as the division headquarters of the railroad. The company gained title to 880 acres (3.6 km2) of land at that location. Huron was named for the Huron Indians. Exactly who gave it the name was never established, apparently either Marvin Hughitt or someone in the Chicago office of the C&NW railroad company.

The original plat covered 11 blocks from 1st Street to 3rd Street and from Iowa Avenue SE to Ohio Avenue SW. Huron’s first settler was John Cain, a practical printer from Troy, New York. He learned in Chicago, from the railroad people, that they would have their chief town and operating headquarters at their James River crossing.

From 1880 until the capital was permanently located at Pierre in 1904, Huron was in the thick of the fight for the honor of being the capital city. Campbell and Winter Parks are the only remaining properties that were once designated capital grounds. Located between the two parks, Victorian houses originally built around 1906 occupy the city block on the land originally slated for the capitol building.

The site of the South Dakota State Fair is in Huron. Huron is the home to a handful of celebrities. Cheryl Ladd is one of the original "Charlie's Angels". Gladys Pyle was the first female member of the House of Representatives and the first Republican woman in the US Senate. Hubert H. Humphrey was the Democratic nominee for President in 1968 and served as Vice President under Lyndon B. Johnson.

Notable residents

Education

The Huron School District has four public elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school. Huron High School's mascot is the "Tigers".

It was the home of Si Tanka University (formerly Huron College) from 1883-2005.

Huron is also home to a Catholic elementary school called Holy Trinity School, and a private Christian school on the north side of town called James Valley Christian School.

Entertainment

After the Si Tanka University closed, the city bought the Fine Arts Center and operates as a theater of the community.

In 2005, The Huron Event Center was opened connecting the Arena and a Local Hotel; the event Center is owned by the city. The State Fair is at the South Dakota State Fair Speedway.

in 2011, the city government proposed plans to build a new water park on the property that Huron University (Si Tanka) once occupied.

Media

AM Radio

AM radio stations
Frequency Call sign Name Format Owner City
1210 AM KOKK Dakota Country Country Dakota Communications Huron
1340 AM KIJV Oldies 1340 Oldies Dakota Communications Huron

FM Radio

FM radio stations
Frequency Call sign Name Format Owner Target city/market City of license
88.7 FM KVCH VCY America Christian VCY America Huron Huron
88.7 FM K213CL South Dakota Public Broadcasting NPR SD Board of Directors for Educational Telecommunications Huron Huron
90.5 FM K213CL Moody Radio Christian
WJSO translator
Moody Bible Institute Huron Huron
90.5 FM K209EM K-Love Contemporary Christian Educational Media Foundation Huron Huron
93.3 FM KJRV Big Jim 93.3 Classic Rock Dakota Communications Huron/Mitchell Wessington Springs
105.1 FM KJRV 105.1 The Eagle Country Dakota Communications Huron Huron
89.7 FM K-LOVE K-LOVE Christian Educational Media Foundation Huron Rocklin, California

Bibliography

References

External links