Huron, South Dakota
Encyclopedia
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
. 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. It is currently the ninth largest city in the state of South Dakota, but it used to be the fourth.
, the city has a total area of 8.3 square miles (21.5 km²), of which, 8.2 square miles (21.2 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (1.56%) is water.
Huron has been assigned the ZIP code
s 57350 and 57399 and the FIPS place code 31060.
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
."
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 d\24.4% from 25 to 44, 22.0% from 45 to 64, and 21.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 91.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $29,097, and the median income for a family \0,234. Males had a median income of $27,027 versus $19,921 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $18,275. About 8.1% of families and 12.4% of the\
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.
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
.
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.
Beadle County, South Dakota
Beadle County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Dakota. As of the 2010 census, the population was 17,398. Its county seat is Huron.Beadle County is the only county in the Huron Micropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
, South Dakota
South Dakota
South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 12,592 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Beadle County
Beadle County, South Dakota
Beadle County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Dakota. As of the 2010 census, the population was 17,398. Its county seat is Huron.Beadle County is the only county in the Huron Micropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
. Huron was the home of now-defunct Huron University
Huron University
Huron University, also known as Si Tanka University at Huron, was a private university formerly located in Huron, South Dakota. It closed on April 1, 2005.-Beginnings:...
(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
Huron Plainsman
The Daily Plainsman, also referred to as the Plainsman, is a newspaper in Huron, South Dakota, United States. The paper is owned by the News Media Corporation. It started operation in 1886 and is still in production today.- External links :...
, also referred to as the Plainsman, is the newspaper. The city was named after the Huron Indians. It is currently the ninth largest city in the state of South Dakota, but it used to be the fourth.
Geography and climate
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 8.3 square miles (21.5 km²), of which, 8.2 square miles (21.2 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (1.56%) is water.
Huron has been assigned the ZIP code
ZIP Code
ZIP codes are a system of postal codes used by the United States Postal Service since 1963. The term ZIP, an acronym for Zone Improvement Plan, is properly written in capital letters and was chosen to suggest that the mail travels more efficiently, and therefore more quickly, when senders use the...
s 57350 and 57399 and the FIPS place code 31060.
Huron is home to the South Dakota State Fair
State Fair
State Fair is a movie directed by Henry King and starring Janet Gaynor, Will Rogers, and Lew Ayres. The film was based on a novel by Phil Stong.The film was adapted as a musical in 1945 and again in 1962....
, which is held 6 days before Labor Day
Huron is home to a statue known as "The World's Largest Ringnecked Pheasant
Common Pheasant
The Common Pheasant , is a bird in the pheasant family . It is native to Georgia and has been widely introduced elsewhere as a game bird. In parts of its range, namely in places where none of its relatives occur such as in Europe , it is simply known as the "pheasant"...
."
| 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 http://www.ustravelweather.com/weather-south-dakota/huron-weather.asp | ||||||||||||
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 11,893 people, 5,263 households, and 3,047 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,448.5 people per square mile (559.3/km²). There were 5,872 housing units at an average d\24.4% from 25 to 44, 22.0% from 45 to 64, and 21.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 91.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $29,097, and the median income for a family \0,234. Males had a median income of $27,027 versus $19,921 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $18,275. About 8.1% of families and 12.4% of the\
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
Pierre, South Dakota
Pierre is the capital of the U.S. state of South Dakota and the county seat of Hughes County. The population was 13,646 at the 2010 census, making it the second least populous state capital after Montpelier, Vermont...
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.
- Chronology:
- 1879 - The town site was located.
- 1880 - Town site surveyed and platted.
- 1881 - First town government formed - a board of four trustees, a town clerk, a justice of the peace,one marshall and a surveyor.
- 1882 - Alderman system of government adopted.
- 1883 - Incorporated as the City of Huron. The city still operates under the original charter and seal.
- 1910 - Changed from Alderman to City Commission form of government.
- 1935 - City Manager form of government adopted.
Notable residents
- J.L. Carr, English novelist, taught for a year at the public school in Huron in 1938-39 and 1956–57
- Earl CaddockEarl CaddockEarl Caddock was a professional wrestler who was active in the early portion of the twentieth century. As the first man to bill himself as "The Man of 1,000 Holds" , Caddock was one of professional wrestling's biggest stars between the years of 1915 and 1922.-Early life:Earl Caddock was born...
, wrestler. He had to leave as a child to be treated for tuberculosisTuberculosisTuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
. - Roxanne Conlin, Iowan politician, ran for senator in 2010.
- Patrick DavisPatrick DavisPatrick Davis is a political consultant and strategist and the Executive Director of Common Sense Issues. Davis has worked in the George H.W. Bush Administration and the National Republican Senatorial Committee, most notably as Political Director in 2004. Davis also served as the Executive...
, Republican political consultant and former director of the National Republican Senatorial CommitteeNational Republican Senatorial CommitteeThe National Republican Senatorial Committee is the Republican Hill committee for the United States Senate, working to elect Republicans to that body. The NRSC was founded in 1916 as the Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee...
. - John K. FairbankJohn K. FairbankJohn King Fairbank , was a prominent American academic and historian of China.-Education and early career:...
, the renowned China historian, was born in Huron in 1907. - Candace HilligossCandace HilligossCandace Hilligoss is an American actress.After three years at the University of Iowa, she came to New York City to study acting at the American Theatre Wing and made her professional debut in summer stock in Pennsylvania...
, star actress of the now-famous cult movie Carnival of SoulsCarnival of SoulsCarnival of Souls is a 1962 independent horror film starring Candace Hilligoss. Produced and directed by Herk Harvey for an estimated $33,000, the film did not gain widespread attention when originally released, as a B film; today, however, it is a cult classic...
, was born in Huron in 1935. - Muriel HumphreyMuriel HumphreyMuriel Fay Buck Humphrey Brown was the widow of former Vice President Hubert Humphrey. Following her husband's death, she was appointed to his seat in the United States Senate, thus being the first wife of a Vice President to hold public office...
, senator from Minnesota in 1978 and wife of Hubert HumphreyHubert HumphreyHubert Horatio Humphrey, Jr. , served under President Lyndon B. Johnson as the 38th Vice President of the United States. Humphrey twice served as a United States Senator from Minnesota, and served as Democratic Majority Whip. He was a founder of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party and...
, was born in Huron on Feb. 20, 1912. - Hugh Jass, former mayor, and pop singer
- Cheryl LaddCheryl LaddCheryl Ladd is an American actress, singer and author. Ladd is best known for her role as Kris Munroe in the television series Charlie's Angels, hired amid a swirl of publicity prior to its second season in 1977 to replace the departing Farrah Fawcett-Majors...
, actress/singer born Cheryl Jean Stoppelmoor in Huron. - Gladys PyleGladys PyleGladys Pyle was a South Dakota politician and the first woman elected to the United States Senate without having previously been appointed to her position; she was also the first female senator to serve as a Republican and the first female senator from South Dakota...
, first woman Senator from the state, and only woman ever elected United States Senator from South Dakota, was born in Huron on Oct. 4, 1890. - Mike RoundsMike RoundsMarion Michael "Mike" Rounds is an American politician. Rounds served as the 31st Governor of South Dakota. Rounds was first inaugurated on January 7, 2003, having been elected on November 5, 2002, and was re-elected on November 7, 2006...
, South Dakota governor, was born in Huron on Oct. 24, 1954, and left with his family when he was 3 years old. - Chic SaleChic SaleCharles "Chic" Sale , was an American actor and vaudevillian. Named at birth Charles Partlow Sale, he was a son of Frank Orville and Lillie Belle Sale, and brother of writer, actress Virginia Sale-Wren....
, actor and vaudevillian, born in Huron - Ron TschetterRon Tschetter-Education and Peace Corps service:Tschetter earned a bachelor's degree from Bethel University in psychology and social studies. After college, he and some friends traveled and hitchhiked around Europe, Syria, Lebanon, Israel and Egypt. He returned home and met and married his wife Nancy...
was born here and is a former director of the Peace CorpsPeace CorpsThe Peace Corps is an American volunteer program run by the United States Government, as well as a government agency of the same name. The mission of the Peace Corps includes three goals: providing technical assistance, helping people outside the United States to understand US culture, and helping... - Ron J. VoleskyRon J. VoleskyRon J. Volesky is an American lawyer, who served 16 years in the South Dakota Senate, first as a member of the Republican Party before switching to the Democratic Party.- Personal life :Volesky lives in Huron, S.D...
, the former South Dakota State senator and thrice gubernatorial candidate, lives in Huron.
- magnitude (pop pop)
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
Huron University
Huron University, also known as Si Tanka University at Huron, was a private university formerly located in Huron, South Dakota. It closed on April 1, 2005.-Beginnings:...
(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
James Valley Christian School
James Valley Christian School is a private non-denominational Christ-centered high school in Huron, South Dakota. JVC is a member of the Association of Christian Schools International.-History:...
.
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.
AM Radio
| AM radio stations | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frequency | Call sign | Name | Format | Owner | City |
| 1210 AM | KOKK | Dakota Country | Country Country A country is a region legally identified as a distinct entity in political geography. A country may be an independent sovereign state or one that is occupied by another state, as a non-sovereign or formerly sovereign political division, or a geographic region associated with a previously... |
Dakota Communications | Huron |
| 1340 AM | KIJV KIJV KIJV is a radio station licensed to serve Huron, South Dakota. The station is owned by Performance Radio and licensed to Dakota Communications, Ltd... |
Oldies 1340 | Oldies Oldies Oldies is a term commonly used to describe a radio format that concentrates on music from a period of about 15 to 55 years before the present day.... |
Dakota Communications | Huron |
FM Radio
| FM radio stations | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frequency | Call sign | Name | Format | Owner | Target city/market Media market A media market, broadcast market, media region, designated market area , Television Market Area , or simply market is a region where the population can receive the same television and radio station offerings, and may also include other types of media including newspapers and Internet content... | City of license City of license A city of license or community of license, in American and Canadian broadcasting, is the community that a radio station or television station is officially licensed to serve by that country's broadcast regulator.... |
| 88.7 FM | KVCH VCY America Voice of Christian Youth America, aka, the VCY America Radio Network, is a traditional, evangelical Christian ministry based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin which maintains a format of sacred music and spirituals through all of its broadcast outlets.-History:... |
VCY America | Christian Christian radio Christian radio is a category of radio formats that focus on transmitting programming with a Christian message. In the United States, where it is more established, many such broadcasters play popular music of Christian influence, though many programs have talk or news programming covering... |
VCY America | Huron | Huron |
| 88.7 FM | K213CL South Dakota Public Broadcasting South Dakota Public Broadcasting, or SDPB for short, is a state network of Public Broadcasting Service Non-commercial educational Public television and NPR radio stations serving the state of South Dakota. The stations are operated by the South Dakota Bureau of Information and Telecommunication, a... |
South Dakota Public Broadcasting | NPR | SD Board of Directors for Educational Telecommunications | Huron | Huron |
| 90.5 FM | K213CL | Moody Radio | Christian Christian radio Christian radio is a category of radio formats that focus on transmitting programming with a Christian message. In the United States, where it is more established, many such broadcasters play popular music of Christian influence, though many programs have talk or news programming covering... WJSO translator |
Moody Bible Institute | Huron | Huron |
| 90.5 FM | K209EM K-LOVE K-LOVE is a Contemporary Christian music radio programming service in the United States operated by the Educational Media Foundation. As of January 2011, K-LOVE's programming is carried on over 440 FM stations and translators in 45 states. K-LOVE claims an audience of 250,000 people each week via... |
K-Love | Contemporary Christian Contemporary Christian music Contemporary Christian music is a genre of modern popular music which is lyrically focused on matters concerned with the Christian faith... |
Educational Media Foundation | Huron | Huron |
| 93.3 FM | KJRV KJRV KJRV is a radio station licensed to serve Wessington Springs, South Dakota serving the Huron-Mitchell area. The station is owned by Alpena Broadcasting Company. It airs a Classic rock music format.... |
Big Jim 93.3 | Classic Rock Classic rock Classic rock is a radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format features music ranging generally from the late 1960s to the late 1980s, primarily focusing on the hard rock genre that peaked in popularity in the... |
Dakota Communications | Huron/Mitchell | Wessington Springs |
| 105.1 FM | KJRV KJRV KJRV is a radio station licensed to serve Wessington Springs, South Dakota serving the Huron-Mitchell area. The station is owned by Alpena Broadcasting Company. It airs a Classic rock music format.... |
105.1 The Eagle | Country Country A country is a region legally identified as a distinct entity in political geography. A country may be an independent sovereign state or one that is occupied by another state, as a non-sovereign or formerly sovereign political division, or a geographic region associated with a previously... |
Dakota Communications | Huron | Huron |
External links
- Huron, SD government website
- Huron PlainsmanHuron PlainsmanThe Daily Plainsman, also referred to as the Plainsman, is a newspaper in Huron, South Dakota, United States. The paper is owned by the News Media Corporation. It started operation in 1886 and is still in production today.- External links :...
- local newspaper - Local Radio
- NorthWestern Energy - Electric & Natural Gas Utility
- City Data - Detailed View
- Huron Public School