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Gettysburg, South Dakota
Stocker Blacksmith Shop, listed on the National Register of Historic Places
Stocker Blacksmith Shop, listed on the National Register of Historic Places
Nickname(s): 
Gettysburg "Where the Battle Wasn't"
Motto(s): 
"Come Play On The Prairie"
Location in Potter County and the state of South Dakota
Location in Potter County and the state of South Dakota
Country United States
State South Dakota
County Potter
Incorporated 1907
Area
 • Total 1.92 sq mi (4.97 km2)
 • Land 1.92 sq mi (4.97 km2)
 • Water 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation
2,064 ft (629 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 1,104
 • Density 574.70/sq mi (221.92/km2)
Time zone UTC−6 (Central (CST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC−5 (CDT)
ZIP code
57442
Area code(s) 605
FIPS code 46-24260
GNIS feature ID 1267404

Gettysburg is a city and county seat of Potter County, South Dakota, United States, along the 45th parallel. The population was 1,104 at the 2020 census.

History

Gettysburg was platted in 1884. The city was named in commemoration of the Battle of Gettysburg. A large share of the early settlers were Civil War veterans of the Union Army. Gettysburg was once home to Gettysburg Air Force Station which closed in 1968.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.89 square miles (4.90 km2), all land.

Climate

With a precipitation slightly above 465 mm, the city can be considered the watershed between the dry climates of the American West to the humid climates of the American East, although closer to the former, with a center characterized by the steppes and medium precipitation marking the east limit of the group B of dry climates (except for the hot versions on the subcontinent) for the 99.9 °W meridian. From the climatic map of the University of Melbourne, Gettysburg is the easternmost city in North America with a semi-arid cold climate (Köppen: Bsk). The average high temperature is 12.7 °C and the low average is -0.4 °C, which makes temperatures below the freezing point predominate for at least part of the year. The annual average snow is of 99 cm. For the official data of the NOAA/Weather Service: the average annual precipitation is of 501 mm, by which it strengthens its role of confluence. The wettest months range from May to July ranging from 72 to 88 mm and the driest January (only 9 mm). The amount of snow is average in proportion to its cold weather surpassing the 20 cm between February and March.

Climate data for Gettysburg, South Dakota (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1901−present)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 64
(18)
70
(21)
85
(29)
97
(36)
104
(40)
108
(42)
114
(46)
111
(44)
107
(42)
94
(34)
80
(27)
69
(21)
114
(46)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 24.8
(−4.0)
29.1
(−1.6)
41.5
(5.3)
55.8
(13.2)
67.5
(19.7)
77.7
(25.4)
84.3
(29.1)
83.0
(28.3)
73.8
(23.2)
58.0
(14.4)
41.8
(5.4)
28.9
(−1.7)
55.5
(13.1)
Daily mean °F (°C) 15.1
(−9.4)
19.2
(−7.1)
30.9
(−0.6)
43.9
(6.6)
55.7
(13.2)
66.2
(19.0)
72.0
(22.2)
70.4
(21.3)
61.0
(16.1)
46.3
(7.9)
31.6
(−0.2)
19.5
(−6.9)
44.3
(6.8)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) 5.3
(−14.8)
9.3
(−12.6)
20.3
(−6.5)
32.0
(0.0)
43.8
(6.6)
54.6
(12.6)
59.8
(15.4)
57.8
(14.3)
48.2
(9.0)
34.7
(1.5)
21.3
(−5.9)
10.1
(−12.2)
33.1
(0.6)
Record low °F (°C) −33
(−36)
−34
(−37)
−28
(−33)
0
(−18)
16
(−9)
32
(0)
38
(3)
34
(1)
19
(−7)
1
(−17)
−17
(−27)
−32
(−36)
−34
(−37)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 0.29
(7.4)
0.57
(14)
0.66
(17)
1.86
(47)
3.03
(77)
3.45
(88)
3.01
(76)
2.49
(63)
2.01
(51)
1.89
(48)
0.51
(13)
0.40
(10)
20.17
(512)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 6.8
(17)
10.6
(27)
5.5
(14)
4.5
(11)
0.3
(0.76)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
1.3
(3.3)
3.0
(7.6)
6.7
(17)
38.7
(98)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) 4.0 5.3 5.2 7.9 9.4 9.6 7.9 7.4 7.0 6.7 4.1 4.2 78.7
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) 3.9 4.5 2.1 1.3 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.5 1.5 3.5 17.4
Source: NOAA

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1910 936
1920 951 1.6%
1930 1,400 47.2%
1940 1,324 −5.4%
1950 1,555 17.4%
1960 1,950 25.4%
1970 1,915 −1.8%
1980 1,623 −15.2%
1990 1,510 −7.0%
2000 1,352 −10.5%
2010 1,162 −14.1%
2020 1,104 −5.0%
U.S. Decennial Census
2018 Estimate

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 1,162 people, 534 households, and 310 families living in the city. The population density was 614.8 inhabitants per square mile (237.4/km2). There were 617 housing units at an average density of 326.5 units per square mile (126.1 units/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 97.3% White, 0.3% African American, 1.2% Native American, 0.2% Asian, and 1.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.6% of the population.

There were 534 households, of which 21.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.1% were married couples living together, 5.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 41.9% were non-families. 37.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 21.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.08 and the average family size was 2.74.

The median age in the city was 50.3 years. 19.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 4.7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 18.1% were from 25 to 44; 29.7% were from 45 to 64; and 27.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.4% male and 51.6% female.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Gettysburg (Dakota del Sur) para niños

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