Custer, South Dakota
| Custer | |
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 On the main street of Custer |
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| County and state location | |
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| Basic data | |
| Foundation : | 1875 |
| State : | United States |
| State : | South Dakota |
| County : | Custer County |
| Coordinates : | 43 ° 46 ′ N , 103 ° 36 ′ W |
| Time zone : | Mountain ( UTC − 7 / −6 ) |
| Residents : | 1,860 (as of: 2000) |
| Population density : | 395.7 inhabitants per km 2 |
| Area : | 4.7 km 2 (approx. 2 mi 2 ) of which 4.7 km 2 (approx. 2 mi 2 ) are land |
| Height : | 1620 m |
| Postal code : | 57730 |
| Area code : | +1 605 |
| FIPS : | 46-15140 |
| GNIS ID : | 1265633 |
Custer is a city in the Black Hills in the US state of South Dakota . The city is the county seat of Custer County and has about 1900 inhabitants.
Origin of the city
The oldest city in the Black Hills originated from a nearby bivouac of the 7th Cavalry Regiment under the command of Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer , after whom the city has been named since 1876. In 1874, Custer moved with 1000 soldiers to explore the Black Hills in the Indian territory and was amazed by the beauty of the landscape. In a valley he called the "Golden Valley", he had a tent camp built, sent out reconnaissance parties and went bear hunting himself. In a report to Washington he wrote that the valley he had explored was an incomparably beautiful and wonderful place. One of the geologists involved in the exploration of the "Golden Valley" discovered a gold deposit there . The reports written by Custer to the federal government did not remain secret, so that a few weeks later the newspapers reported in big headlines about the new " Eldorado " across the border in Indian territory. At the end of his extraordinarily successful mission, Custer ordered the expansion and fortification of the military camp with the aim of keeping prospectors and adventurers away from Indian land. Without reinforcements, however, the soldiers could do little to counter the rapid onslaught of gold prospectors on the “Golden Valley”. The government in Washington officially condemned the illegal intrusion of the prospectors into the Indian territory, but did not initiate any measures to protect the "Black Hills", which are sacred to the Lakota to this day.
By the end of 1874 several thousand outlaws flocked to the military camp and built a wildly growing tent and hut town. There was complete anarchy . A provisional postal service was set up in a cave, which functioned similarly to the Pony Express . In mid-1875, the majority of illegal prospectors and settlers decided to end the anarchy and rebuild the city according to plan. The city was to be named "Stonewall" in memory of Confederate General and Civil War hero Thomas Jonathan Jackson . The main street was opened in August 1875. At this time, the previously wild claims of the gold prospectors were staked out and unofficial but binding mining rights were assigned. The bear rock served as a reference point for numbering the claims along the French Creek . In the spring of 1876, the exuberant, new town had many times its current population when the news of rich gold discoveries in Deadwood suddenly spread. Within two weeks, most of the prospectors left town and went to Deadwood. However, by then an orderly, urban community had already developed, which saved “Stonewall” from becoming a ghost town .
The gold rush in the "Golden Valley" was over, but the city, which had a sheriff , court, school, churches and shops, was gradually recovering from the bloodletting. After the Battle of Little Bighorn , in which Custer fell, the city was renamed "Custer" in mid-1876.
Commercial and administrative center in Custer County
Precious metals and minerals are mined in the area of Custer to this day. However, the timber industry, district administration facilities and tourism are of greater economic importance. Custer is home to the Forestry Department for the Black Hills National Forest for South Dakota and Wyoming . Special tourist attractions include the Jewel Cave National Monument , Wind Cave National Park , Custer State Park , Mount Rushmore National Memorial and the Crazy Horse Memorial .
literature
- Badger Clark : The Story of Custer City, SD published 1941
