Custer, South Dakota

Custer is the seat of Custer County in the southwestern part of South Dakota. It covers just 1.8 sq mi (4.7 sq km) and has a population of just 2,000 people (2011 estimate). This small city is 5,315 ft (1,620 m) above sea level.

1881 Courthouse Museum, Custer, South Dakota
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:1881_Courthouse_Museum_Custer_SD.jpg
Author: Jllm06


It was founded in 1875 following the Black Hills Expedition led by Lt. Colonel George Armstrong Custer the year before. This makes it the oldest European settlement in the Black Hills region. News of gold discovery in the area brought an influx of prospectors, but when rumors of a much larger deposit in Deadwood spread among the miners, they packed up to head there, nearly turning Custer into a ghost town. It somehow survived, and went on to become an established city, albeit with just two thousand residents today.

To commemorate the gold rush days, Custer observes an annual Gold Discovery Days celebration, which falls on the full weekend of July.

Visiting Custer

The nearest major town from Custer is Rapid City. From Rapid City, you can reach Custer by taking US Route 16.

Places of Interest in Custer

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