Misplaced Pages

Lawrence County
County
Lawrence County Courthouse in Deadwood
Location within the U.S. state of South Dakota
South Dakota's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 44°22′N 103°47′W / 44.36°N 103.79°W / 44.36; -103.79
Country	United States
State	South Dakota
Founded	January 11, 1875 (created) 1877 (organized)
Named for	John Lawrence
Seat	Deadwood
Largest city	Spearfish
Area
• Total	800 sq mi (2,000 km)
• Land	800 sq mi (2,000 km)
• Water	0.3 sq mi (0.8 km)  0.03%
Population
• Total	25,768
• Estimate	28,053
• Density	32/sq mi (12/km)
Time zone	UTC−7 (Mountain)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−6 (MDT)
Congressional district	At-large
Website	www.lawrence.sd.us

Lawrence County is a county in the U.S. state of South Dakota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 25,768, making it the 8th most populous county in South Dakota. Its county seat is Deadwood.

Lawrence County is coextensive with the Spearfish, SD Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Rapid City-Spearfish, SD Combined Statistical Area.

History

Lawrence County was created January 11, 1875, and was organized in 1877. The county was named for "Colonel" John Lawrence, who came to the county as first treasurer in 1877. Lawrence had previously served in the Dakota Territorial Legislature, as a Sergeant at Arms for the United States House of Representatives, and a US Marshal for the Dakota territory. After retirement, he continued to act as county road supervisor and as an election judge. The title "Colonel" was honorary, bestowed by the governor of the Dakota Territory.

Geography

Lawrence County lies on the west side of South Dakota. Its west boundary line abuts the east boundary line of the state of Wyoming. The terrain of Lawrence County consists of mountains in the south and west, falling off to the hilly northeast portion. A tributary of the Redwater River flows east-northeasterly along a portion of the county's north boundary line, delineating that portion of the line. The terrain generally slopes to the county's northeast corner; its highest point is Crooks Tower, at 7,137'. The county has a total area of 800 square miles (2,100 km), of which 800 square miles (2,100 km) is land and 0.3 square miles (0.78 km) (0.03%) is water.

Major highways

• Interstate 90
• U.S. Highway 14
• U.S. Highway 14A
• U.S. Highway 85
• U.S. Highway 385
• South Dakota Highway 34

Transit

• Jefferson Lines

Adjacent counties

• Butte County - north
• Meade County - east
• Pennington County - south
• Weston County, Wyoming - southwest
• Crook County, Wyoming - west

Protected areas

• Black Hills National Forest (partial)
• Beilage Hepler State Game Production Area
• Coxes-Mirror Lakes State Game Production Area
• Harrison-Badger-Trucano State Game Production Area
• Iron Creek Lake State Game Production Area
• Reausaw Lake State Game Production Area
• Spearfish Canyon State Nature Area

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, there were 25,768 people, 11,444 households, and 6,689 families residing in the county. The population density was 32.2 inhabitants per square mile (12.4/km). There were 14,163 housing units.

The county population contained 23.10% under the age of 18, 13.70% from 18 to 24, 25.40% from 25 to 44, 23.10% from 45 to 64, and 14.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 96.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.30 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $31,755, and the median income for a family was $40,501. Males had a median income of $30,098 versus $19,679 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,195. About 9.50% of families and 14.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.70% of those under age 18 and 9.10% of those age 65 or over.

2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 24,097 people, 10,536 households, and 6,181 families in the county. The population density was 30.1 inhabitants per square mile (11.6/km). There were 12,756 housing units at an average density of 15.9 per square mile (6.1/km). The racial makeup of the county was 94.4% white, 2.0% American Indian, 0.7% Asian, 0.4% black or African American, 0.5% from other races, and 2.0% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 2.5% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 44.5% were German, 13.7% were Irish, 13.4% were English, 11.4% were Norwegian, and 4.4% were American.

Of the 10,536 households, 24.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.6% were married couples living together, 8.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 41.3% were non-families, and 33.2% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.77. The median age was 41.0 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $42,356 and the median income for a family was $60,209. Males had a median income of $38,933 versus $28,649 for females. The per capita income for the county was $25,465. About 8.4% of families and 15.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.8% of those under age 18 and 8.1% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Cities

• Central City
• Deadwood (county seat)
• Lead
• Spearfish
• Whitewood

Census-designated places

• Boulder Canyon
• Crook City
• Mountain Plains
• North Spearfish
• Saint Onge

Other unincorporated communities

• Beaver Crossing
• Brownsville
• Cheyenne Crossing
• Chinatown
• Dumont
• Elmore
• Englewood
• Galena
• Gayville
• Hanna
• Nemo
• Preston
• Roubaix
• Savoy

Ghost towns

• Blacktail
• Greenwood
• Lincoln AKA Carterville
• AKA Midland or Garden City
• Merritt (partial)
• Nahant
• Terraville
• Tinton
• Trojan (AKA Portland)

Townships and unorganized territories

• St. Onge Township
• North Lawrence (unorganized territory)
• South Lawrence (unorganized territory)

Politics

Owing to its Yankee influence, Lawrence County has been reliably Republican for a full century. It was the only South Dakota county to remain loyal to Herbert Hoover in his landslide 1932 loss. In fact, Lawrence County was the second-westernmost county, behind only Utah's Kane County, to never vote for Franklin D. Roosevelt. The only Democratic presidential candidates to carry Lawrence County have been Woodrow Wilson in 1912 and 1916, and William Jennings Bryan in 1896. Lawrence County has also been one of the most consistent strongholds for the Libertarian Party, giving their 2016 nominee, Gary Johnson, one of the largest vote share out of any county outside his home state of New Mexico, with 7.9%. In 2020, Libertarian Party nominee Jo Jorgensen received 3.9% of the popular vote, her second best performance in any county during the election cycle.

Education

School districts include:

• Belle Fourche School District 09-1
• Lead-Deadwood School District 40-1
• Meade School District 46-1
• Spearfish School District 40-2

See also

• List of Superfund sites in South Dakota
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Lawrence County, South Dakota

References

1. ^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 21, 2024.
2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
3. "Dakota Territory, South Dakota, and North Dakota: Individual County Chronologies". Dakota Territory Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. The Newberry Library. 2006. Archived from the original on April 2, 2018. Retrieved March 30, 2015.
4. Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 183.
5. ^ "Lawrence County · South Dakota". Google Maps. Retrieved April 27, 2024.
6. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". US Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved March 28, 2015.
7. "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2023". Retrieved March 17, 2024.
8. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 28, 2015.
9. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved March 28, 2015.
10. Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 28, 2015.
11. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved March 28, 2015.
12. "US Census Bureau, Table P16: Household Type". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 21, 2024.
13. Phillips, Kevin P.; The Emerging Republican Majority, p. 442 ISBN 1400852293
14. Leip, David. "Atlas of US Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved April 13, 2018.
15. "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Lawrence County, SD" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved September 27, 2024. - Text list

Further reading

• Caddey, S.W. et al. (1991). The Homestake Gold Mine, an Early Proterozoic iron-formation-hosted gold deposit, Lawrence County, South Dakota . Washington DC: US Department of the Interior, US Geological Survey.

External links

• Media related to Lawrence County, South Dakota at Wikimedia Commons
• Lawrence County, SD government website

v t e Places adjacent to Lawrence County, South Dakota
Butte County Crook County, Wyoming Lawrence County, South Dakota Meade County Weston County, Wyoming Pennington County

v t e Municipalities and communities of Lawrence County, South Dakota, United States
County seat: Deadwood
Cities	Central City Deadwood Lead Spearfish Whitewood
Township	St. Onge
CDPs	Boulder Canyon Crook City Mountain Plains North Spearfish Saint Onge
Other communities	Brownsville Cheyenne Crossing Chinatown Englewood Galena Gayville Hanna Nemo Roubaix Terry
Ghost towns	Blacktail Carbonate Crown Hill Flatiron Greenwood Lancaster City Maitland Nahant Novak Ragged Top Terraville Tinton Trojan
South Dakota portal United States portal

v t e State of South Dakota
Pierre (capital)
Topics	Outline Cities Climate change Famous South Dakotans Geography Government Delegations Elections History Bibliography Timeline State Parks Symbols Tourist attractions Towns and villages Townships Transportation
Society	Abortion Cannabis Culture Crime Demographics African Americans Economy Education Colleges and universities Gun laws LGBT rights Politics
Regions	Badlands Black Hills Coteau des Prairies Missouri Coteau Dissected Till Plains Drift Prairie East River Pine Ridge Siouxland West River
Larger incorporated places pop. over 5,000	Aberdeen Belle Fourche Box Elder Brandon Brookings Harrisburg Huron Madison Mitchell Pierre Rapid City Sioux Falls Spearfish Sturgis Tea Vermillion Watertown Yankton
Smaller incorporated places pop. 1,000 - 5,000	Aurora Baltic Beresford Britton Canton Chamberlain Clark Clear Lake Crooks Custer De Smet Deadwood Dell Rapids Eagle Butte Elk Point Flandreau Fort Pierre Freeman Garretson Gettysburg Gregory Groton Hartford Hot Springs Lead Lemmon Lennox Milbank Miller Mission Mobridge North Sioux City Parker Parkston Piedmont Platte Redfield Salem Sisseton Springfield Summerset Tyndall Volga Wagner Webster Winner
Largest CDPs pop. over 1,000	Blackhawk Colonial Pine Hills Dakota Dunes Fort Thompson Green Valley North Eagle Butte North Spearfish Oglala Pine Ridge Rapid Valley Rosebud
Counties	Aurora Beadle Bennett Bon Homme Brookings Brown Brule Buffalo Butte Campbell Charles Mix Clark Clay Codington Corson Custer Davison Day Deuel Dewey Douglas Edmunds Fall River Faulk Grant Gregory Haakon Hamlin Hand Hanson Harding Hughes Hutchinson Hyde Jackson Jerauld Jones Kingsbury Lake Lawrence Lincoln Lyman Marshall McCook McPherson Meade Mellette Miner Minnehaha Moody Oglala Lakota Pennington Perkins Potter Roberts Sanborn Spink Stanley Sully Todd Tripp Turner Union Walworth Yankton Ziebach
South Dakota portal

44°22′N 103°47′W / 44.36°N 103.79°W / 44.36; -103.79

• South Dakota counties
• Lawrence County, South Dakota
• 1877 establishments in Dakota Territory
• Populated places established in 1877
• Black Hills