Lemmon, South Dakota#Sites of interest

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of {{convert|1.04|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, all land.{{cite web|title=US Gazetteer files 2010 |url=https://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=2012-06-21 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120125061959/http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt |archive-date=2012-01-25 }}

Lemmon's north border is the Adams County, North Dakota, boundary. To the east of Lemmon is Corson County and Standing Rock Indian Reservation.

Lemmon's history as a town started in 1902 with the U.S. government's forced leasing of about 800,000 acres of Standing Rock Indian Reservation lands to cattle rancher George Ed Lemmon.{{Cite book |last=Welsh |first=Herbert |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3OgNAAAAIAAJ |title=The Action of the Interior Department in Forcing the Standing Rock Indians to Lease Their Lands to Cattle Syndicates |date=1902 |publisher=Indian Rights Association |language=en}}

In 1919, Lemmon became a sundown town, prohibiting African Americans from living there.{{Cite news |date=November 29, 1919 |orig-date=First published on November 27, 1919 |title=South Dakota Town Bars Negroes |url=https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83025779/1919-11-29/ed-1/seq-6/ |work=Dallas Express |location=Sioux Falls, South Dakota |page=6 |via=Chronicling America |quote=There will be no race question to bother the residents of Lemon {{sic}} in the immediate future. This is due to the fact that Negroes are not allowed to live in Lemmon. Several Colored men recently appeared here, and the citizens did not loke their looks the newcomers were quickly requested by some of the young men of the town to seek new fields. The Negroes lost no time in replying with the 'request.' It is believed they were from some of the larger cities.}}

File:FI0024257.jpg

{{US Census population

|1910= 1255

|1920= 1126

|1930= 1508

|1940= 1781

|1950= 2760

|1960= 2412

|1970= 1997

|1980= 1871

|1990= 1614

|2000= 1398

|2010= 1227

|2020= 1160

|align-fn=center

|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|author=United States Census Bureau|author-link=United States Census Bureau|access-date=July 15, 2014}}
2019 Estimate{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/tables.2019.html|date=May 24, 2020|title=Population and Housing Unit Estimates|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=May 27, 2020}}{{cite web|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/pl?get=P1_001N,NAME&for=place:*&in=state:46&key=5ccd0821c15d9f4520e2dcc0f8d92b2ec9336108|title=Census Population API|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=Oct 15, 2022}}

}}

As of the census{{cite web|title=U.S. Census website|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=2012-06-21}} of 2010, 1,227 people, 567 households, and 319 families resided in the city. The population density was {{convert|1179.8|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. The 732 housing units averaged {{convert|703.8|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the city was 96.3% White, 0.1% African American, 1.9% Native American, 0.2% Asian, 0.1% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 0.7% of the population.

Of the 567 households, 20.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.7% were married couples living together, 6.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 43.7% were not families. About 39.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 20.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.05 and the average family size was 2.73.

The median age in the city was 50.8 years; 17.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 5.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 18.3% were from 25 to 44; 31.2% were from 45 to 64; and 27.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.6% male and 52.4% female.

As of the census of 2000, 1,398 people, 623 households, and 356 families resided in the city. The population density was {{convert|1,378.7|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The 776 housing units averaged 765.3 per square mile (296.6/km{{sup|2}}). The racial makeup of the city was 95.99% White, 0.14% African American, 2.65% Native American, 0.36% Asian, 0.29% from other races, and 0.57% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 0.50% of the population.

Of the 623 households, 25.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.5% were married couples living together, 7.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.7% were not families. Around 40.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 22.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.15 and the average family size was 2.91.

In the city, the population was distributed as 22.9% under the age of 18, 6.3% from 18 to 24, 24.7% from 25 to 44, 18.7% from 45 to 64, and 27.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 84.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.2 males.

As of 2000, the median income for a household in the city was $28,109, and for a family was $37,813. Males had a median income of $27,426 versus $17,813 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,272. About 8.0% of families and 12.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.1% of those under age 18 and 16.0% of those age 65 or over.

Lemmon has a relatively dry humid continental climate (Köppen Dwa/Dwb) characterized by very warm to hot summers with cool mornings, and freezing, dry, although extremely variable winters.

{{Weather box

|location = Lemmon, South Dakota (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1909–present)

|single line = y

|Jan record high F = 69

|Feb record high F = 70

|Mar record high F = 85

|Apr record high F = 93

|May record high F = 103

|Jun record high F = 109

|Jul record high F = 115

|Aug record high F = 107

|Sep record high F = 105

|Oct record high F = 95

|Nov record high F = 82

|Dec record high F = 70

|year record high F = 115

|Jan avg record high F = 51.2

|Feb avg record high F = 53.8

|Mar avg record high F = 68.0

|Apr avg record high F = 78.6

|May avg record high F = 85.1

|Jun avg record high F = 92.0

|Jul avg record high F = 98.0

|Aug avg record high F = 97.7

|Sep avg record high F = 93.3

|Oct avg record high F = 82.2

|Nov avg record high F = 66.2

|Dec avg record high F = 53.0

|year avg record high F = 100.1

|Jan high F = 28.8

|Feb high F = 32.6

|Mar high F = 45.0

|Apr high F = 57.7

|May high F = 69.1

|Jun high F = 78.7

|Jul high F = 86.7

|Aug high F = 86.0

|Sep high F = 76.8

|Oct high F = 59.8

|Nov high F = 43.5

|Dec high F = 31.9

|year high F = 58.0

|Jan mean F = 18.9

|Feb mean F = 22.3

|Mar mean F = 33.1

|Apr mean F = 44.7

|May mean F = 56.0

|Jun mean F = 65.7

|Jul mean F = 72.6

|Aug mean F = 71.3

|Sep mean F = 62.0

|Oct mean F = 47.2

|Nov mean F = 32.7

|Dec mean F = 22.1

|year mean F = 45.7

|Jan low F = 8.9

|Feb low F = 12.0

|Mar low F = 21.2

|Apr low F = 31.7

|May low F = 42.9

|Jun low F = 52.8

|Jul low F = 58.6

|Aug low F = 56.6

|Sep low F = 47.3

|Oct low F = 34.6

|Nov low F = 21.9

|Dec low F = 12.3

|year low F = 33.4

|Jan avg record low F = -16.0

|Feb avg record low F = -10.6

|Mar avg record low F = -1.1

|Apr avg record low F = 14.3

|May avg record low F = 28.1

|Jun avg record low F = 40.8

|Jul avg record low F = 48.7

|Aug avg record low F = 45.0

|Sep avg record low F = 32.0

|Oct avg record low F = 16.2

|Nov avg record low F = 2.9

|Dec avg record low F = -10.9

|year avg record low F = -20.5

|Jan record low F = −42

|Feb record low F = −45

|Mar record low F = −27

|Apr record low F = −6

|May record low F = 10

|Jun record low F = 29

|Jul record low F = 37

|Aug record low F = 31

|Sep record low F = 14

|Oct record low F = −10

|Nov record low F = −24

|Dec record low F = −33

|year record low F = −45

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation inch = 0.26

|Feb precipitation inch = 0.48

|Mar precipitation inch = 0.79

|Apr precipitation inch = 1.71

|May precipitation inch = 2.84

|Jun precipitation inch = 3.03

|Jul precipitation inch = 2.75

|Aug precipitation inch = 2.11

|Sep precipitation inch = 1.48

|Oct precipitation inch = 1.54

|Nov precipitation inch = 0.60

|Dec precipitation inch = 0.41

|year precipitation inch = 18.00

|Jan snow inch = 4.5

|Feb snow inch = 7.6

|Mar snow inch = 7.5

|Apr snow inch = 4.8

|May snow inch = 0.7

|Jun snow inch = 0.0

|Jul snow inch = 0.0

|Aug snow inch = 0.0

|Sep snow inch = 0.0

|Oct snow inch = 3.1

|Nov snow inch = 5.2

|Dec snow inch = 8.9

|year snow inch = 42.3

|unit precipitation days = 0.01 in

|Jan precipitation days = 3.6

|Feb precipitation days = 3.9

|Mar precipitation days = 4.6

|Apr precipitation days = 6.9

|May precipitation days = 9.3

|Jun precipitation days = 10.2

|Jul precipitation days = 8.6

|Aug precipitation days = 6.5

|Sep precipitation days = 5.6

|Oct precipitation days = 5.9

|Nov precipitation days = 3.7

|Dec precipitation days = 3.7

|year precipitation days = 72.5

|unit snow days = 0.1 in

|Jan snow days = 3.6

|Feb snow days = 4.0

|Mar snow days = 3.3

|Apr snow days = 1.8

|May snow days = 0.2

|Jun snow days = 0.0

|Jul snow days = 0.0

|Aug snow days = 0.0

|Sep snow days = 0.0

|Oct snow days = 1.0

|Nov snow days = 2.3

|Dec snow days = 3.5

|year snow days = 19.7

|source 1 = NOAA

{{cite web

| url = https://www.weather.gov/wrh/Climate?wfo=unr

| title = NowData - NOAA Online Weather Data

| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

| access-date = October 19, 2021}}

{{cite web

| url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&startDate=0001-01-01&endDate=9996-12-31&stations=USC00394864&format=pdf

| title = Station: Lemmon, SD

| work = U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991-2020)

| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

| access-date = October 19, 2021}}

}}

{{Unreferenced section|date=March 2008}}

File:Lemmon, South Dakota - Petrified wood park sign.jpg

The city contains the Lemmon Petrified Park, the home of the world's largest petrified-wood park. This tourist attraction fills an entire block of the downtown area and is built entirely of petrified wood, fossils, and stone. Construction began in 1930 and continued until 1932 under the supervision of Ole S. Quammen. It was in private ownership until 1954, when it was donated to the city by Quammen's heirs. The park features a wishing well, a waterfall, and a castle. The castle weighs 300 tons and boasts towering spires and turrets. Also in the park are two separate museums, both built entirely of petrified wood. The larger of the two is circular has a petrified grass floor along with petrified logs. Dinosaur claws, bird tracks, and fossilized snakes can be seen in the petrified wood. Also in the museum are antiques and artifacts from the Lemmon area. The formations in the park number over 100 and are up to 20 ft tall.

The Boss Cowman Rodeo and Celebration is the second weekend in July, and is one of the largest rodeos in the state.

The Grand River Museum is located on Highway 12. The museum features exhibits on creation science, fossils, Native Americans, cowboys and ranch life, a full-scale tipi, and a model of the Ark. Admission is free.

The Kokomo, located on Main Street, is the home of sculptor John Lopez's art gallery.

File:Lemmon High Mascot.jpg

Lemmon has a 9-hole golf course, an airport, two convenience stores,

a hardware store, a grocery store, an American Legion, and many other businesses. Lemmon also has seven churches, three financial institutions, a library, a movie theater, a clinic, and nursing home. Three motels are in town. The Lemmon Livestock Sale Barn is just to the west of town, with sales every Wednesday.

Many citizens are employed at Wheeler Manufacturing, which produces jewelry products. Gregorian, Inc. and Dakota Woodcrafts also employ manufacturing workers. Other major employers are the school system and farm/ranches.

The current (2023) mayor of Lemmon is Matt Barnes who was elected in 2022 to replace outgoing mayor Neal Pinnow, who is now a member of the South Dakota House of Representative for District 28B . The city council has 6 members and the mayor for a total of 7.

The Lemmon Police Department was absorbed by the Perkins County Sheriffs Department, and now has three deputies, along with a SD highway patrolman stationed in Lemmon and a 30-man volunteer fire department.

Lemmon is the site of the Grand River National Grassland and Cedar River National Grassland Ranger District office.

The City Finance Officer and deputy finance officer are city employee's who are in charge of the water and sewer bills, reading meters, running and taking notes at the city council monthly meetings, annual budgets and projects to improve the city, city property maintenance hiring, other city worker hiring, city pool, zoning and ordinances, among other responsibilities.

The Lemmon Public Library, Lemmon Area Charitable and Economic Development, and the Lemmon Chamber of Commerce Office are in the same building at 303 1st Avenue West.

Lemmon's school district includes a high school and an elementary school. The Progress country school operated in Meadow until the summer of 2010, when it was destroyed by a tornado. The small rural school district was then consolidated into the Lemmon, Bison, and Faith districts.

• Kathleen Norris, poet
• Gale Cleven, WWII pilot
• John Lopez, Sculptor
• Troy Meink, nominee for Secretary of the Air Force

• List of sundown towns in the United States
• North Lemmon, North Dakota

{{Reflist|2}}

{{Commons category|Lemmon, South Dakota}}

{{Perkins County, South Dakota}}

{{South Dakota}}

{{Petrified forests}}

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Category:Cities in South Dakota

Category:Cities in Perkins County, South Dakota

Category:1908 establishments in South Dakota

Category:Sundown towns in the United States