A 21st Century Ghost Town

The 2000 census states the population of Manchester SD at 109. 

On August 27, 1961 the population of Manchester was 150,000. 

The prairie community started in early 1880 with a population of at least three 

when C.H. Manchester and sons filed a claim. 

On June 24, 2003 the population dwindled to zero. 

So what happened in Manchester from 1880 to 2003?

Like many other South Dakota communities, Manchester developed into a thriving rural community thanks to the arrival of the railroad in 1880. It brought trade, communication, transportation and many new settlers.

Two of the early pioneer families to settle in and around Manchester were Nathan & Benjamin Dow and William Dunn.  The Dunn name is important because of artist Harvey Dunn.

Nate Dow became the husband of Grace Ingalls, the baby sister of Laura Ingalls Wilder fame.

In the early years Manchester was home to a hotel, bank, a depot, churches, poultry buying station, general store, elevator, lumber yard, creamery, post office, livery barn, blacksmiths and wagon shops. It even had a newspaper, The Times. Over the years another grain elevator appeared as did a pool hall, auto repair, gas stations, grocery stores, a high school, and a fabled town pump.

A one room school was built in December 1880. A two-story wooden school building was erected in 1908 when the increased population caused a need for a larger building and a high school.

The town was most likely never larger than four square city blocks. So how could it have a population of 150,000 in 1961???

“ Dakota Territory was created in 1861, and got its first big impetus in 1874 when gold was confirmed in the Black Hills by General Custer. A hundred years later on August 27, 1961 , a gold rush was created by Joe Floyd’s KELO-LAND TV and Radio stations and the Dakota Territory Centennial Commission. 

            1,439 capsules were planted in a 200’ X 300’ gold field.  1,439 ‘prospectors’ armed with gold shovels, won in a summer-long contest conducted by the KELO-LAND Stations, entered the gold field to dig for $35,000 in cash and merchandise prizes.  In a separate field, governors of the 50 states or their substitutes dug on behalf of charity for $3,500.

            On a signal from bandleader Lawrence Welk, the diggers unearthed their capsules and rushed for the ‘assay office’ to claim their prizes.  First prize of $10,000 was won by Mrs. Floyd Carlon of Sioux Falls .

            More that 150,000 people, largest crowd in the state’s history, witnessed the ‘Gold Rush of 1961.’

            Governor Archie Gubbrud, Senator Francis Case, Senator Karl Mundt, Representative Ben Reifel, former governor Joe Foss, and other dignitaries attended.  Climax of the Dakota Territory Centennial year, the event also included a Square Dance Festival, Amateur Talent Show, Boy Scout Camporee, Carnival, Fireworks Display, and appearances by TV stars Yogi Bear, Huckleberry Hound, Paul Brinegar and Clint Eastwood.”

For one day, Manchester SD had a population of 150,000.

So what happened on June 24, 2003 to cause the population to dwindle to zero? 

A supercell thunderstorm spawned a tornado over eastern SD. The tornado (the worst of the 67 tornados in the state that Tuesday) matured and widened to the status of F4, becoming powerful enough to destroy every building in the town. Miraculously, there were no deaths, although 3 of the six residents were injured.

All that remains are some slab foundations of demolished homes, some dead trees, and the fabled town pump. 

There is one metal shed building/business, but no houses in the four block area. In 2007 monuments were erected to honor those who built and lived in the community. But in all reality, Manchester SD is a natural disaster ghost town.

We happened to be in Manchester because of....yes, you guessed it...GEOCACHING! Another great story from a geocaching adventure.