Colton SD, any activity there? (Sioux Falls, Dell Rapids: fit in, transplants, credit)

[snowyangel]

Colton seems like a cute and quiet small town. Any long terms residents of Colton onboard care to give any good/bad insite on this town about 20mins away from Sioux Falls? Any upcoming events?

[Jammie]

I don't live there, but am about 70 miles from Sx. Falls. Colton is pretty small and most of the people there go to Sx. Falls for nearly everything~employment, entertainment, etc.

[egg man]

Having had relatives who lived for ten years in Colton I will tell you what they said.

If you aren't born there, you will NEVER fit in there. You either need to be Norwegian Lutheran, or Dutch Reformed to even attempt to fit in. Otherwise people are not warm and friendly like in some communities. I don't know if it has changed in the ten years since they moved away, but that's how it was in the early 90's.

Perhaps look someplace else.

[Chris19]

Colton is a town of 800 or so and is not growing as fast as other towns. There are some nice people there also, but it may take more effort to find them than in other places. I would recommend going to a town like Dell Rapids, Hartford, or ones closer to Sioux Falls since they may not be as clannish and have more newer blood in the communities. I would caution about Worthing, which is about the same size. There are some nice people, but the town (outside of its western addition) can be clannish also.

[Jammie]

Tea seems to be kind of a nice little town that's practically a suburb of Sx. Falls already.

Chris, what is your opinion of Tea?

[Chris19]

Originally Posted by Jammie

Tea seems to be kind of a nice little town that's practically a suburb of Sx. Falls already.

Chris, what is your opinion of Tea?

I am very familiar with it and remember when it was mostly graveled roads and a town of 700 people. I like it and it is getting better and better with time, except for the traffic. There are a lot of younger people and ones starting out with families.

It is growing and will likely to continue to do so. It recently added a Sunshine Foods, credit union, doughnut shop, ice cream stand (summers), expanded fitness center, and a number of other businesses. There are several developments in the works. There are a couple in the northern end of town that have houses and have room for more. A planned development in the southeast part of the city will have around 150 houses along with room for park/ballfields and businesses. Another development in the eastern part of the city will have 150+ homes and one with houses being built with 70-80 houses. The city has plans to eventually annex land to the interstate and annex the industrial businesses in it.

The schools are OK but will get better once it the district is more established. The district is growing fast and recently built a high school and will soon propose a bond issue for a middle school. Harrisburg is growing like this but at a faster clip.

[williken1]

I've lived in Colton for about 17 years and the city has changed. I am neither Norwegian nor Dutch and I get along fine. There has been an influx of new people (and younger) which has helped. That being said I looked at Hartford and Dell Rapids and was not impressed with the reception. Stop at Berge's Grocery Store and you will see what a nice town this is. They have a small store, but the best meat in the area, including Sioux Falls. You can get a lot more house here for the money than in other towns around too. Local government is slowley become a mix of lifers and imports.

[cajaras]

My son and his family moved as transplants to Colton. Fit very well into the community and they are not any of the clannish criteria

[Wesman12]

Colton is great. I used to live in colton until I was 6 or so then we moved. My grandparents still live in Colton though so I come up every summer and it is awesome! Jubilee days is really fun and a good way to get to meet all your neighbors. Berge's store is awesome to because Jeff and Jill (the owners) will help you with anything and are really friendly plus they take your groceries to your car for you. Over all I would say Colton is a great place to live!

[jmgg]

Though it has a quite large Dutch population, it's not like Sioux County Iowa. People whether Dutch or not seem to blend well in Colton. However, most people living there have been there for a couple generations or more. As for things to do, basically the only social outlets are the local bar, a little coffee shop, or the 4 churches in town (Methodist, Lutheran, First Reformed and Christian Reformed). There is a country Catholic church about 6 miles north. With a lot of forsight, they built a very nice township hall/firestation about 25 years ago. They do have a decent park with a swimming pool giving the younger kids something to do in the summer.

It's not a town with much growth. Maybe one new house built a year.

Very quant little grocery store with, as mentioned before, a great meat department.

The school is combined with students from Crooks and Lyons and is located about 5 miles away so all the Colton kids are either bussed or drive to school. It's called Tri-Valley School District.

I don't think most people would have a hard time fitting in.