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In about a year an a half I'll be moving to South Dakota. I'm not sure which city/town yet. I've been doing a lot of research on misc. areas and all I've come up with is wanting to live in the Black Hills area or east of the Badlands.
Currently I live in a historical part of Indianapolis (Irvington) and really love the feel of this place. I would like to live in a historical part of some other town in South Dakota. I would prefer some place with a lot of diversity, but don't mind living in a small town as long as there is decent work available.
Can any of you point me in the right direction or supply helpful suggestions?
Pretty much anywhere in the Black Hills can be considered historical. Deadwood may be one of the places to look. I am sure you have heard of the outlaws like Calamity Jane, Wild Bill Hickok, and Poker Alice. They all lived in Deadwood in the 1800s during the Black Hills Gold Rush. Deadwood is a very old town with cobblestone roads and casinos gallore! There are going to be a lot of new jobs in that area too because a science-lab is being built in the old Homestake Gold Mine near Deadwood. Homes in Deadwood are pretty old and they're built on cliffs. There have been mud-slide problems there in the past. If you want a newer "suburban" style home try Boulder Canyon. It's a development about 3 miles out of Deadwood.
If Deadwood's too small for you, try Spearfish or Rapid City. Spearfish has about 15,000 people and Rapid City has about 80,000. The West Boulevard Historical District in Rapid City has some of the oldest homes in town. Some are over 125+. They also cost quite a bit too. Most are 3-4 story brick homes. It's fun to drive through that neighborhood at Christmastime. They all decorate so nicely. Rapid City would also have the most options for you in terms of jobs, schools, shopping, etc. We are soon getting a second mall and we have several private schools if that is something you'd be interested in.
Good Luck with the move, and if you have any other questions feel free to ask away!
Thanks Danny... I'll definitely look into those areas.
I don't care much for the new build suburban lifestyle. Not much into malls and things like that either. I tend to go for the older communities and frequent locally owned stores.
The size of the town doesn't matter too much either. As long as there is a possibility for a good job there or somewhere nearby.
After a year of living there (where ever I end up in south dakota) I was planning on opening a cafe. My boyfriend does freelance graphic design, so we have a lot of freedom right now.
Hi Grey and welcome to the forum!! Danny's a hard act to follow so I don't have much to add. The only thing I can think of is to let you know that So. Dak. isn't really diverse. It's mainly Caucasions and Sioux that live here. Sioux Falls in eastern So. Dak. has a bit of diversity, but I don't know of any towns in the Hills area that is like that.
But that being said, I second Danny's suggestion of checking into Deadwood. It sounds like it's the type of town you're looking for.
Jammie's pretty much right about diversity in the Rapid City area. We have an Indian restaurant, Thai restaurant, a couple Sushi joints, and a Moroccan restaurant. That's as exotic as it gets around here!
If you plan on opening a cafe, there are some neat old buildings in Deadwood or Spearfish that could accomodate you. My eighth grade teacher started her own cafe in Rapid City in an abandoned grain mill office and it's REALLY taken off! There are a lot of old buildings and warehouses in "Old Rapid City" that you should check out as well. Downtown Rapid City has a lot of shops, restauerants, bars, nightclubs, etc.
Anywhere you go in the Black Hills you will create a clientele and people will be excited to get to know you!
I can tell you of some areas with history in Eastern South Dakota. Yankton and Vermillion have areas with neat older homes. Yankton is at one time the territorial capital of the Dakota Terrritory in the late 1800s. Vermillion is a college town but has its charm. There are quite a few houses within a block or two on either side of Main St. east of Downtown that have nice older homes. To the south of Main St., there are more older homes with character. Other places to check are Aberdeen (lots of older homes), Huron, Mitchell, Sioux Falls (McKennan Park/areas around Sanford Hosp., VA Hosp, and near Kiwanis and 22nd area), Canton, and Dell Rapids (lots of pink quartzite buildings).
It would not hurt to check Hot Springs in the Black Hills. There are some neat buildings and the area has some neat scenery not too far away.
Jammie- Yeah, I know that South Dakota doesn't have a lot of diversity, but I wanted to make sure that I could find a place that wasn't purely caucasion. Thanks for your input, it has been a big help.
Chris- Thanks for breaking down the cities for me. When I first started this search Hot Springs was the first place I looked at. It's still a possibility.
All and all though, I think I've decided on Deadwood. It seems to be the perfect place for me to open up shop and with all the character and scenery it holds, I think it's surely a place to call home.
Again, thank you guys so much.
Also, would any of you happen to know about the real estate in that area?
Real estate around Deadwood tends to be high because there is not much space left to build which is why many people build further into Boulder Canyon and towards the prairie. I would guess that real estate in Deadwood is somewhat expensive. However, you are coming from "out east" so maybe you would find it to be cheaper. I am not sure on specifics.
I fell in love with Deadwood when I was there a year ago. My husband and I went there for our 5th year anniversary. The clubs were very welcoming--people were not cliquey and they were out to have a good time and relax. The Mickelson Trail is a trail for biking/hiking that is more than 100 miles long. We went mountain biking on this trail and had a great time!
The locals were very friendly and the landscape is gorgeous. Good luck with your move. What a difference from Indy!
My first trip to the Black Hills was in 1991 while on a 6 month road trip from New York to Alaska, and back through Mexico. After returning to Syracuse, there were about three or four places that stood out in my head, places that I would consider moving to. Of them all I chose to move to Boulder, Colorado mostly for its proximity to the mountains, sunny climate and young-spirited, outdoorsy populace. But my second choice was The Black Hills of South Dakota. I remember the hills, the forests, the crags, and the Black Hills Gold !
If I ever get tired of it here in Boulder, The Black Hills area would still be my first choice. It's beautiful, slower-paced than Colorado, still has a reasonable cost of living, populated by friendly people, and steeped in history. As for which of the towns, I guess I would just have to check them all out!
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The only thing I can think of is to let you know that So. Dak. isn't really diverse. It's mainly Caucasions and Sioux that live here. Sioux Falls in eastern So. Dak. has a bit of diversity, but I don't know of any towns in the Hills area that is like that.
