Find your path in…Lemmon, South Dakota
Lemmon is a lively and safe community in South Dakota, with a population of about 1200 people. Embedded in Perkins County, Lemmon is full of career opportunities, plenty of recreation areas and activities to be found; Lemmon is a growing town. Founded by George Ed Lemmon in 1907, the community and surrounding areas are steeped in Western history, from the Native American's times on the plains to the settlers and cowboys that grazed their cattle here.
Dining
Tour Information
THINGS TO DO AND SEE
- LOCAL PARKS AND PLAYGROUNDS
- LEMMON PUBLIC COUNTRY CLUB
- LEMMON TRAP AND SKEET RANGE
- LEMMON SWIMMING POOL (SEASONAL)
- LEMMON PETRIFIED WOOD PARK AND MUSEUM
- GRAND RIVER MUSEUM
- THE "BOSS COWMAN" SQUARE
- LEMMON REC BOWLING ALLEY
- PALACE MOVIE THEATER
- SHADE HILL RESERVOIR
- MERRIMAN’S GROVE
- THE GRAND RIVER AND CEDAR RIVER NATIONAL GRASSLANDS
- CUSTER NATIONAL FOREST
- BLACKTAIL TRAIL
- LEMMON ICE SKATING RINK
History
George Edward Lemmon was born at Bountiful, Utah, May 23rd 1857. He moved to Nebraska in 1866 with his parents and at the age of 13 he began the work which made up his career during a large portion of his life.
Nearly 75 years of activity on the cattle ranges of the western Great Plains from the Canadian border to Texas, the founding of this thriving city, many business enterprises and the creation and successful operation of far-flung ranch empires were crowed into his long colorful career.In the late 1870’s he came to the Black Hills, from there going to the northwestern section of South Dakota with his cattle outfits.
More can be learned of George Lemmon and his friendship with Theodore Roosevelt as well the town's early history at the Grand River Museum.
GEORGE LEMMON CIRCA EARLY 1900S
In the year 1902 he settled on the L-7 ranch, which was located near the present site of Lemmon. During that time land was plentiful and the L-7 leased 865,000 acres of land on the Standing Rock Reservation and enclosed it with standard three-wire fence, making it the largest fenced pasture in the world at the time.
THE OLD LEMMON SCHOOL HOUSE
Several years later Lemmon sold his interest in L-7, moving with the homesteaders to settle a new town after the Milwaukee Railroad had crossed the Missouri and moved westward.
On May 16, 1906 the land embraced in what is now the Original Town site of Lemmon, was scripted by Mr. Lemmon with “Santa Fe Railroad scrip” and this land was later conveyed to the Northwest Town Site Co., and by them platted in September 1907, and it was during the same time that “Tent Town”, or the beginning of this city, sprung up.
THE DEPOT CIRCA 1920
Due to the fact that Lemmon, also having in mind the route for the Milwaukee railroad from Missouri River to Lemmon when the company decided to build west, it was recommended by the vice president of the railroad that the proposed city be called “Lemmon”.
“Dad” Lemmon was one of the few remaining Texas trail drivers who made the delivery of herds from Texas to northern maturing ranges, these herds laying the foundation of the cattle industry in western South Dakota. His range life covers experiences in Wyoming, Nebraska, the Dakotas, Montana and Texas.
MAIN STREET
In 1958, Ed Lemmon was inducted into the National Cowboy Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. It honors leading figures of the early west including former President Theodore Roosevelt, Will Rogers, “Buffalo Bill” Cody and other who have answered the “Last Roundup”.