Platte, South Dakota facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Platte, South Dakota
City
Main Street in Platte, February 2016
Location in Charles Mix County and the state of South Dakota
Country	United States
State	South Dakota
County	Charles Mix
Incorporated	1907
Area
• Total	1.05 sq mi (2.73 km2)
• Land	1.05 sq mi (2.73 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation	1,601 ft (488 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	1,296
• Density	1,194.68/sq mi (461.45/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
ZIP code	57369
Area code(s)	605
FIPS code	46-50260
GNIS feature ID	1265682
Website	http://www.plattesd.org/

Platte is a city in Charles Mix County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 1,296 at the 2020 census. The community is named after the Platte Creek, a tributary of the Missouri River reservoir Lake Francis Case. Platte is located 15 miles east of the lake. Ken VanZee is the mayor of Platte.

History

Lewis and Clark were told to watch for ‘burning bluffs’ in the area. Settlement began in the early 1880s. A fur trader named Bernard Pratte once lived at the mouth of what was then known as the ‘Fish Creek’. Pratte’s last name was mistakenly transcribed as Platte on an early map of the creek and the spelling error stuck. The town that would become Platte was named after the creek.

For 12 years, Charles Mix County was the only county in the state of South Dakota without a railroad. Platte originated in the summer of 1900 after it was selected as the terminus for a Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. Paul railroad branch line from Yankton. The railroad arrived in October and buildings were moved from the nearby settlements of Castalia, Old Platte, and Edgerton. The Platte Enterprise newspaper was founded in 1900 and is still published today.

The Great Depression and drought of the 1930s led to unemployment and out-migration in the area. A dam was constructed on the Platte Creek during this time. The area became a place for picnics and recreation. In 1956, the Fort Randall Dam was completed creating Lake Francis Case. In 1966, the Platte-Winner Bridge was completed over the lake giving travelers a new route to and from the Black Hills.

Geography

Platte is located at 43°23′11″N 98°50′34″W / 43.38639°N 98.84278°W / 43.38639; -98.84278 (43.386321, -98.842736).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.02 square miles (2.64 km²), all land.

The community is at the junction of Routes 44 and 45.

Climate

This climatic region is typified by large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and cold (sometimes severely cold) winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Platte has a humid continental climate, abbreviated "Dfa" on climate maps.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 1,230 people, 548 households, and 337 families living in the city. The population density was 1,205.9 inhabitants per square mile (465.6/km²). There were 625 housing units at an average density of 612.7 per square mile (236.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 98.5% White, 0.6% Native American, and 0.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.1% of the population.

There were 548 households, of which 23.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.6% were married couples living together, 3.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 1.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 38.5% were non-families. 35.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.16 and the average family size was 2.80.

The median age in the city was 48.6 years. 20.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 19% were from 25 to 44; 25.9% were from 45 to 64; and 28.4% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.4% male and 51.6% female.

See also

In Spanish: Platte (Dakota del Sur) para niños