Welcome to Custer City!
The best the Southern Black Hills has to offer!

Whether you are here for a visit or intend to make this  your permanent residence,
we are glad you discovered one of the region's best-kept secrets.

If you have chosen Custer City as a vacation destination, you have 
picked an ideal headquarters for your Southern Black Hills adventure.

Custer City has been greeting guests for more than 125 years. Custer City is the oldest city in the Black Hills.
We have gotten so good at greeting our guests, that many of them decided to stay.


So take time to roam our downtown main streets & listen to some music while you browse. Stop in our beautiful gift shops and galleries, sample our outstanding cuisine at our wonderful restaurants and enjoy our excellent attractions
and natural beauty.  Take a stroll through our parks, relax and enjoy the experience Custer City has to offer.

We are positive your adventure to Custer City will be one you will never forget.
 

South Dakota Facts

Have you ever wondered what South Dakota's
official state gemstone, animal or insect are?

Population:

754,844

State Animal:

Coyote

State Tree:

Black Hills spruce

Highest Point:

Harney Peak, 7,242 feet

State Bird:

Chinese ring-necked pheasant

State Mineral:

Rose quartz

State Capital:

Pierre

State Fish:

Walleye

State Gemstone:

Fairburn agate

State Nickname:

The Mount Rushmore State

State Insect:

Honey bee

State Fossil:

Triceratops

Statehood:

1889

State Flower:

Pasque

State Soil:

Houdek
 

State Dessert:

Kuchen

State Sport:

Rodeo

 

Download

2008 Relocation Directory.pdf

 

Read the latest happenings in
Custer City

 

Custer 2007 community profile.pdf

 

Google
Map of Custer, SD

 

 
 

 

2006-2007 Community Profile

County Seat: Custer City (established 1875) Oldest City in the Black Hills

Elevation: 5,318 Feet

Climate: High Low

Average Temp: 57.8 F 28.9 F

Average summer temperature: 63.1 degrees

Average winter temperature: 29.0 degrees

Average Coldest Month: 36.2 F 9.9 F (January)

Average Warmest Month: 81.6 F 50.6 F (July)

Average Precipitation: 20.27"

Average Growing Season: May - September

 

Population

Year       Community       County       State

     1980         1,830                6,000          690,768

     1990         1,741               6,179          696,004

     2000         1,860                7,275          754,844

     2006         1,872                8,676          760,592

 

Labor Force
  
Custer County  

Labor Force:  4,110
Employed: 3,910
Unemployed: 200
Rate: 4.8%

 

Wages for select occupations

Assemblers & Fabricators, Hand:     $10.74
Bookkeeping & Accounting:    $11.37
Insurance Claims:    $19.95
Shipping & Receiving:    $11.50
Computer Support Specialists:    $15.58
Laborers:    $9.03
Painters:    $11.38
Packaging & Filling:    $11.24
Machinists:    $13.81
Welders & Cutters:    $13.51

 

Major Employers

Black Hills National Forest:  (US Forest Service)  350
Custer School District: (Education)   165
South Dakota Star Academy: (Center for Adjudicated Youth)   136
Custer County:   (Government Service) 90
Crazy Horse Memorial:  (Attraction) 84
Custer Regional Hospital:  (Health Care, Clinic)  80
Custer Regional Senior Care:  (Elderly Care)  80
Lynn's Dakotamart:  (Grocery)  33
Custer State Park:  (Park)  31

SD Career Center - www.sdjobs.org
Custer County Chronicle - www.custercountynews.com
Career Learning Center - www.careerlearningcenter-blackhills.org 
 

Tax Structure

City Mill Levy Tax:  Owner occupied 20.395 per 1,000
% of Full Value Assessed: 85%
Effective Tax Rate: 2.6%


Education

Custer School District - (605) 673-4473
Pupil: Teacher Ratio 12:1
www.csd.k12.sd.us
 

Elementary: 1 school, enrollment 305
Middle School: 1 school, enrollment 163
Sr. High School: 1 school, enrollment 279
Hermosa: 1 school, enrollment 143

Local or nearest Technical Institute
Name: Western Dakota Technical Institute  (605) 394-4034
Location: Rapid City, SD
Enrollment: 821

Local or nearest Colleges/Universities
Name: South Dakota School of Mines & Technology (605) 394-2511
Location: Rapid City, SD
Enrollment: 2,218

Name: National American University (605) 394-4827
Location: Rapid City, SD
Enrollment: 952

Name: Black Hills State University  (605) 923-5893
Location: Spearfish, SD
Enrollment: 2,866

 

Utilities

Black Hills Power & Light - (605) 673-4455
Black Hills Electric Co-op - (605) 673-4461

Telecommunications

Golden West Telecommunications (605) 745-3103

Water

Supplier: City of Custer (605) 673-4824
Source: Well
System Capacity: 0.55 mgd
Present Usage: 0.15 winter; 0.4 summer

Wastewater

Local Supplier: City of Custer (605)673-4824
Type of treatment: Lagoon-primary
System Capacity: 0.5 mgd
Present Usage: 278,000 gpd

Transportation

Major Highways: US 16A, 16, 3

85 & SD 89 & 87
Motor Carriers: 61
Distance to nearest rail service: 41 miles
Air Service:
Commercial Airport - Custer City
Commercial Airport - Rapid City

Fuel Facts from SD state

 

Commercial/Industrial Services

Machine Shops: 3
Distance to nearest tool and die service: Custer City
Nearest Motor Repair Shop: Custer City
Newspaper: 1 weekly -
 www.custercountynews.com
Motels/Hotels/Cabins/Resorts: 50
Cable TV: 19 channels

Municipal Services

Type of Local Government: Mayor & City Council
Police Force: 14
Fire Department Personnel: 33 Volunteers
Fire Insurance Rating: Class 6
City Zoning Ordinance: Yes
County Zoning Ordinance: No
Percentage of Paved Streets: 85%
Ambulance Service: 18 volunteers

Housing

Average monthly rent for 2 bedroom house: $450-$600
Average monthly rent for 2 bedroom apartment: $450
Average cost of homes (purchase price): $110,000.00
 

Health Facilities

Hospitals: 1  www.sdnafvsa.com
Clinics: 1 www.regionalmedicalclinic.com
 

Custer Senior Center
http://www.custersencntr.org/
 

Culture & Recreation

Golf course
Tennis/ball court
Fishing/boating
Gold panning
Mountain biking
Parks/picnic sites
Hiking trails
Horseshoe courts
Rock climbing
Spelunking
Paddle Boating
Swimming
Balloon rides
Helicopter rides
Hunting/fishing
Volleyball courts
YMCA
Lost Sock - Video Rentals
 

Emergency Numbers

South Dakota Highway Patrol - (605) 673-5677 www.hp.state.sd.us/back/082303.htm
Sheriff - (605) 673-8146  www.custercountysd.com/Sheriff
Emergency Management (605) 673-8128  www.custercountysd.com/Sheriff
Road Report - 511 www.sddot.com
Poison Control Center - (800) 222-1222 www.aapcc.org/states/sd.htm 
Family Violence Hotline - (800) 430-SAFE www.sdnafvsa.com
South Dakota Relay Service - (800) 877-1113  www.relaysouthdakota.com

 

 

History of Custer city

In 1874, Custer followed by a thousand regulars of the 7th Cavalry entered the Black Hills. The General wrote busily on a flowery report - "this valley presents a most wonderful and beautiful aspect, the like of which has never been seen." Just then a prospector entered the tent and spilled yellow dust under the commander's eyes. GOLD! Custer wrote more busily than ever. A few weeks later the paper blazed with headlines about the new El Dorado. Custer ordered the camp struck, pleased with the success of his adventure. He did not dream that pinch of of yellow sand had started a train of events which would leave him dead by the Little Big Horn River in Montana.

In 1875 Custer supported a population of approximately 10 thousand people. The people decided to incorporated to give the town a name. They had a vote to decide the name and two names that were chosen were Stonewall (a famous Confederate General) or Custer for the famous Union general. Because more Union vets inhabited to Custer than Confederate the name Custer was chosen.

Lieutenant colonel
George A. Custer

1839-1876

Custer died June 25th, 1876 at the Battle of the Little Bighorn near Hardin Montana.
Custer is buried at West Point Military Academy in New York
 

 

Custer School District -   Home of the Wildcats 
 www.csd.k12.sd.us

Administration: 605-673-3154
Custer High School: 605-673-4473
Custer Middle School: 605-673-4540
Custer Elementary School: 605-673-4483
Custer Preschool: 605-673-3515

4 public elementary schools, 1 public middle school, 1 public senior high school, and 1 alternative classroom
average classroom size; elementary 20-24, secondary 22-24
 

Community Education of the Black Hills
Adult Education Class Program
www.clccommed.org
Office 605-394-5120 * Fax 605-394-6083
Community Education of the Black Hills is an Adult Education Program promoting lifelong learning, featuring classes in language, arts, computers, finances, cooking, history and more.
 

Custer City Hall
622 Crook Street, Custer SD 57730  605-673-4824
www.custer.govoffice.com  

Custer County Government  
420 Mt. Rushmore Road, Custer SD 57730    605-673-8100  877-624-4090
www.custercountysd.com

Custer YMCA
644 Crook St, Custer, SD 57730    605-673-5134
ymca@gwtc.net

Custer YMCA Child Development Center
1213 Blue Bell Lane, Custer SD 57730     605-673-2222
ymcachildcare@gwtc.net
Serving our community's child care needs for children ages 6 months thru the 8th grade.

Government Offices

SD Army National Guard
344 North 5th Street, Custer, SD 57730     605-673-4173  Fax 605-673-2614

Rapid City Journal
PO Box 450, Rapid City, SD 57709        605-394-8300    605-394-8447 Fax 605-394-8462
www.rapidcityjournal.com   summer.wagner@rapidcityjournal.com
 



Community Services

Custer City Community Churches

Berean Bible Church,  6th & Harney, Custer, SD 57730  605-673-4074
Worship 9:15 am, Evening Worship 6:30 pm

Bible Believers Baptist ChurchAviation Way (3rd bldg on right), Custer SD 57730 605-673-2498
Sunday
Services 10:45 am & 6:00 pm

Custer Community Church/United Church of Christ, 6th & Harney, Custer SD 57730  605-673-4350
Sunday Worship 10:30 am

Custer Lutheran Fellowship ELCA, 3 miles east on Hwy 16A, Custer SD 57730  605-673-4691
Sunday Worship 8:30 am & 11 11:00 am

Custer Wesleyan Church, 10th & Harney, Custer SD 57730  605-673-5168 or  Fax 605-673-6003
The Custer Wesleyan Church is a part of the Wesleyan denomination worldwide, an evangelical holiness church. We
meet every Sunday morning at 10 am for worship.

cuswes@gwtc.net

First Baptist Church, 9th & Gordon, Custer SD 57730  605-673-2431
Sunday Morning Service 9:00 am, 10:30 am - Evening Service 6:00 pm

Liberty Baptist Church-conservative, 25129 Harbach Lane, Custer SD 57730  605-673-2863
Sunday Worship 10:00 am

Living Outreach Church - non-denominational, 34 North 8th, Custer SD 57730  605-673-3926
www.livingoutreachchurch.org
Sunday Worship 9:30 am

Our Redeemer Lutheran LCMS, 8th & Harney, Custer SD 57730  605-673-4361
Worship Service 9:00 am

United Methodist Church, Pringle, SD 57773  605-672-7716
Sunday Worship Service  9:00 am

Seventh Day Adventist, 641 Montgomery, Custer SD 57730  605-673-5669  605-673-3940 (message)

Shepherd of the Hills Wisconsin ELS,. North on Hwy 385, Custer SD 57730  605-673-3733  605-673-5070
Worship Services 10:30 am

Southern Hills Church of Christ, Hwy 385 at Church Street, Custer SD 57730  605-673-3715

St. John's Catholic Church, 449 Harney, Custer SD 57730  605-673-4426
Mass schedule: Sundays 8:00 am  - Saturday 5:30 pm
 


Custer City Clubs and Organizations

Custer All -Drug, Inc, 38 Mt Rushmore Rd or PO Box 726, Custer, SD 57730  605-673-3799 Fax 605-673-3615
Non- Profit Drug & Alcohol Awareness

Custer Area Arts Council, 25255 Stagg Rd, Custer SD 57730
Meets first Monday of the month, 5:30 pm at the Custer County 1881 Courthouse Museum.

Custer Community Coalition on Aging, 161 Boot Hill Dr, Custer SD 57730

Custer County Housing & Redevelopment, 622 Crook St, Ste #1, Custer SD 57730 605-673-5548    Fax 605-673-3992
custerhousing@goldenwest.net  
Providing Custer County with affordable housing options.

Custer Lions Club, 12123 Silver Star Dr, Custer SD 57730 605-673-4972
 tomkat@gwtc.net
Meets second and fourth Thursday of the month at noon at the Custer Senior Center.

Custer Senior Citizen's Center, 538 Mt. Rushmore Rd, Custer SD 57730  605-673-2708
 www.custersencntr.org       cussndr@gwtc.net
Provides activities to fulfill physical, nutritional and social needs of people 50 and older.  Health screenings, bus trips, entertainment, classes, meals, etc.  New members and visitors welcome.

Girl Scouts of the Black Hills Council
, PO Box 1846, Rapid City SD 57709  605-343-6355

www.girlscouts-blackhills.org   mammann@girlscouts-blackhills.org
Girl Scouts is an all-girl organization for girls ages 5-17 (grades K-12). It began in the United States in 1912, founded by Juliette Gordon Low.  She believed girls could do anything.  Today, there are four goals: become, belong, believe, build.

VFW Post 3442, 721 Mt. Rushmore Rd, Custer SD 57730  605-673-4262
www.vfwpost3442.org 
Restaurant and lounge.  VFW and VFW Auxiliary meet third Thursday at 7 pm.

YMCA of Custer, 644 Crook St, Custer SD 57730  605-673-5134
ymca@gwtc.net
Putting Christian principles into practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind and body for all.

Zonta Club of the Southern Black Hills, PO Box 28, Custer SD 57730
Business women's organization.  Meets 2nd & 4th Tuesdays at noon at the Senior Center.


Custer Area Chamber of Commerce, PO Box 5018, Custer, SD 57730
605-673-2244 or 800-992-9818

www.myspace.com/custerchamber