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Vanished South Dakota: Dewey

Dewey

Dewey, population 10, is located in the southwest corner of Custer County, just 1 mile from the Wyoming border. Dewey was originally named "S 7G' for its counders, Sturgis and Godell, but in 1890 the town was officially renamed Dewey. Once a thriving "cow town", ranchers from far and wide would bring their livestock to Dewey where they would be shipped out on the railroad that run through town. A notch in the high ridge above town would guide cowboys as they herded their stock to market, giving them a landmark to aim for. Today, the old church, school, post office and general store still stand and a few families remain. The train still passes through several times a day, but the streets are quiet. We very much appreciated the time folks took to share with us the story of Dewey!

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