Sturgis, South Dakota
Sturgis is a city of 7,086 people in Meade County, South Dakota, founded in 1878.
Why visit Sturgis
Townapedia lists 8 museums and landmarks, 4 parks and trails, 18 places to eat, 7 places to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include Sturgis Motorcycle Museum and Black Hills National Cemetery.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 86°F; January lows average 15°F, and about 48 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Sturgis
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Sturgis
Sturgis is a city in Meade County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 7,020 as of the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Meade County and is named after Samuel D. Sturgis, a Union general during the Civil War.
From the Wikipedia article Sturgis, South Dakota (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Museums and landmarks8
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Black Hills National Cemetery
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.1 mi
Veterans cemetery in Meade County, South Dakota
Sturgis Commercial Block
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.5 mi
Historic district and architectural ensemble in Sturgis, South Dakota
Williams Middle School
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.1 mi
High school in South Dakota, United States
Saab Heritage Car Museum USA - Sturgis Car Museum
Museum · 1.2 mi
940 Dickson Drive, Sturgis
Mo-Sa 10:00-17:00; Su 12:00-16:00
Parks, trails and playgrounds4
Restaurants and cafes18
The Knuckle Brewing Co.
Bar and pub · Sandwich, Salad, Grill · 0.7 mi
6 more on the map.
History
Sturgis was founded in 1878. An early nickname for the town was "Scooptown." Scooptown had been an earlier settlement at the base of Bear Butte, that supplied the soldiers at Camp Sturgis an outlet for their vices. When it became apparent that Sturgis was going to be the city that supplied the newly formed Fort Meade, the occupants of Scooptown moved en masse to Sturgis and set up their shops. Sturgis was named in honor of the Civil War Union General Samuel D. Sturgis. In 1889, Sturgis was designated as the county seat of the newly formed Meade County.
As part of the vast Ellsworth Air Force Base complex, the land north of Sturgis was dotted with 50 Minuteman missile silos. Minuteman missile silo L-5 is located 3.5 miles (5.6 km) from the center of the town.
Towards the end of the summer of 2015, the Full Throttle Saloon, described as the world's largest biker bar and the subject of the reality television series Full Throttle Saloon, burned down, but was rebuilt on 600 acres in nearby Vale near Bear Butte.
From the History section of Sturgis, South Dakota on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay7
Days Inn by Wyndham Sturgis
Motel and hotel · 1.8 mi
2630 Lazelle Street, Sturgis
Churches and places of worship5
St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church
Church · Roman Catholic · 0.6 mi
1049 Howard Street, Sturgis
Shopping4
Gas and EV charging5
Schools, colleges and libraries11
Healthcare3
Map of Sturgis
66 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 38°F | 15°F | 0.5 in | 5.3 in |
| Feb | 39°F | 16°F | 0.7 in | 8.3 in |
| Mar | 49°F | 25°F | 1.2 in | 8.4 in |
| Apr | 58°F | 34°F | 2.5 in | 7.9 in |
| May | 67°F | 44°F | 4.4 in | 1.4 in |
| Jun | 78°F | 53°F | 3.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 86°F | 60°F | 2.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 86°F | 58°F | 1.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 77°F | 49°F | 1.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 61°F | 36°F | 1.9 in | 2.8 in |
| Nov | 48°F | 25°F | 0.8 in | 5.3 in |
| Dec | 39°F | 17°F | 0.5 in | 8.2 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Ft Meade (1 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Meade County has had 13 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2020-04-05: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2019-10-07: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2019-09-23: Severe Storms And Flooding (Flood)
- 2017-02-01: Severe Winter Storm (Severe Storm)
- 2013-11-08: Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Clyde Ice Field (SPF) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 15 miles away.
- Deadwood 11 mi west, about 18 min by car
- Lead 14 mi west, about 22 min by car
- Spearfish 17 mi west, about 27 min by car
- North Spearfish 21 mi west, about 34 min by car
- Belle Fourche 25 mi northwest, about 40 min by car
- Rapid City 27 mi southeast, about 44 min by car
- Box Elder 29 mi southeast, about 47 min by car
- Colonial Pine Hills 29 mi south, about 47 min by car
- Rapid Valley 30 mi southeast, about 49 min by car
- Custer 45 mi south, about 1 h 15 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Sturgis, South Dakota (2014), Jerry Huddleston from Hampton, Minnesota, US, CC BY 2.0
- Sturgis High School, Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sturgis Commercial Block, Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 4.0
- CaskeySturgis, FreshlySnipe5, CC BY-SA 4.0
- The Knuckle Saloon - Bar in Sturgis - South Dakota - Budweiser (52202526062), Tony Webster, CC BY 2.0
- The Hotel Sturgis - Sturgis - South Dakota, Tony Webster, CC BY 2.0
- Sturgis - Harley Davidson Rally Point and Stage, Tony Webster, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Sturgis - South Dakota, Tony Webster, CC BY 2.0
- Black Hills National Cemetery 3 small, Dave Golterman, CC BY-SA 3.0
- John G. Wenke House, Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 4.0
- John and Elsie McMillan House, Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Lar-april16, Larmanager, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Earth Team Volunteer Recognized (8735337335), USDA NRCS South Dakota, Public domain
- ISS047-E-96684 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS028-E-29398 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS052-E-36300 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS047-E-96681 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS047-E-96680 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS047-E-96679 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS022-E-60949 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS047-E-96682 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS047-E-96683 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- Stephen and Maria Graf House, Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 4.0
- The Erskine School, Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2012 South Dakota Youth Range Camp (7883145628), USDA NRCS South Dakota, Public domain
- 2012 South Dakota Youth Range Camp (7883141116), USDA NRCS South Dakota, Public domain
- 2012 South Dakota Youth Range Camp (7883142228), USDA NRCS South Dakota, Public domain
- 2012 South Dakota Youth Range Camp (7883144480), USDA NRCS South Dakota, Public domain
- 2012 South Dakota Youth Range Camp (7883143126), USDA NRCS South Dakota, Public domain
- 2012 South Dakota Youth Range Camp (7883142868), USDA NRCS South Dakota, Public domain
- 2012 South Dakota Youth Range Camp (7883145056), USDA NRCS South Dakota, Public domain
- 2012 South Dakota Youth Range Camp (7883140424), USDA NRCS South Dakota, Public domain
- 2012 South Dakota Youth Range Camp (7883143402), USDA NRCS South Dakota, Public domain
- 2012 South Dakota Youth Range Camp (7883140746), USDA NRCS South Dakota, Public domain
- 2012 South Dakota Youth Range Camp (7883144788), USDA NRCS South Dakota, Public domain
- 2012 South Dakota Youth Range Camp (7883140152), USDA NRCS South Dakota, Public domain
- 2012 South Dakota Youth Range Camp (7883143656), USDA NRCS South Dakota, Public domain
- 2012 South Dakota Youth Range Camp (7883144266), USDA NRCS South Dakota, Public domain
- 2012 South Dakota Youth Range Camp (7883139856), USDA NRCS South Dakota, Public domain
- 2012 South Dakota Youth Range Camp (7883143950), USDA NRCS South Dakota, Public domain
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