Map of Spencer city, South Dakota

Spencer is a city in McCook County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 136 at the 2020 census. The city was almost destroyed by a violent F4 tornado on May 30, 1998 which killed six people.

Spencer city overview:
Name:	Spencer city
LSAD Code:	25
LSAD Description:	city (suffix)
State:	South Dakota
County:	McCook County
Incorporated:	1917
Elevation:	1,385 ft (422 m)
Total Area:	0.27 sq mi (0.69 km²)
Land Area:	0.27 sq mi (0.69 km²)
Water Area:	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km²)
Total Population:	136
Population Density:	507.46/sq mi (195.83/km²)
ZIP code:	57374
Area code:	605
FIPS code:	4660060
GNISfeature ID:	1258228

Online Interactive Map

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Spencer online map. Source: Basemap layers from Google Map, Open Street Map (OSM), Arcgisonline, Wmflabs. Boundary Data from Database of Global Administrative Areas.

Spencer location map. Where is Spencer city?

Spencer location on the U.S. Map. Where is Spencer city. — Spencer location on the U.S. Map.

Spencer location on the South Dakota map. Where is Spencer city. — Location of Spencer in South Dakota.

History

Spencer was laid out in 1887 when the railroad was extended to that point. The city was named for H. Spencer, a railroad official. A post office has been in operation in Spencer since 1887. Spencer was officially incorporated in 1917.

1998 tornado

On May 30, 1998, the most destructive and second deadliest tornado in South Dakota history struck Spencer. It began as a large, dust-cloaked tornado northwest of Farmer in Hanson County, concurrent with the demise of the “Fulton” tornado. Continuing toward the east-southeast, it struck several farmsteads before crossing the Hanson/McCook County line a half mile west-northwest of Spencer. At this time, the tornado was being observed by the OU Doppler on Wheels crew, whose mobile Doppler radar data showed up to 264 mph winds in the tornado a few tens of meters above ground level. The population of the town diminished soon after to less than half of what it was previous to the tornado, from 315 to 145 in April 1999, and has since hovered around that mark.