Map of Wessington city

Wessington is a city on the border between Beadle and Hand counties in South Dakota, United States. The population was 197 at the 2020 census.

The community hosts its annual Fun Days celebration each July.

Wessington city overview:
Name:	Wessington city
LSAD Code:	25
LSAD Description:	city (suffix)
State:	South Dakota
County:	Beadle County, Hand County
Incorporated:	1915
Elevation:	1,417 ft (432 m)
Total Area:	0.38 sq mi (0.98 km²)
Land Area:	0.38 sq mi (0.98 km²)
Water Area:	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km²)
Total Population:	197
Population Density:	521.16/sq mi (201.35/km²)
ZIP code:	57381
Area code:	605
FIPS code:	4670140
GNISfeature ID:	1267671

Online Interactive Map

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

Wessington location map. Where is Wessington city?

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

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

History

A post office has been in operation in Wessington since 1882. The city took its name from the nearby Wessington Hills.

The early growth of Wessington began because it was a transshipment point for locally produced grains because of the railroad (C. & N.W. Ry. Co.). This allowed local producers lower shipping costs compared to villages further from railroads, encouraging the location of other businesses in the town. Wessington originally was located in Beadle County, and the cohesiveness the community soon led to growth into neighboring Hand County.

In 1918 there was a flourishing natural ice business that provisioned refrigerated freight cars. The cattle industry in the area has increased the market quality of the nation’s cattle through improvements in herd management and adaptations to changing consumer demands. Many producers have received national recognition throughout the years.