Hosmer is a city in Edmunds County

Edmunds County, South Dakota

As of the census of 2000, there were 4,367 people, 1,681 households, and 1,210 families residing in the county. The population density was 4 people per square mile . There were 2,022 housing units at an average density of 2 per square mile...

, South Dakota

South Dakota

South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...

, United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. The population was 208 at the 2010 census.

Hosmer was founded by Russian citizens of German descent. They settled shortly after the townsite of Hosmer was platted by a surveyor for the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Railroad. The official date of platting was April 29, 1887. Hosmer is well known for its Germans from Russia peoples. Hosmer has traditionally been a farming community.

The name for the town of Hosmer came from a railroad agent's wife's maiden name, Stella A. Hosmer.http://odessa3.org/collections/towns/link/hosmer87.txt

Geography

Hosmer is located at 45.577178°N 99.473964°W.

According to the United States Census Bureau

United States Census Bureau

The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...

, the city has a total area of 1 square miles (2.6 km²), all of it land.

Hosmer has been assigned the ZIP code

ZIP Code

ZIP codes are a system of postal codes used by the United States Postal Service since 1963. The term ZIP, an acronym for Zone Improvement Plan, is properly written in capital letters and was chosen to suggest that the mail travels more efficiently, and therefore more quickly, when senders use the...

 57448 and the FIPS place code 30140.

According to Mapquest.com, Hosmer is roughly 60 miles from the nearest Wal-Mart, located in Aberdeen, South Dakota.

Demographics

As of the census

Census

A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...

of 2000, there were 287 people, 115 households, and 67 families residing in the city. The population density

Population density

Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...

 was 288.2 people per square mile (110.8/km²). There were 162 housing units at an average density of 162.7 per square mile (62.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 98.95% White, 0.35% Asian, and 0.70% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.39% of the population.

There were 115 households out of which 23.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.7% were married couples

Marriage

Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...

 living together, 8.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.7% were non-families. 37.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 24.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.20 and the average family size was 2.96.

In the city the population was spread out with 22.0% under the age of 18, 3.5% from 18 to 24, 17.8% from 25 to 44, 19.5% from 45 to 64, and 37.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 50 years. For every 100 females there were 75.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 75.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $26,667, and the median income for a family was $37,813. Males had a median income of $23,438 versus $15,781 for females. The per capita income

Per capita income

Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...

 for the city was $13,952. None of the families and 8.3% of the population were living below the poverty line, including no under eighteens and 19.0% of those over 64.

Main Street

Hosmer Main Street is home of the Hosmer Clinic, Hosmer City Hall, the Veterinary Clinic, the City Liquor Store, a US Post Office, the Dakota Café, the Hosmer Noodle Factory, L and M Wrecking, Jan Anderson’s Shop, Ron’s Machine, Treichel Insurance, the Hosmer Civic Center, the VFW, Martha’s Store, Isaac’s Building, Farmers State Bank, the DC Station, Malsam Carpentry, and the Catholic Church.

Government

The mayor of Hosmer is currently Mike Schwingler. The Finance Officer is currently Ron Imberri. City maintenance is currently headed by Pete Eisenbeisz.

Dining

There is one café and two bars in Hosmer where one can find something to eat, all of which are located on Main Street. The Dakota Café is owned by the city, but is rented to individuals for management. Although the Dakota Café has gone through quite a few managers throughout its history, it has continually maintained a place for locals and passers-by to congregate and enjoy a good menu for breakfast, dinners, and suppers. The Hosmer City Liquor Store serves on and off sale liquor as well as appetizers and menu items. The liquor store is owned and operated by the city of Hosmer. Steak frys, featuring Heier's steaks and from-scratch homemade noodle salad, are held most every Monday night throughout the winter months, and are open to all. The City Liquor Store is also known for their excellent Bloody Marys. The VFW serves on and off-sale liquor as well as appetizers, and also holds displays of local heroes and Hosmer history alike.

Germans from Russia Foods

Several food items are sold throughout the state of South Dakota that are derivative of the Hosmer people’s heritage. Three main staples of Hosmer’s Germans from Russia heritage are Kuchen, German Style Noodles, and German Style Sausage. Kuchen, pronounced coo-gan, is made locally by Judy Weishaar, proprietor of Judy’s Salon, and sold at Heier’s Grocery in Hosmer. The Kuchen made in Hosmer is most similar to the description of Käsekuchen. German Style Noodles are made at the Hosmer Noodle Factory, located on Main Street Hosmer, and have been enjoyed from as far away as South America in a Sunday Soup made there. German Style Sausage is made at Heier’s Meat Market, operated by Heier brothers, and sold throughout the state. Even though many Hosmer locals make their own sausages and take pride in it, Heier’s sausage is still revered by most.

Schools

Hosmer was home to the Hosmer Tigers until the end of the 1990-1991 school year, when they combined with the Roscoe Hornets of Roscoe, South Dakota, to make Edmunds Central, home of the Raiders. The Hosmer school was then used for some of the Edmunds Central elementary classes. The school in Hosmer is now closed. Due to the states open enrollment policy, parents may choose to send their children where they wish, although most primary and secondary students living in the Hosmer school district have continued attending Edmunds Central in Roscoe. Go Raiders and HEC Mustangs!

Economic troubles

Hosmer can be considered a farming community, and as the case for most farming communities, they have seen a decline in population. As farms grow larger, populations of farming communities grow smaller. The decline in population is hard on all of Hosmer's businesses. Hosmer’s largest single employer, the Hosmer Nursing Home, has endured years of tough times. The Hosmer Nursing Home suffers from a low resident attendance and a low employee salary, even though it offers a better than quality treatment of its residents. The outstanding care of the residents can be attributed to the dedication and hard work of the employees, as well as to the individual attention given in mind to all resident well being.