8 South Dakota Towns With Unforgettable Main Streets

Bumper-to-bumper traffic, digital billboards, and skyscrapers are not the only memorable parts of main streets. In small-town South Dakota, roads are unforgettable because they are uncongested (except during a certain motorcycle rally), plus they host breathtaking historic buildings, enduring mom and pop shops, Wild West reenactments, and surreal sculptures of surrounding wildlife. See which small South Dakota settlements have such spectacular streets, and drive those routes rather than the big city roads more traveled.

Deadwood

Ironically, Deadwood's Main Street is one of the liveliest in the state. This is thanks to preservation and tourism efforts that keep this Wild West town looking—and acting—much like it did in the late 1800s. Sure, you probably will not see real gunfights while walking between saloons (including the site where Wild Bill Hickok was killed), but you can see reenactments of everything from Hickok's assassination to the trial of Hickok's assassin to various historic shootouts. These often free performances come courtesy of Deadwood Alive, an acting troupe that also offers guided tours and entertains even more spectators during Wild Bill Days, a Main Street festival that runs each June. If you prefer a calmer Main Street Deadwood experience, visit during the off-season and take the Historic Main Street Urban Trail.

Spearfish

Located in the Black Hills, Spearfish is often a springboard for outside exploration. But inside Spearfish is a Main Street equally worth exploring. Centering the Spearfish Historic Commercial District, which has a spot on the National Register of Historic Places, Main Street is lined with stunning turn-of-the-century structures like the c.1906-built American National Bank Building (current Back Porch and B&B Lounge), c.1899-built John Wolzmuth Building (current Nonna's Kitchen), and c.1908-built Plank/Ashley Building (current Good Earth Natural Foods). But Main Street's mainstay is The Matthews Opera House & Arts Center, which was completed in circa 1906 and currently hosts concerts, plays, films, galleries, and even festivals.

Vermillion

Like Spearfish, Vermillion has marvelous Main Street-lined buildings within a district recognized by the National Register of Historic Places. It is called the Downtown Vermillion Historic District and contains such spectacles as the Dakota Brick House (c. 1880) at 15 West Main and the Coyote Twin Theatre (c. 1930) at 10 East Main. However, unlike Spearfish, Vermillion has other streets that can credibly compete as the "main" street. They include North Dakota Street and Cherry Street, which frame the University of South Dakota campus. Stay at the Main Street Inn, a fraternity house repurposed as a bed & breakfast, while touring Vermillion's multiple main drags.

Wall

Despite being a hole-in-the-wall South Dakota town, Wall boasts one of the most famous Main Streets in America. That is thanks to Wall Drug, once a small drug store offering free ice water and now a 76,000ish-square-foot tourist complex overshadowing the rest of town. Wall Drug still has a pharmacy and serves free ice water, but it also has a restaurant (with 5-cent coffee), art gallery, jewelry store, bookstore, clothing store, shoe store, museum, arcade, and even an 80-foot dinosaur sculpture. Yet, despite its dominance, Wall Drug does not span all of Main Street Wall. Independent attractions include the Badlands Saloon & Grille, which sits across the street, and the National Grasslands Visitor Center, which sits a block south.

Mitchell

Mitchell's Main Street mainstay is even cornier than Wall's. At 604 North Main stands "The World’s Only Corn Palace," a corn-covered, 40,000ish-square-foot arena that draws roughly 500,000 annual visitors. Besides dances, stage shows, fairs, banquets, graduations, and renowned basketball tournaments, it hosts the Corn Palace Festival, which spills into Main Street each August. While the palace and its events are clearly the golden attractions, Main Street Mitchell claims more than 100 unique shops, many of which occupy stately, historic buildings. Among them are The Vault Clothing Co. at 217 North Main and Ed's Pet World at 206 North Main.

Sturgis

What makes Main Street Sturgis unforgettable is not necessarily its commerce or architecture, but its clientele—especially in August. Starting on the first Friday of that month, Sturgis's sleepy strip rumbles with hundreds of thousands of bikers for the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. The rally lasts 10 days, generates nearly $1 billion per annum, and increases the city's population by seventyfold. Even if you do not visit Sturgis during the rally, you can see other Main Street motor-marvels like the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum & Hall of Fame, Loud American Sturgis, Hot Leathers, and the legendary biker bar One Eyed Jacks Saloon.

Brookings

Brookings is the fourth-largest city in South Dakota, but that translates to about 24,000 residents. As a town by most people's standards, Brookings's downtown has a vibrant main street—or, should we say, main streets. There is Main Avenue, which runs north-south and features the 1929-founded Nick's Hamburger Shop. Then there is 6th Street, which runs east-west and has a plaza containing Brookings Cinema 8 and Deuces Casino. A third "main" street is called Medary Avenue, which runs north-south through South Dakota State University. Such routes are beautified by Downtown Brookings, a non-profit organization "dedicated to the growth and prosperity of [Brookings'] Downtown neighborhood."

Custer

Custer is a gateway to Black Hills attractions like Custer State Park and Mount Rushmore. Appropriately, one of the routes to get there is called Mount Rushmore Road, and it serves as Custer's main street. In addition to nominal foreshadowing, the road pumps you up for upcoming sights via the Mt. Rushmore Brewing Company, whose flagship beers correspond with each president (including "Long Tom" for Thomas Jefferson); Black Hills Burger & Pizza, which uses locally sourced bison meat; and Claw, Antler & Hide, which peddles parts from various local species. Other signs of things to come are the several bison sculptures lining the main. Keep in mind, however, that when you see the real things in Custer State Park, they will not be as colorful.

South Dakota shows that less is more when it comes to main streets. Yes, there is something to be said for big city strips with bright lights, tall buildings, and gaudy billboards, but if you want classic slices of Americana, see small-town South Dakota. There you can cruise downtown drags with old-school charm and laid-back vibes, whose tallest sight is a concrete brontosaurus and corniest sight is actually made of corn. Be a-maized on South Dakota's main streets.