Most of Fort Thompson was built recently: 8% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1974. Below: maps from 1966 on and the census since 1990.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Fort Thompson is more historic than 23% of U.S. towns. Its share of homes from before 1940 holds the grade up; its National Register listings pull it down.
C−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Fort Thompson’s overall grade.
South Dakota towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical South Dakota town has 37.3 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Fort Thompson’s 0.0 sits below most of its state (15% of South Dakota towns have fewer) while its 0 listings outnumber those of 23% of U.S. towns.
NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1889.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from D to C. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±5.1 points).
Founding year: Wikidata (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →
What stands out about Fort Thompson’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Wikipedia doesn’t have a history of Fort Thompson yet. The photos, dates and memories neighbors add here are how it gets written.
Fort Thompson (Lakota/ Dakota: Čhúŋkičakse) is a census-designated place (CDP) in Buffalo County, South Dakota, United States. As of the 2020 census, Fort Thompson had a population of 1,224, making it the largest settlement on the Crow Creek Reservation. Fort Thompson was named in honor of Clark W. Thompson, superintendent of Indian Affairs.
Fort Thompson was established in 1889. Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses its population fell from 1,282 to 1,224 (-5%).
Intro from Wikipedia. Population: U.S. Census Bureau.
Timeline
Fort Thompson, 1870 to 1966
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Fort Thompson. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1966Big Bend Dam sheet · 1:24,000
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Fort Thompson.
People over time
Fort Thompson, census by census
Between 1,088 and 1,375 people in every census since 1990.
4 censuses, 1990–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Fort Thompson’s Wikipedia page.
Places that used to be
Lost post offices and burying grounds
Fort Thompson’s post office has been open since 1916. Another post office, Crow Creek, opened and closed inside today’s town.
Crow Creek
1870–1916
Fort Thompson
1916–today
18701950today
2cemeteries and burying grounds inside Fort Thompson
Christ EpiscopalPresbyterian
US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
Questions about Fort Thompson’s history
What year was Fort Thompson founded?
In 1889, according to Wikidata. Fort Thompson’s post office opened in 1870, and the census of 1990 counted 1,088 people here.
How does Fort Thompson rank for history?
Fort Thompson is more historic than 23% of U.S. towns. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
How old are the homes in Fort Thompson?
8% of Fort Thompson’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±5.1 points), against a typical 10% for a South Dakota town; the median home was built in 1974.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
From Wikimedia Commons (1), Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
2004
