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History · Hosmer Township

Hosmer Township dates to 1887, and 100% of its homes were built before 1940

Below: maps from 1978 on and the census since 1910.

1887founded
0on the National Register
100%homes built before 1940
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Quick answers

How Hosmer Township began

When was Hosmer Township founded?

1887

Hosmer Township dates its founding to 1887 (Wikidata). The census first counted it in 1910.

First census: 217 in 19102020 census: 42139 years
Founding year: Wikidata.The full story ↓

What stands out about Hosmer Township’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenNo old photos of Hosmer Township are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.Boom and bustPeaked at 579 in 1940; 164 people lived here in 2020.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Hosmer Township’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Hosmer Township’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
People over time

Hosmer Township, census by census

0100200300400500600192019401960198020002020Peak: 579

Peaked at 579 in 1940; 164 people lived here in 2020.

12 censuses, 1910–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Hosmer Township’s Wikipedia page.

The story

How Hosmer Township came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Hosmer Township.

Read it all →

Hosmer was laid out in 1887. The name for the town of Hosmer came from a railroad agent's wife's maiden name, Stella A. Hosmer.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Hosmer Township, 1887 to 1978

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 19th century
  2. 1887
    FoundingHosmer Township is established
  3. 20th century
  4. 1940CensusPopulation peaks at 579
  5. 1978On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
By decade

Hosmer Township, decade by decade

Today2 recent
Hosmer South Dakota 1Jan20112011Hosmer South Dakota 1Jan2011SDMap-doton-Hosmer2004SDMap-doton-Hosmer
On the map

Hosmer Township on the map, 1978 to 1985

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Hosmer Township. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Hosmer Township on the 1978 USGS mapHosmer Township on the 1985 USGS map1978Hillsview SE 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 Hosmer Township.

Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

Modena TownshipIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townCottonwood Lake TownshipIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townSangamon TownshipIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town

Questions about Hosmer Township’s history

What year was Hosmer Township founded?

In 1887, according to Wikidata. the census of 1910 counted 217 people here.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
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Sources

Where this page comes from

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). How TownRatings grades history →

From Wikimedia Commons (2), Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia) 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.