Welcome to Highmore, South Dakota
Highmore, South Dakota (pop. 653) is our featured rural community this week! We'll be sharing success stories throughout the week from local leaders and business owners who are making an impact here. Today's guest blog post is from Susan Bast.
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a small town and county doing big things!
I would like to welcome you to Highmore, South Dakota — my hometown, population 682, but with a county wide population of 1,262. With over 70 businesses, Highmore has a lot to offer. We are a small town and county but do big things!
Highmore is the county seat so we have a Hyde County Court House which is over 100 years old and a most spectacular building. There is an Auditor, Treasurer, Assessor, Register of Deeds, Clerk of Courts, Sheriff, overseen by a county commission of five people. There is a WIC program, and a 4-H program run through the Hyde County Extension. Our rural community is a huge part of Highmore. Everyone is known and works together for the betterment of Highmore!
around town
You’ll find a pre-school through 12th grade school system staffed with some of the very best educators. There are many opportunities for students in extracurricular activities such as cross country, football, volleyball, boys’ and girls’ basketball, boys and girls wrestling, track, golf, and rodeo. School organizations such as FCCLA, FBLA, FFA, Weight Lifting, Choir, Band, Cheerleading, Yearbook, Pirate Journal, and Student Council are very active in school and community.
Highmore has five churches to meet the spiritual needs of the community. There is a ministerial association which works together to do Senior Class Baccalaureate, Old Settlers Day Church services, and other holiday services and celebrations. Church suppers are well attended by the community for a time of fellowship and good food!
We have a medical clinic as well as a pharmacy. The clinic is open five days a week and staffed with professional staff of doctors, nurses, and receptionists. There is a 24-hour on-call ambulance service as well as volunteer fire department.
We have industrial farm businesses such as Agtegra, Wilber Ellis, and Simplot. They take care of our rural community and support community projects.
Jan Busse Ford, our car dealership which has been a family operated business, continues the legacy of good service with trusted dealership. Another large dealership is Titan Machinery, servicing both rural and community.
A business that has been in operation for many years is Venture Communications. It is a locally started and owned business that has grown from telephone service to the highest in technology. This business has expanded to many other communities and is a multimillion-dollar business.
Highmore has a business district that can supply most all your needs. A grocery store, two gas stations/convenient stores, laundromat, physical therapy/work out center, flower shop, clothing store, beauty salon, veterinarians, welding shop, thrift store, photography business, and fairly new to town a Dollar General store.
The Highmore Herald is a locally owned newspaper with a weekly edition. They also help with other printing needs as well as local drop off for dry cleaning services. You can buy office supplies and even Watkins products!
Our little town has transit services for reasonable prices. If needing to go out of town or in town, they are available.
If needing a place to lodge we have a motel, bed and breakfast, two Airbnb’s, and park camping.
Highmore has four parks. The East Park has playground equipment, a park shelter/bathrooms, and camping hook ups. The south Park is by the new swimming pool and has playground equipment, volleyball sand pit, horse shoe pits, and park shelter which can be rented for parties. The baseball park has a children’s park and a tennis court/basketball hoop area. Central Park is for beautification of our small town. There is a brome with the city name Highmore, a heritage wall, and a historical water fountain. Each year beautiful flower arrangements are done to enjoy.
The Hyde County Memorial Auditorium is the hub of our small town. It is shared by the city of Highmore, County, and School. All high school activities are held there, as well as community meals, funerals, dances, holiday events, and community events of all kinds.
Highmore has a mayor and city council to oversee things such as water, streets, parks, recreation, and garbage service. There is a summer recreation which includes boys’ baseball and girls’ softball. Games are played at the local diamond where there is a wonderful grand stand and concession stand available.
Other entertainment is the local 9-hole golf course with weekly leagues and special events.
There is a wonderful rodeo grounds on the outskirts of town, they host a 4-H rodeo, high school rodeo, play days, and team ropings.
our local organizations
The Civic League is open to any women wanting to make Highmore a better place to live and raise a family. One of their main projects is the Snow Queen Contest which is held each December; this was the 70th year.
The Civic and Commerce is a group of Highmore business people who do many community projects. One of the largest is Old Settlers Days held each year the third full weekend in June. It is filled with a crowning of a King and Queen, parade, class reunions, car show, art show, rodeo, color run, dancing, and wonderful festive atmosphere — something for everyone!
Steps for Hope is a local organization that raises funds for cancer patients. The community does fundraisers throughout the year for this cause and one night is dedicated to recognizing their hard work. Held in the Auditorium, teams of walkers take to the floor walking laps in recognition of the cancer journey for someone. All around the Auditorium are lit bags people purchase in honor of someone who has been diagnosed with cancer, a list of survivor names is read, as well as those loved ones who have passed. This organization has helped many community families in the years it has been established.
Action Club helps athletes with helping pay for camps and hosting an Action Club Basketball Classic each year in February.
The Frank Vopat #34 is the local American Legion Club, and the Women’s Auxiliary are very active in Highmore. They make sure the American flag waves on the city streets for all patriotic days. Each Memorial Day there is a community program in remembrance of those lost. The School and Legion hold an event each November for Veterans Day. There is a slide show presentation of anyone having a family member who has served past or present shown. The Ladies from a quilting club present a beautiful quilt to special honored vets.
For the past two years there has been a group of people working non stop of raising funds for a new city swimming pool. This pool is to be completed and open for swimmers this summer and the entire community is looking forward to seeing the fruits of this labor!
Our community is in a situation now of needing to address the care of the youngest and the oldest. Daycare is in very high demand; a community daycare board has been established and is working very hard on finding a solution.
Our Highmore Healthcare was in jeopardy of closing, so a board was established to buy it locally and continue this service which is very much needed. Once again, a group of dedicated people dove in and is making this happen.
An event coming this fall to our community is our first Sunflower Festival. Another group of hard-working people are ironing out details and plans as this is written.
you are always welcome
I have mentioned some of the many things Highmore has to offer but there are many more I fail to mention — things only appreciated once you have been to our small community and experienced them.
I have lived in this community for 67 years and have seen many changes, but one thing that remains is when faced with adversities the people come together and make a change. They are here for each other in good times and in bad and there is much pride in this little town on the prairie — Highmore, South Dakota. We would love to see you sometime. You are always welcome.
highmore, south dakota town feature
Find out more about the rural revival happening in Highmore, South Dakota here:
EPISODE 149 // BETH SIMONSON OF HYDEOUT BED & BREAKFAST
Several times throughout the year, we’ll bring in experts to interview on a particular topics that are relevant to small town business and leadership.
You’ll hear first-hand knowledge and info from people who are experiencing success as entrepreneurs and leaders in small towns across rural America.