De Smet, SD

Quick City Facts

County: Kingsbury
Population (2019): 1,052
Population (2010): 1,089

Data provided by US Census Bureau (2019)

Famous for being home to the Laura Ingalls Wilder homestead, De Smet, South Dakota is a small town with a big history, and is truly the little town on the prairie.

History

De Smet was settled in 1879, when the railroad was constructed through the state.  The town was named after Pierre-Jean de Smet, who was a Belgian missionary to the Native Americans in the area.  The town of De Smet was originally developed as a center for dairying, and today has an economy based on agriculture.

Recreation/Community Events

De Smet is most popularly known as the home of Laura Ingalls Wilder, a legacy much celebrated by the town and its inhabitants.   Each summer De Smet celebrates Wilder and her life through a multitude of activities and events.

Tours are offered of the Ingalls homestead, and each summer a pageant is held, depicting the story of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s family.  Covered wagon rides, an 1880’s school session, Ma’s Little house, a Prairie Exhibit, and more are all built around the family’s life in the town of De Smet.

Lake Thompson, also prominently featured in the Laura Ingalls Wilder books, provides four season’s worth of recreation in De Smet.  Snowmobiling, cross country skiing, and fishing are all popular on the lake.  Lake Thompson features a recreation area with camping and a group rental lodge.

Contact Information

Popular Attractions

Dakota Nature & Art Gallery and Fine Gifts

Dakota Nature & Art Gallery and Fine Gifts

Hill City

Camp Custer Log Cabins

Camp Custer Log Cabins

Custer

The Source Coffee Roastery & Taproom

The Source Coffee Roastery & Taproom

Sioux Falls

Laurie’s Cafe

Laurie’s Cafe

Canton

H&S BBQ N More

H&S BBQ N More

Elk Point

Dakota Dream Bed & Breakfast & Horse Hotel

Dakota Dream Bed & Breakfast & Horse Hotel

Custer

The Brown Earth Church

The Brown Earth Church

Stockholm

Skyline Wilderness Area

Skyline Wilderness Area

Rapid City

The Outdoor Campus-West

The Outdoor Campus-West

Rapid City

La Luna Cafe

La Luna Cafe

Sioux Falls

Belle Fourche Country Club

Belle Fourche Country Club

Belle Fourche

Wylie Park/Storybook Land/Land of Oz

Wylie Park/Storybook Land/Land of Oz

Aberdeen

Shakespeare Garden & Anne Hathaway Cottage

Shakespeare Garden & Anne Hathaway Cottage

Wessington Springs

Sitting Bull & Sakakawea Monuments

Sitting Bull & Sakakawea Monuments

Mobridge

Harriet & Oak

Harriet & Oak

Rapid City

Days Inn

Days Inn

Yankton

Los Amigos Restaurant

Los Amigos Restaurant

Elk Point

W. H. Over Museum

W. H. Over Museum

Vermillion

Great Faces. Great Places.

South Dakota is an incredibly unique state in that each region offers a completely different experience then the others. Check out each of the regions to see what each has to offer!

Badlands

Western South Dakota

Featuring the Black Hills, Badlands, the Sturgis Rally. This region tends to be the most popular.

CENTRAL REGION

This region of South Dakota offers some of the best hunting and fishing in the entire central US. 

Eastern Region

The eastern region is home to the largest city in the state and provides visitors with a true "prairie" experience.