South Dakota’s Best Under A Grand: Egan, Population 278
It's the small towns that make South Dakota the best state in the nation, those communities with less than a thousand folks. You know, those places with a population 'Under A Grand'.
And some of them are quite a bit under a grand.
You might think there just isn't much going on in a town with just a couple hundred people or so. But you're wrong. I grew up on a little farm just a wee bit outside one of those towns. In fact the town I grew up near is a whole lot like one of South Dakota's finest 'little' places.
Welcome to Egan.
Where is Egan you ask? Why, right there in Moody County along the Big Sioux River. And yes, while the town is small it has a big heart.
Egan is one of those South Dakota communities that 'came to be' thanks to the railroad. If you think the Interstate highway is important to a community now, well the same can be said for the railroad back in the 1800's. When those rails and trains arrived, well, you had yourself a town. (And conversely, if those trains decided to make a turn and head somewhere else, well, then you had yourself a Ghost Town) In fact, Egan is named Egan because that was the name of a railroad employee.
Now, while Egan may not be what's called 'big and bustling', they have businesses that cater to the surrounding area, and those big elevators that you see along side the railroad tracks are a sure sign of prosperity!
And if you love pheasant hunting (and lots and lots of folks do!), welcome to some of the best hunting in the state!
Oh and by the way, when you stop in for a visit, ask about the nearby Little Village Farm. I'm not going to get into specifics, but suffice to say it's a place you'll want to see and plan on spending some fun time there.
So if somewhere along the way if you're looking for huge shopping malls, traffic jams and hustling here, there and everywhere...good luck. But if you're wanting to spend a little quality time with friendly quality South Dakota folks, come on over to Egan. The coffee is always on and the conversation is always friendly.