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Emmet

Ghost town · Union County, South Dakota

Nora quadrangle, USGS topographic map (1969, 1:24,000)
Nora quadrangle, USGS topographic map (1969, 1:24,000) · U.S. Geological Survey, Historical Topographic Map Collection · Public domain

Emmet is a ghost town in Union County, South Dakota, recorded as township in South Dakota, United States. It is one of 2 former communities in Union County on the federal names register. That ranks the county 12th among the 26 South Dakota counties with a vanished settlement on record.

At its height the population reached about 257.

The U.S. Geological Survey lists Emmet as a historical populated place: the name is no longer in official use for a community, whether the settlement was abandoned, absorbed into a neighbouring town or renamed. The recorded location is 42.9525° N, 96.7431° W.

Key facts

Peak population257
Last recorded population257
Elevation1,291 ft
Nearest living townAlcester, SD
Distance to it7.8 miles
Coordinates42.95250, -96.74306

Open the location on a map

What's there now

Emmet is no longer a community in its own right. The nearest living town is Alcester, SD (population 987), about 7.8 miles away in a straight line, and the site sits at roughly 1,291 feet above sea level. Much of the land around former townsites is private; check access before you visit.

Nearby places

Questions

Where is Emmet?

Emmet is in Union County, South Dakota, at 42.9525, -96.7431.

How many ghost towns are in Union County?

Union County, South Dakota has 2 ghost towns on record at Wayfarrow.

Sources and licences

Facts marked "approximately" carry an uncertain date in the source. Text on this page is generated from the sources above; no encyclopedia prose is copied. Last updated 2026-11-05.