Did You Know? This South Dakota Town Calls Itself ‘Hay Capital of the World’
I lifted and stacked a lot of hay bales back in the day, making some summer money as a teenager. But I have to admit, I never built a stack in or near the 'Hay Capital of the World'.
Welcome to Gayville, South Dakota one of those smaller communities that make South Dakota great. Yep, all 382 folks in Gayville (according to the 2020 census) are among the friendliest in the Sunshine State.
The Heart of Rural South Dakota: A Town Off the Main Road
And as opposed to a lot of South Dakota towns that were founded thanks to the railroad, it was farmers that built up Gayville...and mostly Scandinavian farmers back there in about 1870.
And by the way, (according to Wikipedia) Gayville was originally named White Hall...then renamed Boreman...but since 1873, it's been what we all know, Gayville.
The town was named after Elkanah Gay who was a postmaster or a railroad contractor, depending on your source. There's also a chance he was both.
