PARKER

Being just a short drive from Sioux Falls, Parker is a growing  town that people of all ages want to call home. Located in  southeastern South Dakota along the Vermillion River, it’s that  at-home feeling, complete with quiet, safe streets, friendly  neighbors, and community pride, that makes everyone fall  in love with Parker.

Parker’s population has been increasing at a steady pace  over the last few years, with the most recent census showing  1,197 residents. Because of the boom and a growing need  for space, the Parker School District recently fi nished building  a new elementary school that teachers and students have  already been utilizing this school year. The old elementary  school was renovated for high school students and was  completed for kids and teachers to move into last May. Once  that phase is complete, demolition of the old high school  building, built in 1911, will begin. Construction of a muchneeded second gymnasium and additional classrooms will  then begin. Although that process will take a year and a half,  once complete, Parker School will be able to hold up to 700  students.

Parker is also the county seat for Turner County. This was  quite the controversy back when the original courthouse was  built due to many different opinions and the idea that Parker  was not the best site to be the county seat. However, Parker  was chosen as the location best suited for the county. The  courthouse was built in 1902 and stands proudly at the south  end of Main Street and is still in use today.

Parker is also home to the oldest and largest FREE gate  county fair in the state which began in 1880. Held the third  full week of August each year, the Turner County Fair is unlike  any other throughout the state. Throughout the “4 Best Days  of Summer” over 100,000 people fl ood the town for carnival  rides and games, livestock shows, vendor booths, and of  course the delicious fair food.

Heritage Park offers free concerts throughout the afternoon  while the grandstands provide entertainment in the evenings.  Ticket sales for the main events - including bulls, broncs, and  barrels; enduro races; fi gure 8 races; and the demolition derby  - begin July 7 at 7 p.m. and typically sell out within days.

If you were to ask anyone about their favorite fair memory,  most will tell you that it is the friends, both new and old, that  they are able to catch up with each and every year during  these four days that mean the most to them. ■ https://www.parkersd.org https://www.parker.k12.sd.us https://turner.sdcounties.org https://turnercountyfair.com