Roubaix, South Dakota
Roubaix (), formerly known as Perry or Lewisville, is an unincorporated community in Lawrence County, South Dakota, United States. It is not monitored by the U.S. Census Bureau. Naming Roubaix was originally called Lewisville, but it was changed to Perry when the town gained a post office. When the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad began building into the Black Hills, the town again changed its name to avoid confusion with Terry, which was nearby. Roubaix was chosen in honor of the hometown of local Frenchman Pierre Wibaux, who was one of the Uncle Sam Mine's main investors. History Founding and growth The mining camp was first settled in 1876. It was first a placer mining camp, with the primary source of gold being nearby Elk Creek. The town nearly disappeared after the Uncle Sam Mine was shut down in 1880, and a forest fire destroyed a large portion of the town. The grand reopening of Roubaix and its official recognition as a town was marked by a celebration in August 1885 at a beer hall, complete with a dance. In the years following 1891, due to failed mining activity, the town nearly became abandoned. In 1899, Roubaix had 500 residents,