Town file
Tea, South Dakota
Tea, South Dakota (Lincoln County, South Dakota) is the town in one episode of Small Town Murder, the comedy true-crime podcast: episode 229, "Chief Horny The Ladykiller" (24 June 2021). Barbara Creteau was born on 27 June 1946 in Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin, the eldest child of Bob and Marie Creteau.
- Town
- Tea
- County
- Lincoln County
- State
- South Dakota
- Country
- USA
- Episodes
- 229
- Approximate location
- 43.456, -96.824
Episode 229 / 24 June 2021 / 171 min / full
Chief Horny The Ladykiller
"We're going all the way to Tea, South Dakota... It's in southeastern South Dakota... It's in Lincoln County." about 0:05:52
The case: Murder of Barbara McDowell (June 1983). Read the case file.
The figures, as told in 2021
- Population
- 720
- Median age
- 28 and a half
- Median household income
- $79,978
- Median home value
- $195,900
- Two-bedroom rent
- about $960 a month
- Cost of living
- 92
- Religious
- 42%
- Property crime
- ▼ about one third under
- Violent crime
- ▼ about half
History, in brief
- The town was laid out in 1894 as Byron, but the postmaster said there was already a Byron, so it needed another name. about 0:09:10
- The town fathers wanted a short name; the community produced nine names and could not think of a tenth, and afternoon tea was a tradition in the German-based community, so Tea was added to the list and chosen. about 0:09:42
- John Heeron was the first postmaster. about 0:10:08
- Henry Hearin, thought to be his brother, was the first male rural mail carrier, starting in 1903, and was dead by 1906. about 0:10:31
- Henry's wife Flora took over his mail bag and carried the mail for the next 30 years. about 0:10:50
- The town motto is 'Tea, a growing tradition'. about 0:07:18
The reviews read out
5 stars
"The town has been an amazing experience; the community is close, friendly and respectful and feels like a family, supporting local businesses and the school, and the town loves its sports."about 0:11:52
5 stars
"The reviewer has lived in Tea all their life, had two amazing jobs and a group of lifetime friends, calls the people warm and welcoming, has never locked their car, and has never had a bad day there."about 0:12:41
3 stars
"Tea has the small town feel while remaining a good size, with good public schools and caring teachers, but the number of attractions and businesses could always be improved."about 0:15:30
Nearest Small Town Murder towns
- Canistota, South Dakota25 miles
- Yankton, South Dakota48 miles
- Emerson, Nebraska82 miles
- Verdigre, Nebraska85 miles
- Wolsey, South Dakota105 miles
- Lyons, Nebraska107 miles
Everything here is as told in the episode, on the date it went out; figures and places may have changed since. Endings are covered: open an episode and use the spoiler switch to read them.