Aberdeen has historically been known as “The Hub City," but many who live here do not know what that means. When Aberdeen was founded in 1881, there were nine railroad lines that passed through the small town. A map was produced in 1886, and when looking at it, it looked like the hub of a bicycle wheel. So, the name stuck, however not so many trains run through The Hub City anymore. Is it still The Hub City? Of course! When looking at educational opportunities, job growth and the increasing diversity of Aberdeen, it is clear that it is still a hub. While the town may have been a literal hub for trains many moons ago, it has since transmogrified into a cultural hub.
If you walk through the student center of Northern State University (NSU), you can see flags of over 30 different countries. It is to represent the students who have attended and currently attend NSU, add in the out of state students, and you have a melting pot right in the heart of Aberdeen. Also, the office of multicultural student affairs is currently working to increase the admission rates of Native American students in the South Dakota area. Then, there is the new Confucius Institute, which brings roughly 30 students from China and promotes Chinese language and culture. With all these considered, it is clear that NSU is an international hub for higher education, preparing students for the globalized workforce.
With the plethora of job opportunities within Aberdeen, it is no wonder that the town attracts so many people. With the manufacturing jobs that take place, there are tons of people that move here to work at Molded Fiber Glass (MFG) and 3M. Then, there is Northern Beef Packers (NBP), which opened in November of last year, and is only running at half capacity, meaning that there are still many to come to Aberdeen soon for employment!
Now, between the educational opportunities of NSU and Presentation College along with the demand for more workers, Aberdeen has attracted an array of people. There are the international students of NSU consisting mainly of Korean, Chinese and Middle Eastern students with a few from Europe and elsewhere. Then there are refugees from Somalia, Burma and Cuba and elsewhere who have come from all over the country to work at MFG and NBP. Now, for the small town of Aberdeen, you start to see some changes. Kessler’s now sells Kimchi a Korean pickled cabbage, there is an Asian food market that opened behind UPS, and other stores such as Wal-Mart are offering more international products for the more diverse population.
So, when someone ask why is Aberdeen named “The Hub City," hopefully, you can explain the reason in greater detail. The history of Aberdeen is both vast and overlooked. L. Frank Baum, author of "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz," spent three years in Aberdeen while he worked on his books. Now, the city remembers him with its slogan: “Write your story here!” From 1881, people from all different walks of life have come to write their story here. Whether it be for work, school or just to visit, they have each written a page within this town. With that in mind, what will your story be, and how will this changing town change you?
