[6] According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.42 square miles (1.09 km2), all land.

[10] In its early years, it served as a grain and livestock center for the northern tier of Faulk County, South Dakota.

Cresbard became a well known consolidated school district by the 1920s serving at least seven smaller communities in the surrounding area.

The railway was abandoned by 1940 and State Highway 20 served as the town's main link to the outside world.

Because of dwindling high school population (16 at last count[11]) citizens of Cresbard spent several years exploring their options.

The high school closed and was offered for sale on the internet the following year at a price calculated to attract outside business.

As of 2007, the primary non-agricultural commercial venture in the town of Cresbard and surrounding areas is services related to the recreational hunting of pheasant, ducks, geese, deer, and buffalo.

Cresbard is also the home of an hotel and restaurant, museum, auto shop, oil supply company, insurance agency, a branch of Dacotah Bank, Senior Citizens center, two churches (one Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod and one Methodist), and a local fire and rescue.