Rapid City, South Dakota
Encyclopedia
Rapid City is the second-largest city in the U.S. state of South Dakota
, and the county seat
of Pennington County
. Named after Rapid Creek
on which the city is established, it is set against the eastern slope of the Black Hills
mountain range. The population was 67,956 as of the 2010 Census
. Rapid City is known as the "Gateway to the Black Hills" and the "Star of the West". The city is divided by a mountain range that splits the western and eastern parts of the city into two.
The public discovery of gold
in 1874 by the Custer
Expedition brought a mass influx of settlers into the Black Hills
region of South Dakota
. Rapid City was founded (and originally known as "Hay Camp") in 1876 by a group of disappointed miners, who promoted their new city as the "Gateway to the Black Hills." John Brennan and Samuel Scott, with a small group of men, laid out the site of the present Rapid City in February 1876, which was named for the spring-fed Rapid Creek
that flows through it. A square mile was measured off and the six blocks in the center were designated as a business section. Committees were appointed to bring in prospective merchants and their families to locate in the new settlement. The city soon began selling supplies to miners and pioneers. Its location on the edge of the Plains and Hills and its large river valley made it the natural hub of railroads arriving in the late 1880s from both the south and east. By 1900, Rapid City had survived a boom and bust and was establishing itself as an important regional trade center for the upper midwest.
Although the Black Hills became a popular tourist destination in the late 1890s, it was a combination of local efforts, the popularity of the automobile, and construction of improved highways that brought tourists to the Black Hills
in large numbers after World War I. Gutzon Borglum
, already a famous sculptor, began work on Mount Rushmore
in 1927 and his son, Lincoln Borglum, continued the carving of the presidents' faces in rock following his father's death in 1941. The work was halted due to pressures leading to the US entry into World War II and the massive sculpture was declared complete in 1941. Although tourism sustained the city throughout the Great Depression
of the 1930s, the gas rationing of World War II
had a devastating effect on the tourist industry in the town, but this was more than made up for by the war-related growth.
The city benefited greatly from the opening of Rapid City Army Air Base, later Ellsworth Air Force Base
, an Army Air Corps
training base. As a result, the population of the area nearly doubled between 1940 and 1948, from almost 14,000 to nearly 27,000 people. Military families and civilian personnel soon took every available living space in town, and mobile parks proliferated. Rapid City businesses profited from the military payroll.
During the Cold War, missile installations proliferated in the area: a series of Nike Air Defense sites were constructed around Ellsworth in the 1950s. In the early 60s the construction of three Titan (rocket family)
missile launch sites containing a total of nine Titan I missiles in the general vicinity of Rapid City took place. Beginning in November 1963, the land for a hundred miles east, northeast and northwest of the city was dotted with 150 Minuteman missile silos and 15 launch command centers, all of which were deactivated in the early 1990s.
In 1949, city officials envisioned the city as a retail and wholesale trade center for the region and designed a plan for growth that focused on a civic center, more downtown parking places, new schools, and paved streets. A construction boom continued into the 1950s. Growth slowed in the 1960s, but the worst natural disaster in South Dakota history, the Black Hills Flood led to another building boom a decade later. On June 9, 1972, heavy rains caused massive flooding of the Rapid Creek. More than 250 people lost their lives and more than $100 million in property was destroyed.
The devastation of the flood and the outpouring of private donations and millions of dollars in federal aid led to the completion of one big part of the 1949 plan: clearing the area along the Rapid Creek and making it a public park. New homes and businesses were constructed to replace those that had been destroyed. Rushmore Plaza Civic Center
and a new Central High School were built in part of the area that had been cleared. The new Central High School opened in 1978, with the graduating class in that year straddling both the original Central (housed in what is now Dakota Middle School) and the new Central. The rebuilding in part insulated Rapid City from the drop in automotive tourism caused by the Oil Embargo in 1974, but tourism was depressed for most of a decade. In 1978, Rushmore Mall
was built on the north edge of the city, adding to the city's position as a retail shopping center.
In 1980 in United States v. Sioux Nation of Indians
, the Supreme Court of the United States
ruled that the government of the United States had illegally stolen the Black Hills
from the Sioux
people when the government unilaterally broke the treaty that guaranteed the Black Hills belonged to the Sioux. The court decision offered money, but the Sioux declined on principle that the theft of their land should not be validated, and still demand the return of the land. This land includes Rapid City, which is by far the largest modern settlement in the Black Hills. As of 2010, the dispute has not been settled.
In the 1980s, growth was fueled by an increase in tourism, increasingly tied to the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally
, followed by another decline in the late 1990s. Fears for the closure of Ellsworth AFB as part of the massive base closure process in the 1990s and 2000s led to attempts to expand other sectors of the economy, but growth continued and the city expanded significantly during this period.
Today, Rapid City is South Dakota's primary city for tourism and recreation. With the approval of a Deep Underground Science and Engineering Laboratory
at the Homestake Mine
site, Rapid City has a future of great advancements in technology
, medicine
, and scientific research.
On June 9–10, 1972, extremely heavy rains over the eastern Black Hills
of South Dakota
produced record floods on Rapid Creek
and other streams in the area. Nearly 15 inches (381 mm) of rain fell in about 6 hours near Nemo
, and more than 10 inches (254 mm) of rain fell over an area of 60 square miles (155.4 km²). According to the Red Cross, the resulting peak floods (which occurred after dark) left 238 people dead and 3,057 people injured. In addition to the human tragedy, total damage was estimated in excess of $160 million (about $821 million in 2009 dollars), which included 1,335 homes and 5,000 automobiles that were destroyed. Runoff from this storm produced record floods (highest peak flows recorded) along Battle, Spring, Rapid, and Box Elder Creeks. Smaller floods also occurred along Elk Creek and Bear Butte
Creek. Canyon Lake Dam, on the west side of Rapid City, broke the night of the flood, unleashing a wall of water down the creek. The 1972 flooding has an estimated recurrence interval of 500 years, which means that a flood of this magnitude will occur on average once every 500 years. Every year there is a 0.2 percent chance (1 in 500) of experiencing a similar event. To prevent a similar tragedy from occurring in the future, the city's flood plain is no longer allowed to be built upon. Today the flood plain features golf courses, parks, sports arenas, and arboretums where neighborhoods and businesses once stood.
In 2007, the Rapid City Public Library
created a 1972 Flood digital archive that collects survivors' stories, photos and news accounts of the flood. The Journey Museum has an interactive display on the 1972 flood which is an ongoing project to give future generations the best idea of how the people were affected and the changes made to it because of the loss of 238 lives. It will in the future include the biographies of all of those who died so they will be remembered as more than names on a memorial.
; which at 7242 feet (2,207 m), is the highest point east of the Rocky Mountains
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 44.7 sq mi (115.8 km²), of which 44.6 square miles (115.5 km²) is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) (0.13%) is water.
Rapid City is located on the eastern edge of the Black Hills, and is split in half by the Dakota Hogback. Rapid City's "Westside" is located in the Red Valley between the foothills of the Black Hills proper and the Dakota Hogback, so named for the red Spearfish formation soils and the way the valley completely circles the Black Hills. Rapid City has grown up into the foothills, with both ridges and valleys developed, especially in the last 20 years, and wildfire is a distinct threat to these residential areas, as shown by the Westberry Trails fire in 1988.
Skyline Drive follows the summits of the Dakota Hogback south from near Rapid Gap (where Rapid Creek cuts through the Hogback) to a large high plateau which forms the current south edge of Rapid City. The Central and Eastern portions of Rapid City lie in the wide valley of Rapid Creek outside the Hogback, which includes a number of mesas rising a hundred feet or more above the floodplain.
of 1972. To the north, a series of ridges separates Rapid Creek from Box Elder Creek, with large older and new residential areas and commercial areas along I-90. To the south, the terrain rises more steeply to the southern widening of the Dakota Hogback into a plateau dividing the Rapid Creek drainage from Spring Creek.
Rapid City features a steppe climate (Koppen
BSk). Its location makes its climate unlike both the higher elevations of the Black Hills and the Great Plains to the east. It is characterized by long arid summers and long dry winters, with short but distinct spring and autumn seasons.
Winters are cold and dry, with highs averaging from 33.6 °F (0.88888888889602 °C) in January; however, Chinook winds can warm temperatures above 50 °F (10 °C), doing so 20 times from December to February. Temperature inversions, however, occasionally produce warmer temperatures in the Black Hills. The January low averages 11.3 °F (-11.5 °C), though it drops below 0 °F (-17.8 °C) on 19 nights per season. Snowfall is greatest in March, with an average 9.1 inches (23.1 cm), and totals 41.1 inches (104 cm) for the season. However, extensive snow cover does not remain for long, with only 9 days per year of 5 inches (13 cm) or more on the ground.
Spring is somewhat gradual, and diurnal temperature ranges begin to become consistently large. May weather is mild and precipitation changes from rain showers to thunderstorms. Storms typically develop over the Black Hills during the afternoon and move onto the plains in the evening. However, Rapid City still sees an average of 20 clear to partly cloudy days and 65 percent of its possible sunshine in June. This is the traditional "flood" season for Rapid and other creeks in the Eastern Hills. Temperatures warm rapidly as summer approaches. Daytime highs range from 62 to 81 °F (16.7 to 27.2 C) in May and June, while the range for lows is 38 to 55 °F (3.3 to 12.8 C).
Summer in Rapid City is hot, relatively dry, and sunny. July and August are the warmest months of the year, when daytime temperatures climb into the mid 80s F (29-30 C), to or above 90 °F (32.2 °C) on an average 29 days per year and 100 °F (37.8 °C) on 3.7 days. Breezy winds and low humidity levels increase heat tolerance. Rapid City records an average of 9 thunderstorm days in August, but only 1.67 inches (42.4 mm) of rain. Rapid City receives 75 percent of its possible sunshine. Because the elevation of the Black Hills are between 4000 and 8000 feet (2,438.4 m), the sun is very intense.
Fall is a precipitous transition season, with sunny, mild days, and cool nights. Highs range from 75 to 53 °F (23.9 to 11.7 C) from mid September to late October, with lows ranging from 46 to 28 °F (7.8 to -2.2 C) in that same time frame. The average first freeze in Rapid City is October 4 and late August through September in the Black Hills. The Rapid City area’s first snowfall is usually in October, although higher elevations sometimes receive significant snow in September. Occasional cold fronts moving through the area bring blustery northwest winds.
November and December mark the beginning of winter in the Black Hills. Despite cooler temperatures and more snow; the area still has many mild, sunny days. By December, daytime temperatures are in the 30s with nighttime readings in the teens and sometimes below zero in the Black Hills. Storms early in the season produce heavy, wet snow. As the winter progresses, storm tracks from the northwest bring drier snow. Rapid City’s chances for a "White Christmas" (defined as having inch or more of snow on the ground) averages about 50 percent.
Sunshine is abundant in the region, averaging 2850 hours, 65% of the possible total, per year.
Rapid City holds two weather records — fastest temperature rise of 49 °F (27 °C) in 2 minutes on January 22, 1943 and fastest temperature drop of 47 °F (26 °C) in 5 minutes on January 10, 1911. Extremes also range from -31 F on February 2, 1996 to 110 °F (43 °C) on July 8, 1989.
of 2000, there were 59,607 people, 23,969 households, and 15,220 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,336.7 people per square mile (516.1/km2). There were 25,096 housing units at an average density of 562.8 per square mile (217.3/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 84.33% White, 0.97% African American, 10.14% Native American, 1.00% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.73% from other races
, and 2.77% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.77% of the population.
There were 23,969 households out of which 31.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.7% were married couples
living together, 12.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.5% were non-families. 29.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.96.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.3% under the age of 18, 11.8% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 20.9% from 45 to 64, and 13.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 96.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $35,978, and the median income for a family was $44,818. Males had a median income of $30,985 versus $21,913 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $19,445. About 9.4% of families and 12.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.6% of those under age 18 and 6.9% of those age 65 or over.
hospitals are located nearby at Fort Meade, and Hot Springs. Emergency medical services
(EMS) are provided by the Rapid City Department of Fire & Emergency Services. Rapid City is also home to a number of non-profit public health organizations that engage in survey and clinic research, epidemiology, and area-based health promotion disease prevention. The Health Education and Promotion Council and Black Hills Center for American Indian Health are two notable non-profit organizations.
Rapid City institutions of higher education include the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
, Oglala Lakota College's He Sapa College Center, West River Graduate and Undergraduate Center (South Dakota State University and the University of South Dakota), National American University
, Western Dakota Technical Institute, Black Hills Beauty College
and several small sectarian preacher training schools. Black Hills State University
is located in nearby Spearfish
, and offers several classes in Rapid City. The South Dakota state nurse training program is also based in Rapid City. There are two public high schools in the city, Central High School
and Stevens High School. The city also has an alternative high school; Rapid City Academy, and at least three Christian high schools including Saint Thomas More
, Rapid City Christian High School
and Open Bible Christian School.
school district
. There are two major high schools within the district. They are Central High School and Stevens High School. The middle schools include Dakota Middle School, North Middle School, South Middle School, Southwest Middle School, and West Middle School. There are 16 elementary schools within the district. These are Black Hawk, Canyon Lake, Corral Drive, General Beadle, Grandview, Horace Mann, Kibben Kuster, Knollwood Heights, Meadowbrook, Pinedale, Rapid Valley, Robbinsdale, South Canyon, South Park, Valley View, and Woodrow Wilson.
Rapid City also has a large amount of public sculpture on display in many parts of the city. The most visible is "The City of Presidents" - a series of life-sized bronze statues representing each of the American presidents. The statues are located on street corners in the downtown area. Five South Dakota artists created the statues: Edward E. Hlavka, Lee Leuning, John Lopez, James Michael Maher, and James Van Nuys. These statues are being erected by public subscription over a ten-year period between 2000 and 2010.
, Germany
Nikko, Japan
Yangshuo County, China
plant (constructed and owned for 84 years by the State of South Dakota
and sold in 2003 to GCC, a Mexican-based conglomerate), Black Hills Ammunition
an ammunition and reloading supplies manufacturing company, several custom sawmills, a lime plant, a computer peripheral component manufacturing plant, and several farm and ranch equipment manufacturers. Of particular note, Rapid City is the center for the manufacture of Black Hills Gold, a popular product with tourists and Westerners in general. Rapid City is also the location of the only manufacturer of stamping machines used for the labeling of plywood and chipboard products.
Although most gold mining has ceased in the Black Hills and was never done in or near Rapid City, mining of sand and gravel, as well as the raw materials for lime
and Portland cement (including chemical-grade limestone
, taconite iron ore, and gypsum) remains an important part of the economy.
The largest sector of the Rapid City economy is government services, including local, state, and federal. Major employers include Ellsworth Air Force Base
, home of the 28th Bomb Wing
flying the B-1B long-range bomber; the Army National Guard
based at Camp Rapid
and hosting annual exercises in the Black Hills drawing troops from five to ten states; and various federal agencies including the National Park Service
, US Forest Service
, and Indian Health Service
.
The Rapid City Regional Hospital Healthcare System covers one of the largest expansions of territory in the United States. The health care sector employs over 8,000 persons in the Rapid City area.
Tourism is also a major portion of the Rapid City economy, due to the proximity of Mount Rushmore
, Sturgis, home of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally
, Deadwood
, and other attractions in the Black Hills. Rapid City is the major source of services for the Motorcycle Rally, and the Rally's demand for motel rooms, camp sites, and other services for tourists during the first week of August means that Rapid City has the capacity to host large conventions and large numbers of tourists year-round. Various minor tourist attractions, including wildlife parks, specialty shops, caves, water parks, private museums, and other businesses are found in and near Rapid City.
Other economic sectors include financial service and investing companies such as Waddell and Reed
, Citibank
, WaMu
, Merrill Lynch
, and Northwestern Mutual. Rapid City is the headquarters for Assurant
Insurance's pre-need division and Rapid City has a strong medical services sector, and institutions of higher education. Rapid City is also the major market town for much of five states, drawing commerce from more than half of South Dakota, and large portions of North Dakota
, Montana
, Wyoming
, and the Nebraska Panhandle
.
provides flights to the airline hub cities of Denver, Minneapolis, Salt Lake City, Dallas-Fort Worth, Las Vegas
, Phoenix
/Mesa and Chicago
. The airport also has extensive General Aviation
operations, including wildfire fighting activities and medical flight support to Rapid City medical facilities and Indian Health Service operations in the Dakotas.
Historically Rapid City was served by three Railroads, today Rapid City is served by the Dakota Minnesota & Eastern, now owned by 15000 miles (24,140.1 km) long Canadian Pacific. The DM&E serves the Northern Black Hills and heads south into Nebraska. The DM&E's lines run east to Minnesota and south through Nebraska to connect with major transcontinental railroads (Burlington Northern Santa Fe and Union Pacific).
Rapid City's central location allows easy transport of products to both coasts, and trucking is a major business activity in the city. Improved connections with Denver and I-80 to the south, via the Heartland Expressway now under construction will primarily benefit local trucking.
Rapid City's location on the boundary of the Western and Eastern power grids, together with the hydroelectric plants of the Mainstem Dams on the Missouri River
and the large coal fields and power plants of the Powder River Basin
of Wyoming make it one of the points where the two national power grids connect with each other, allowing switching of electrical power from east to west and vice versa.
Rapid City's location on the boundary of the Western and Eastern power grids, together with the hydroelectric plants of the Mainstem Dams on the Missouri River and the large coal fields and power plants of the Powder River Basin of Wyoming make it one of the points where the two national power grids connect with each other, allowing switching of electrical power from east to west and vice versa. Rapid City has its own coal-fired power plant, but also obtains much of its power from both the Missouri dams and power stations near Gillette, Wyoming
. Electrical rates are considered relatively low.
Rapid City obtains most of its water supply from Rapid Creek and the alluvial aquifers associated with the creek, owning significant water rights in Pactola Reservoir located some 15 miles (24 km) west of the city, but does also obtain water from some springs in the vicinity, and has the ability to draw water from deep formations which receive water from recharge in areas of the Black Hills where the formations come to the surface. The heavy dependence on shallow alluvial aquifers is of some concern to planners, as most suburbs of Rapid City use septic systems for domestic sewage treatment. However, water supplies remain relatively good for future growth.
The Rapid City Regional Airport
operates at below maximum capacity for general aviation and commercial aviation, and is capable of handling all current commercial passenger and cargo aircraft.
Rapid City no longer has passenger rail service. Rail cargo service is limited: the Dakota, Minnesota, and Eastern provides connections to other cities in South Dakota and Minnesota, and connects to major rail service along the Mississippi River corridor, but the DM&E also connects to major transcontinental rail lines to the south, in Nebraska and Wyoming.
Rapid City has limited city-to-city bus service along I-90, but many charter bus services operate in the area, and connect Rapid City and Deadwood with cities in Colorado, Nebraska, and Iowa. Rapid City does have a municipally-owned bus service with multiple bus stops and a headquarters in the city.
and Meade County
) was 120,279. Most cities and towns in the Black Hills and the surrounding plains have a significant percentage of their population which commute to and from Rapid City, and many residents of Rapid City work in outlying towns. All settlements in the Black Hills have the same disputed legal status
as Rapid City, having been squatted
on land illegally misappropriated from the Sioux
.
Among the nearer suburbs in Pennington and Meade Counties:
Communities at a greater distance from Rapid City include:
Television
Print
South Dakota
South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
, and the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Pennington County
Pennington County, South Dakota
As of the census of 2000, there were 88,565 people, 34,641 households, and 23,278 families residing in the county. The population density was 32 people per square mile . There were 37,249 housing units at an average density of 13 per square mile...
. Named after Rapid Creek
Rapid Creek (South Dakota)
Rapid Creek is a tributary of the Cheyenne River, approximately 86 mi long, in South Dakota in the United States.It rises in southwestern South Dakota, in the Black Hills National Forest in the Black Hills in Pennington County. It flows east, is joined by Castle Creek, past Silver City and...
on which the city is established, it is set against the eastern slope of the Black Hills
Black Hills
The Black Hills are a small, isolated mountain range rising from the Great Plains of North America in western South Dakota and extending into Wyoming, USA. Set off from the main body of the Rocky Mountains, the region is something of a geological anomaly—accurately described as an "island of...
mountain range. The population was 67,956 as of the 2010 Census
United States Census, 2010
The Twenty-third United States Census, known as Census 2010 or the 2010 Census, is the current national census of the United States. National Census Day was April 1, 2010 and is the reference date used in enumerating individuals...
. Rapid City is known as the "Gateway to the Black Hills" and the "Star of the West". The city is divided by a mountain range that splits the western and eastern parts of the city into two.
History
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
in 1874 by the Custer
George Armstrong Custer
George Armstrong Custer was a United States Army officer and cavalry commander in the American Civil War and the Indian Wars. Raised in Michigan and Ohio, Custer was admitted to West Point in 1858, where he graduated last in his class...
Expedition brought a mass influx of settlers into the Black Hills
Black Hills
The Black Hills are a small, isolated mountain range rising from the Great Plains of North America in western South Dakota and extending into Wyoming, USA. Set off from the main body of the Rocky Mountains, the region is something of a geological anomaly—accurately described as an "island of...
region of South Dakota
South Dakota
South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
. Rapid City was founded (and originally known as "Hay Camp") in 1876 by a group of disappointed miners, who promoted their new city as the "Gateway to the Black Hills." John Brennan and Samuel Scott, with a small group of men, laid out the site of the present Rapid City in February 1876, which was named for the spring-fed Rapid Creek
Rapid Creek (South Dakota)
Rapid Creek is a tributary of the Cheyenne River, approximately 86 mi long, in South Dakota in the United States.It rises in southwestern South Dakota, in the Black Hills National Forest in the Black Hills in Pennington County. It flows east, is joined by Castle Creek, past Silver City and...
that flows through it. A square mile was measured off and the six blocks in the center were designated as a business section. Committees were appointed to bring in prospective merchants and their families to locate in the new settlement. The city soon began selling supplies to miners and pioneers. Its location on the edge of the Plains and Hills and its large river valley made it the natural hub of railroads arriving in the late 1880s from both the south and east. By 1900, Rapid City had survived a boom and bust and was establishing itself as an important regional trade center for the upper midwest.
Although the Black Hills became a popular tourist destination in the late 1890s, it was a combination of local efforts, the popularity of the automobile, and construction of improved highways that brought tourists to the Black Hills
Black Hills
The Black Hills are a small, isolated mountain range rising from the Great Plains of North America in western South Dakota and extending into Wyoming, USA. Set off from the main body of the Rocky Mountains, the region is something of a geological anomaly—accurately described as an "island of...
in large numbers after World War I. Gutzon Borglum
Gutzon Borglum
Gutzon de la Mothe Borglum was an American artist and sculptor famous for creating the monumental presidents' heads at Mount Rushmore, South Dakota, the famous carving on Stone Mountain near Atlanta, as well as other public works of art.- Background :The son of Mormon Danish immigrants, Gutzon...
, already a famous sculptor, began work on Mount Rushmore
Mount Rushmore
Mount Rushmore National Memorial is a sculpture carved into the granite face of Mount Rushmore near Keystone, South Dakota, in the United States...
in 1927 and his son, Lincoln Borglum, continued the carving of the presidents' faces in rock following his father's death in 1941. The work was halted due to pressures leading to the US entry into World War II and the massive sculpture was declared complete in 1941. Although tourism sustained the city throughout the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
of the 1930s, the gas rationing of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
had a devastating effect on the tourist industry in the town, but this was more than made up for by the war-related growth.
The city benefited greatly from the opening of Rapid City Army Air Base, later Ellsworth Air Force Base
Ellsworth Air Force Base
Ellsworth Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately northeast of Rapid City, South Dakota just north of Box Elder, South Dakota....
, an Army Air Corps
United States Army Air Corps
The United States Army Air Corps was a forerunner of the United States Air Force. Renamed from the Air Service on 2 July 1926, it was part of the United States Army and the predecessor of the United States Army Air Forces , established in 1941...
training base. As a result, the population of the area nearly doubled between 1940 and 1948, from almost 14,000 to nearly 27,000 people. Military families and civilian personnel soon took every available living space in town, and mobile parks proliferated. Rapid City businesses profited from the military payroll.
During the Cold War, missile installations proliferated in the area: a series of Nike Air Defense sites were constructed around Ellsworth in the 1950s. In the early 60s the construction of three Titan (rocket family)
Titan (rocket family)
Titan was a family of U.S. expendable rockets used between 1959 and 2005. A total of 368 rockets of this family were launched, including all the Project Gemini manned flights of the mid-1960s...
missile launch sites containing a total of nine Titan I missiles in the general vicinity of Rapid City took place. Beginning in November 1963, the land for a hundred miles east, northeast and northwest of the city was dotted with 150 Minuteman missile silos and 15 launch command centers, all of which were deactivated in the early 1990s.
In 1949, city officials envisioned the city as a retail and wholesale trade center for the region and designed a plan for growth that focused on a civic center, more downtown parking places, new schools, and paved streets. A construction boom continued into the 1950s. Growth slowed in the 1960s, but the worst natural disaster in South Dakota history, the Black Hills Flood led to another building boom a decade later. On June 9, 1972, heavy rains caused massive flooding of the Rapid Creek. More than 250 people lost their lives and more than $100 million in property was destroyed.
Rushmore Plaza Civic Center
The Rushmore Plaza Civic Center is a exhibition center, in Rapid City, South Dakota. It contains a 10,000 seat, multi-purpose arena. It was built in 1977 and the grand opening event was an Elvis Presley concert on June 21st....
and a new Central High School were built in part of the area that had been cleared. The new Central High School opened in 1978, with the graduating class in that year straddling both the original Central (housed in what is now Dakota Middle School) and the new Central. The rebuilding in part insulated Rapid City from the drop in automotive tourism caused by the Oil Embargo in 1974, but tourism was depressed for most of a decade. In 1978, Rushmore Mall
Rushmore Mall
Rushmore Mall is a shopping mall located in Rapid City, South Dakota. It fulfills the needs of residents in a sprawling western South Dakota/northwestern Nebraska/northeastern Wyoming market area...
was built on the north edge of the city, adding to the city's position as a retail shopping center.
In 1980 in United States v. Sioux Nation of Indians
United States v. Sioux Nation of Indians
In United States v. Sioux Nation of Indians, 448 U.S. 371 the Supreme Court of the United States held that: 1) The enactment by Congress of a law allowing the Sioux Nation to pursue a claim against the United States that had been previously adjudicated did not violate the doctrine of separation...
, the Supreme Court of the United States
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
ruled that the government of the United States had illegally stolen the Black Hills
Black Hills
The Black Hills are a small, isolated mountain range rising from the Great Plains of North America in western South Dakota and extending into Wyoming, USA. Set off from the main body of the Rocky Mountains, the region is something of a geological anomaly—accurately described as an "island of...
from the Sioux
Sioux
The Sioux are Native American and First Nations people in North America. The term can refer to any ethnic group within the Great Sioux Nation or any of the nation's many language dialects...
people when the government unilaterally broke the treaty that guaranteed the Black Hills belonged to the Sioux. The court decision offered money, but the Sioux declined on principle that the theft of their land should not be validated, and still demand the return of the land. This land includes Rapid City, which is by far the largest modern settlement in the Black Hills. As of 2010, the dispute has not been settled.
In the 1980s, growth was fueled by an increase in tourism, increasingly tied to the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally
Sturgis Motorcycle Rally
The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is an American motorcycle rally held annually in Sturgis, South Dakota, usually the first full week of August.-History:...
, followed by another decline in the late 1990s. Fears for the closure of Ellsworth AFB as part of the massive base closure process in the 1990s and 2000s led to attempts to expand other sectors of the economy, but growth continued and the city expanded significantly during this period.
Today, Rapid City is South Dakota's primary city for tourism and recreation. With the approval of a Deep Underground Science and Engineering Laboratory
Deep Underground Science and Engineering Laboratory
The Deep Underground Science and Engineering Laboratory, or DUSEL is a major project under consideration by the National Science Foundation. DUSEL will be a series of large laboratories, caverns, and cleanrooms serving the field of underground science...
at the Homestake Mine
Homestake Mine (South Dakota)
The Homestake Mine was a deep underground gold mine located in Lead, South Dakota. Until it closed in 2002 it was the largest and deepest gold mine in North America, producing more than 40 million ounces of gold. The Homestake Mine is famous in scientific circles for being the site at which the...
site, Rapid City has a future of great advancements in technology
Technology
Technology is the making, usage, and knowledge of tools, machines, techniques, crafts, systems or methods of organization in order to solve a problem or perform a specific function. It can also refer to the collection of such tools, machinery, and procedures. The word technology comes ;...
, medicine
Medicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
, and scientific research.
1972 Rapid Creek Flood
Black Hills
The Black Hills are a small, isolated mountain range rising from the Great Plains of North America in western South Dakota and extending into Wyoming, USA. Set off from the main body of the Rocky Mountains, the region is something of a geological anomaly—accurately described as an "island of...
of South Dakota
South Dakota
South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
produced record floods on Rapid Creek
Rapid Creek (South Dakota)
Rapid Creek is a tributary of the Cheyenne River, approximately 86 mi long, in South Dakota in the United States.It rises in southwestern South Dakota, in the Black Hills National Forest in the Black Hills in Pennington County. It flows east, is joined by Castle Creek, past Silver City and...
and other streams in the area. Nearly 15 inches (381 mm) of rain fell in about 6 hours near Nemo
Nemo, South Dakota
Nemo is an unincorporated community in Lawrence County, South Dakota, United States. Although not tracked by the Census Bureau, Nemo has been assigned the ZIP code of 57759....
, and more than 10 inches (254 mm) of rain fell over an area of 60 square miles (155.4 km²). According to the Red Cross, the resulting peak floods (which occurred after dark) left 238 people dead and 3,057 people injured. In addition to the human tragedy, total damage was estimated in excess of $160 million (about $821 million in 2009 dollars), which included 1,335 homes and 5,000 automobiles that were destroyed. Runoff from this storm produced record floods (highest peak flows recorded) along Battle, Spring, Rapid, and Box Elder Creeks. Smaller floods also occurred along Elk Creek and Bear Butte
Bear Butte
Bear Butte is a geological butte feature located in western South Dakota, United States, that was established as a State Park in 1961. An important landmark and religious site for the Plains Indians tribes long before Europeans reached South Dakota, Bear Butte is called Mathó Pahá, or Bear...
Creek. Canyon Lake Dam, on the west side of Rapid City, broke the night of the flood, unleashing a wall of water down the creek. The 1972 flooding has an estimated recurrence interval of 500 years, which means that a flood of this magnitude will occur on average once every 500 years. Every year there is a 0.2 percent chance (1 in 500) of experiencing a similar event. To prevent a similar tragedy from occurring in the future, the city's flood plain is no longer allowed to be built upon. Today the flood plain features golf courses, parks, sports arenas, and arboretums where neighborhoods and businesses once stood.
In 2007, the Rapid City Public Library
Rapid City Public Library
The Rapid City Public Library is the system of public libraries in Rapid City, South Dakota. It has two locations, the downtown branch at 610 Quincy Street, and the North location at 10 Van Buren St...
created a 1972 Flood digital archive that collects survivors' stories, photos and news accounts of the flood. The Journey Museum has an interactive display on the 1972 flood which is an ongoing project to give future generations the best idea of how the people were affected and the changes made to it because of the loss of 238 lives. It will in the future include the biographies of all of those who died so they will be remembered as more than names on a memorial.
Geography
Rapid City is located at 44.076188°N 103.228299°W. The downtown elevation of Rapid City is 3,202 feet (976 m) and Rapid City sits in the shadow of Harney PeakHarney Peak
Harney Peak is the highest natural point in South Dakota. Harney Peak is located within the Black Elk Wilderness area, in southern Pennington County, within Black Hills National Forest...
; which at 7242 feet (2,207 m), is the highest point east of the Rocky Mountains
Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in western Canada, to New Mexico, in the southwestern United States...
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 44.7 sq mi (115.8 km²), of which 44.6 square miles (115.5 km²) is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) (0.13%) is water.
Rapid City is located on the eastern edge of the Black Hills, and is split in half by the Dakota Hogback. Rapid City's "Westside" is located in the Red Valley between the foothills of the Black Hills proper and the Dakota Hogback, so named for the red Spearfish formation soils and the way the valley completely circles the Black Hills. Rapid City has grown up into the foothills, with both ridges and valleys developed, especially in the last 20 years, and wildfire is a distinct threat to these residential areas, as shown by the Westberry Trails fire in 1988.
Skyline Drive follows the summits of the Dakota Hogback south from near Rapid Gap (where Rapid Creek cuts through the Hogback) to a large high plateau which forms the current south edge of Rapid City. The Central and Eastern portions of Rapid City lie in the wide valley of Rapid Creek outside the Hogback, which includes a number of mesas rising a hundred feet or more above the floodplain.
Rapid Creek
Rapid Creek flows through Rapid City, emerging from Dark Canyon above Canyon Lake and flowing in a large arc north of Downtown. Rapid Creek descends to the southeast as the valley widens. The floodplain of Rapid Creek is mostly a series of parks, arboretums, and bike trails, one legacy of the Black Hills FloodBlack Hills flood
The Black Hills Flood of 1972, in the Black Hills of Western South Dakota, USA, occurred on June 9, 1972. The extreme rainfall of around of rain in 6 hours sent Rapid Creek and other creeks overflowing and flooded many residential and commercial properties around the Black Hills...
of 1972. To the north, a series of ridges separates Rapid Creek from Box Elder Creek, with large older and new residential areas and commercial areas along I-90. To the south, the terrain rises more steeply to the southern widening of the Dakota Hogback into a plateau dividing the Rapid Creek drainage from Spring Creek.
Climate
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
BSk). Its location makes its climate unlike both the higher elevations of the Black Hills and the Great Plains to the east. It is characterized by long arid summers and long dry winters, with short but distinct spring and autumn seasons.
Winters are cold and dry, with highs averaging from 33.6 °F (0.88888888889602 °C) in January; however, Chinook winds can warm temperatures above 50 °F (10 °C), doing so 20 times from December to February. Temperature inversions, however, occasionally produce warmer temperatures in the Black Hills. The January low averages 11.3 °F (-11.5 °C), though it drops below 0 °F (-17.8 °C) on 19 nights per season. Snowfall is greatest in March, with an average 9.1 inches (23.1 cm), and totals 41.1 inches (104 cm) for the season. However, extensive snow cover does not remain for long, with only 9 days per year of 5 inches (13 cm) or more on the ground.
Spring is somewhat gradual, and diurnal temperature ranges begin to become consistently large. May weather is mild and precipitation changes from rain showers to thunderstorms. Storms typically develop over the Black Hills during the afternoon and move onto the plains in the evening. However, Rapid City still sees an average of 20 clear to partly cloudy days and 65 percent of its possible sunshine in June. This is the traditional "flood" season for Rapid and other creeks in the Eastern Hills. Temperatures warm rapidly as summer approaches. Daytime highs range from 62 to 81 °F (16.7 to 27.2 C) in May and June, while the range for lows is 38 to 55 °F (3.3 to 12.8 C).
Summer in Rapid City is hot, relatively dry, and sunny. July and August are the warmest months of the year, when daytime temperatures climb into the mid 80s F (29-30 C), to or above 90 °F (32.2 °C) on an average 29 days per year and 100 °F (37.8 °C) on 3.7 days. Breezy winds and low humidity levels increase heat tolerance. Rapid City records an average of 9 thunderstorm days in August, but only 1.67 inches (42.4 mm) of rain. Rapid City receives 75 percent of its possible sunshine. Because the elevation of the Black Hills are between 4000 and 8000 feet (2,438.4 m), the sun is very intense.
Fall is a precipitous transition season, with sunny, mild days, and cool nights. Highs range from 75 to 53 °F (23.9 to 11.7 C) from mid September to late October, with lows ranging from 46 to 28 °F (7.8 to -2.2 C) in that same time frame. The average first freeze in Rapid City is October 4 and late August through September in the Black Hills. The Rapid City area’s first snowfall is usually in October, although higher elevations sometimes receive significant snow in September. Occasional cold fronts moving through the area bring blustery northwest winds.
November and December mark the beginning of winter in the Black Hills. Despite cooler temperatures and more snow; the area still has many mild, sunny days. By December, daytime temperatures are in the 30s with nighttime readings in the teens and sometimes below zero in the Black Hills. Storms early in the season produce heavy, wet snow. As the winter progresses, storm tracks from the northwest bring drier snow. Rapid City’s chances for a "White Christmas" (defined as having inch or more of snow on the ground) averages about 50 percent.
Sunshine is abundant in the region, averaging 2850 hours, 65% of the possible total, per year.
Rapid City holds two weather records — fastest temperature rise of 49 °F (27 °C) in 2 minutes on January 22, 1943 and fastest temperature drop of 47 °F (26 °C) in 5 minutes on January 10, 1911. Extremes also range from -31 F on February 2, 1996 to 110 °F (43 °C) on July 8, 1989.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 59,607 people, 23,969 households, and 15,220 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,336.7 people per square mile (516.1/km2). There were 25,096 housing units at an average density of 562.8 per square mile (217.3/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 84.33% White, 0.97% African American, 10.14% Native American, 1.00% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.73% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 2.77% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.77% of the population.
There were 23,969 households out of which 31.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.7% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 12.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.5% were non-families. 29.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.96.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.3% under the age of 18, 11.8% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 20.9% from 45 to 64, and 13.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 96.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $35,978, and the median income for a family was $44,818. Males had a median income of $30,985 versus $21,913 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $19,445. About 9.4% of families and 12.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.6% of those under age 18 and 6.9% of those age 65 or over.
Healthcare
Rapid City is a major medical care center for a five-state region, centered around the Rapid City Regional Hospital and the Indian Health Service's Sioux San Hospital. Other smaller, independent medical facilities have been established in the area, including the Black Hills Surgery Center, The Heart Doctors, The Spine Center at Rapid City, Setliff Sinus Institute, Black Hills Eye Institute and Regional Behavioral Healthcare. Two Veterans AffairsUnited States Department of Veterans Affairs
The United States Department of Veterans Affairs is a government-run military veteran benefit system with Cabinet-level status. It is the United States government’s second largest department, after the United States Department of Defense...
hospitals are located nearby at Fort Meade, and Hot Springs. Emergency medical services
Emergency medical services
Emergency medical services are a type of emergency service dedicated to providing out-of-hospital acute medical care and/or transport to definitive care, to patients with illnesses and injuries which the patient, or the medical practitioner, believes constitutes a medical emergency...
(EMS) are provided by the Rapid City Department of Fire & Emergency Services. Rapid City is also home to a number of non-profit public health organizations that engage in survey and clinic research, epidemiology, and area-based health promotion disease prevention. The Health Education and Promotion Council and Black Hills Center for American Indian Health are two notable non-profit organizations.
Education
South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
The South Dakota School of Mines and Technology is a public institution of higher learning in Rapid City, South Dakota governed by the South Dakota Board of Regents. Founded in 1885 as the Dakota School of Mines, Tech offers degree programs in engineering and science fields. 2,354 students were...
, Oglala Lakota College's He Sapa College Center, West River Graduate and Undergraduate Center (South Dakota State University and the University of South Dakota), National American University
National American University
National American University is a private for-profit university owned by National American University Holdings, Inc. Headquartered in Rapid City, SD, NAU operates multiple locations in the United States and an online division....
, Western Dakota Technical Institute, Black Hills Beauty College
Black Hills Beauty College
Black Hills Beauty College is a private cosmetology school with campuses in Rapid City, South Dakota, and Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The nationally-accredited college offers a 2100-hour comprehensive cosmetology program using Pivot Point curriculum.-History:...
and several small sectarian preacher training schools. Black Hills State University
Black Hills State University
Black Hills State University, South Dakota's third largest comprehensive public university, offering both undergraduate and graduate programs. The campus is located in Spearfish, South Dakota. Close to 5,000 students attend classes at the Spearfish campus, at sites in Rapid City, Pierre, Yankton,...
is located in nearby Spearfish
Spearfish, South Dakota
Spearfish is a city in Lawrence County, South Dakota,United States. The population was 10,494 at the 2010 census.- History :Prior to the Black Hills Gold Rush of 1876, the area was used by Native Americans who would spear fish in the creek...
, and offers several classes in Rapid City. The South Dakota state nurse training program is also based in Rapid City. There are two public high schools in the city, Central High School
Central High School (Rapid City)
Central High School is a high school in Rapid City, South Dakota. The principal is Mike Talley. The high school mascot is the Cobbler. The nickname was changed from "Tigers" to "Cobblers" to honor former coach Euclid Cobb....
and Stevens High School. The city also has an alternative high school; Rapid City Academy, and at least three Christian high schools including Saint Thomas More
St. Thomas More High School (South Dakota)
St. Thomas More High School is a private, Roman Catholic high school in Rapid City, South Dakota. It is located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rapid City....
, Rapid City Christian High School
Rapid City Christian High School
Rapid City Christian School is a middle school and high school in Rapid City, South Dakota. It was founded in 1981.-Student body:RCCS serves grades 6-12. 2006/2007 was the first school year for 6th grade students at this school....
and Open Bible Christian School.
Rapid City Area Schools
The local public schools fall under the Rapid City Area SchoolsRapid City Area Schools
Rapid City Area Schools, formally Rapid City Area School District 51-4, is a public school district serving Rapid City, South Dakota with 25 schools.-Elementary schools:*Black Hawk Elementary School*Canyon Lake Elementary School...
school district
School district
School districts are a form of special-purpose district which serves to operate the local public primary and secondary schools.-United States:...
. There are two major high schools within the district. They are Central High School and Stevens High School. The middle schools include Dakota Middle School, North Middle School, South Middle School, Southwest Middle School, and West Middle School. There are 16 elementary schools within the district. These are Black Hawk, Canyon Lake, Corral Drive, General Beadle, Grandview, Horace Mann, Kibben Kuster, Knollwood Heights, Meadowbrook, Pinedale, Rapid Valley, Robbinsdale, South Canyon, South Park, Valley View, and Woodrow Wilson.
Sports
- The most successful of South Dakota's sports programs, Rapid City Post 22 American Legion Baseball has won dozens of state titles and made several appearances in the American Legion Baseball World Series, winning a title in 1993.
- The Rapid City ThrillersRapid City ThrillersThe Rapid City Thrillers were a professional basketball club based in Rapid City, South Dakota that competed in the Continental Basketball Association beginning in the 1987 season. They were reincarnated in 1998 as an International Basketball Association franchise...
was a professional basketball club that competed in the Continental Basketball Association beginning in the 1987-1988 season through the 1996-1997 season. - The Black Hills PosseBlack Hills PosseThe Black Hills Posse was a professional basketball club based in Rapid City, South Dakota that competed in the International Basketball Association beginning in the 1995-1996 season. The team was founded by George Daniel, an attorney from Pennsylvania...
was a professional basketball club that competed in the International Basketball AssociationInternational Basketball AssociationThe International Basketball Association was founded by Alexandria, Minnesota entrepreneur Thomas Anderson in 1995. Anderson traveled the Upper Midwest searching for franchise owners for a couple of years before the league began play with five teams in the 1995-1996 season...
beginning in the 1995-1996 season. - The Black Hills GoldBlack Hills GoldThe Black Hills Gold was an American professional basketball club based in Rapid City, South Dakota that competed in the International Basketball Association only during the 1999-2000 season....
was a professional basketball club that competed in the International Basketball Association during the 1999-2000 season. - The Rapid City Flying AcesRapid City Flying AcesThe Rapid City Flying Aces is a professional indoor American football team in Rapid City, South Dakota. Like their predecessors, the Black Hills Red Dogs, they play their home games at the Don Barnett Arena in Rapid City. As of April 2007 The Flying Aces did not belong to any football league...
is an indoor football team that competed between 2000 and 2006 in the Indoor Football LeagueIndoor Football LeagueThe Indoor Football League began in 1999 as an offshoot of the troubled Professional Indoor Football League. Keary Ecklund, the owner of the Green Bay Bombers and Madison Mad Dogs, left the PIFL after its first, financially-troubled, season to start his own league. Unlike the PIFL, the IFL was an...
, United Indoor FootballUnited Indoor FootballUnited Indoor Football was a United States indoor football league that started in 2005. Ten owners from the National Indoor Football League, including one expansion and two from arenafootball2 took their franchises and formed their own league...
, and National Indoor Football LeagueNational Indoor Football LeagueNational Indoor Football League was a professional indoor football league in the United States. For their first six years, the league had teams in markets not covered by either the Arena Football League or its developmental league, af2, however, that changed briefly with their expansion into AFL...
, changing names from season to season. - The Rapid City RushRapid City RushThe Rapid City Rush is an ice hockey team in the Central Hockey League. It plays in Rapid City, South Dakota, USA at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center. The Rapid City Rush organization quickly became the premiere franschise in the CHL.-History:...
is a minor league hockey team in the CHLCentral Hockey LeagueThe Central Hockey League is a mid-level professional hockey league, owned by Global Entertainment Corporation. Its current champions are the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs, which defeated the Colorado Eagles four games to three in the 2011 playoffs....
. - The Rushmore Hockey Association is the home of youth hockey in Rapid City, competing in the South Dakota Amateur Hockey Association. The Rushmore Thunder won 2010 State Championships for Varsity, Junior Varsity, and Pee Wee B.
Art and culture
Because of the importance of tourism in the area, and its extensive market area, Rapid City has many cultural resources usually found only in much larger urban areas. Among these are:- The Journey Museum
- Museum of Geology
- Dahl Arts Center
- The Rapid City Public Library
- The Rapid City Knowledge Network
- Heritage Festival
- Rushmore Plaza Civic CenterRushmore Plaza Civic CenterThe Rushmore Plaza Civic Center is a exhibition center, in Rapid City, South Dakota. It contains a 10,000 seat, multi-purpose arena. It was built in 1977 and the grand opening event was an Elvis Presley concert on June 21st....
- Black Hills Playhouse
- Storybook Island Theater
- Art Alley Gallery
- Black Hills Community Theatre
- Black Hills Symphony OrchestraBlack Hills Symphony OrchestraThe Black Hills Symphony Orchestra is an American orchestra located in Rapid City, South Dakota serving the Black Hills region, and is a member of the League of American Orchestras. The BHSO is administered by Black Hills Symphony Orchestra Society Inc., a non-profit organization, and utilizes...
- Black Hills Chamber Orchestra
- Prairie Edge Art Gallery
- Chapel in the HillsChapel in the HillsChapel in the Hills is a stave church located near Rapid City, South Dakota.The Chapel in the Hills was dedicated on July 6, 1969, as the home for the radio ministry of Lutheran Vespers. The church is a special ministry of the South Dakota Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in...
Rapid City also has a large amount of public sculpture on display in many parts of the city. The most visible is "The City of Presidents" - a series of life-sized bronze statues representing each of the American presidents. The statues are located on street corners in the downtown area. Five South Dakota artists created the statues: Edward E. Hlavka, Lee Leuning, John Lopez, James Michael Maher, and James Van Nuys. These statues are being erected by public subscription over a ten-year period between 2000 and 2010.
Sister cities
ApoldaApolda
Apolda is a town in central Thuringia, Germany, the capital of the Weimarer Land district. It is situated in the center of the triangle Weimar - Jena - Naumburg near the river Ilm, c. 15 km east by north from Weimar, on the main line of railway from Berlin via Halle, to...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
Nikko, Japan
Nikko, Tochigi
is a city in the mountains of Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. Approximately 140 km north of Tokyo and 35 km west of Utsunomiya, the capital of Tochigi Prefecture, it is a popular destination for Japanese and international tourists...
Yangshuo County, China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
Industry and economy
Rapid City's economy is diverse, but has only a moderate amount of industry. Heavy and medium industrial activities include a Portland cementPortland cement
Portland cement is the most common type of cement in general use around the world because it is a basic ingredient of concrete, mortar, stucco and most non-specialty grout...
plant (constructed and owned for 84 years by the State of South Dakota
South Dakota
South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
and sold in 2003 to GCC, a Mexican-based conglomerate), Black Hills Ammunition
Black Hills Ammunition
Black Hills Ammunition is an American ammunition and reloading supplies manufacturing company based in Rapid City, South Dakota. Black Hills is popular among Cowboy Action Shooters because they produce quality ammunition in a number of obsolete calibers, such as .44 Russian, .38 Long Colt, .44-40...
an ammunition and reloading supplies manufacturing company, several custom sawmills, a lime plant, a computer peripheral component manufacturing plant, and several farm and ranch equipment manufacturers. Of particular note, Rapid City is the center for the manufacture of Black Hills Gold, a popular product with tourists and Westerners in general. Rapid City is also the location of the only manufacturer of stamping machines used for the labeling of plywood and chipboard products.
Although most gold mining has ceased in the Black Hills and was never done in or near Rapid City, mining of sand and gravel, as well as the raw materials for lime
Lime (mineral)
Lime is a general term for calcium-containing inorganic materials, in which carbonates, oxides and hydroxides predominate. Strictly speaking, lime is calcium oxide or calcium hydroxide. It is also the name for a single mineral of the CaO composition, occurring very rarely...
and Portland cement (including chemical-grade limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
, taconite iron ore, and gypsum) remains an important part of the economy.
The largest sector of the Rapid City economy is government services, including local, state, and federal. Major employers include Ellsworth Air Force Base
Ellsworth Air Force Base
Ellsworth Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately northeast of Rapid City, South Dakota just north of Box Elder, South Dakota....
, home of the 28th Bomb Wing
28th Bomb Wing
The 28th Bomb Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Combat Command Twelfth Air Force. It is stationed at Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota...
flying the B-1B long-range bomber; the Army National Guard
Army National Guard
Established under Title 10 and Title 32 of the U.S. Code, the Army National Guard is part of the National Guard and is divided up into subordinate units stationed in each of the 50 states, three territories and the District of Columbia operating under their respective governors...
based at Camp Rapid
Camp Rapid
Camp Rapid is a South Dakota Army National Guard installation located in Westside, Rapid City, South Dakota just inside the edge of the Black Hills...
and hosting annual exercises in the Black Hills drawing troops from five to ten states; and various federal agencies including the National Park Service
National Park Service
The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
, US Forest Service
United States Forest Service
The United States Forest Service is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 155 national forests and 20 national grasslands, which encompass...
, and Indian Health Service
Indian Health Service
Indian Health Service is an Operating Division within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services . IHS is responsible for providing medical and public health services to members of federally recognized Tribes and Alaska Natives...
.
The Rapid City Regional Hospital Healthcare System covers one of the largest expansions of territory in the United States. The health care sector employs over 8,000 persons in the Rapid City area.
Tourism is also a major portion of the Rapid City economy, due to the proximity of Mount Rushmore
Mount Rushmore
Mount Rushmore National Memorial is a sculpture carved into the granite face of Mount Rushmore near Keystone, South Dakota, in the United States...
, Sturgis, home of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally
Sturgis Motorcycle Rally
The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is an American motorcycle rally held annually in Sturgis, South Dakota, usually the first full week of August.-History:...
, Deadwood
Deadwood, South Dakota
Deadwood is a city in South Dakota, United States, and the county seat of Lawrence County. It is named for the dead trees found in its gulch. The population was 1,270 according to a 2010 census...
, and other attractions in the Black Hills. Rapid City is the major source of services for the Motorcycle Rally, and the Rally's demand for motel rooms, camp sites, and other services for tourists during the first week of August means that Rapid City has the capacity to host large conventions and large numbers of tourists year-round. Various minor tourist attractions, including wildlife parks, specialty shops, caves, water parks, private museums, and other businesses are found in and near Rapid City.
Other economic sectors include financial service and investing companies such as Waddell and Reed
Waddell and Reed
Waddell & Reed Financial, Inc. is an American asset management and financial planning company founded in 1937. It is a publicly traded company as of 1998, with its headquarters in Overland Park, Kansas...
, Citibank
Citibank
Citibank, a major international bank, is the consumer banking arm of financial services giant Citigroup. Citibank was founded in 1812 as the City Bank of New York, later First National City Bank of New York...
, WaMu
WAMU
WAMU is a public radio station that services the greater Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. The station broadcasts on 88.5 FM, online at wamu.org, and on HD Radio at 88.5-HD1, 2 and 3. WAMU is on-air 24 hours a day. It is licensed to American University, and its studios are located near the campus...
, Merrill Lynch
Merrill Lynch
Merrill Lynch is the wealth management division of Bank of America. With over 15,000 financial advisors and $2.2 trillion in client assets it is the world's largest brokerage. Formerly known as Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc., prior to 2009 the firm was publicly owned and traded on the New York...
, and Northwestern Mutual. Rapid City is the headquarters for Assurant
Assurant
Assurant is a specialty insurance company headquartered in New York City. Assurant’s four businesses provide a wide range of insurance products and related services, including creditor-placed homeowners insurance, manufactured housing homeowners insurance, credit insurance, individual health and...
Insurance's pre-need division and Rapid City has a strong medical services sector, and institutions of higher education. Rapid City is also the major market town for much of five states, drawing commerce from more than half of South Dakota, and large portions of North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
, Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
, Wyoming
Wyoming
Wyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High...
, and the Nebraska Panhandle
Nebraska Panhandle
The Nebraska Panhandle is an area in the west of the state of Nebraska. A panhandle is an area extending from the rest of a political unit; the Nebraska panhandle is two-thirds as broad as the rest of the state. It is approximately 100 miles east to west and 125 miles north to south...
.
Transportation
Rapid City is a major transportation hub for the Northern Plains. Rapid City Regional AirportRapid City Regional Airport
Rapid City Regional Airport is a city-owned, public-use airport located eight nautical miles southeast of the central business district of Rapid City, in Pennington County, South Dakota, United States.- Facilities and aircraft :...
provides flights to the airline hub cities of Denver, Minneapolis, Salt Lake City, Dallas-Fort Worth, Las Vegas
Las Vegas metropolitan area
The Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ...
, Phoenix
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
/Mesa and Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. The airport also has extensive General Aviation
General aviation
General aviation is one of the two categories of civil aviation. It refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private and commercial. General aviation flights range from gliders and powered parachutes to large, non-scheduled cargo jet flights...
operations, including wildfire fighting activities and medical flight support to Rapid City medical facilities and Indian Health Service operations in the Dakotas.
Historically Rapid City was served by three Railroads, today Rapid City is served by the Dakota Minnesota & Eastern, now owned by 15000 miles (24,140.1 km) long Canadian Pacific. The DM&E serves the Northern Black Hills and heads south into Nebraska. The DM&E's lines run east to Minnesota and south through Nebraska to connect with major transcontinental railroads (Burlington Northern Santa Fe and Union Pacific).
Rapid City's central location allows easy transport of products to both coasts, and trucking is a major business activity in the city. Improved connections with Denver and I-80 to the south, via the Heartland Expressway now under construction will primarily benefit local trucking.
Rapid City's location on the boundary of the Western and Eastern power grids, together with the hydroelectric plants of the Mainstem Dams on the Missouri River
Missouri River
The Missouri River flows through the central United States, and is a tributary of the Mississippi River. It is the longest river in North America and drains the third largest area, though only the thirteenth largest by discharge. The Missouri's watershed encompasses most of the American Great...
and the large coal fields and power plants of the Powder River Basin
Powder River Basin
The Powder River Basin is a geologic region in southeast Montana and northeast Wyoming, about east to west and north to south, known for its coal deposits. The region supplies about 40 percent of coal in the United States. It is both a topographic drainage and geologic structural basin...
of Wyoming make it one of the points where the two national power grids connect with each other, allowing switching of electrical power from east to west and vice versa.
Infrastructure
- Interstate 90Interstate 90Interstate 90 is the longest Interstate Highway in the United States at . It is the northernmost coast-to-coast interstate, and parallels US 20 for the most part. Its western terminus is in Seattle, at Edgar Martinez Drive S. near Safeco Field and CenturyLink Field, and its eastern terminus is in...
is the primary east-west route for Rapid City. Rapid City is served by a series of 7 exits. I-90 skims the northern side of Rapid City. The South Dakota DOTSouth Dakota Department of TransportationThe South Dakota Department of Transportation is a state government organization in charge of maintaining public roadways of the U.S. state of South Dakota.-External links:*...
has been reconstructing most of these interchanges in the last five years. - Interstate 190Interstate 190 (South Dakota)Interstate 190 is an auxiliary Interstate Highway in the U.S. state of South Dakota. The route runs for about two miles south, connecting I-90 to downtown Rapid City. The entire length overlaps U.S. Route 16. It is the westernmost auxiliary route of Interstate 90, approximately 1150 miles east...
is an Interstate spur linking downtown Rapid City to Interstate 90Interstate 90Interstate 90 is the longest Interstate Highway in the United States at . It is the northernmost coast-to-coast interstate, and parallels US 20 for the most part. Its western terminus is in Seattle, at Edgar Martinez Drive S. near Safeco Field and CenturyLink Field, and its eastern terminus is in...
. - US Highway 16U.S. Route 16U.S. Route 16 is an east–west United States Highway between Rapid City, South Dakota and Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming....
is the main route to the southwest and the Black HillsBlack HillsThe Black Hills are a small, isolated mountain range rising from the Great Plains of North America in western South Dakota and extending into Wyoming, USA. Set off from the main body of the Rocky Mountains, the region is something of a geological anomaly—accurately described as an "island of...
from Rapid City. It links Rapid City to CusterCuster, South DakotaCuster is a city in Custer County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 2,067 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Custer County.-History:...
and then west to Newcastle, WyomingNewcastle, WyomingNewcastle is a city in and the county seat of Weston County, Wyoming, United States. The population was 3,065 at the 2000 census.- Geography :Newcastle is located at...
, where it connects to US Highway 85U.S. Route 85U.S. Route 85 is a north–south United States highway that runs for in the Mountain - Northern Plains states of the United States. The southern terminus of the route is at the United States-Mexico border in El Paso, Texas, connecting with Mexican Federal Highway 45...
for travel to Cheyenne and Denver. Reconstructed as a four-lane parkway connecting Rapid City to Mount Rushmore in the mid-1960s, major segments have been rebuilt as three-lane or "super-two" highways in the past decade, to support increased tourist traffic. - South Dakota Highway 44 is a state highway that links the interior of the Black HillsBlack HillsThe Black Hills are a small, isolated mountain range rising from the Great Plains of North America in western South Dakota and extending into Wyoming, USA. Set off from the main body of the Rocky Mountains, the region is something of a geological anomaly—accurately described as an "island of...
to the southwest of Rapid City, and the Pine Ridge Indian ReservationPine Ridge Indian ReservationThe Pine Ridge Indian Reservation is an Oglala Sioux Native American reservation located in the U.S. state of South Dakota. Originally included within the territory of the Great Sioux Reservation, Pine Ridge was established in 1889 in the southwest corner of South Dakota on the Nebraska border...
and nearby areas in the Great Plains to the southeast. - South Dakota Highway 79 is a state highway that is multiplexed with I-90 northwest of Rapid City. SD Highway 79 extends to and connects with US Highway 85 into North DakotaNorth DakotaNorth Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
. South of Rapid City to NebraskaNebraskaNebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
, Highway 79 is being reconstructed as the Heartland Expressway, a high-speed four-lane highway which will eventually connect to Interstate 80Interstate 80Interstate 80 is the second-longest Interstate Highway in the United States, following Interstate 90. It is a transcontinental artery running from downtown San Francisco, California to Teaneck, New Jersey in the New York City Metropolitan Area...
in Nebraska and the Colorado Front RangeColorado Front RangeThe Colorado Front Range is a colloquial geographic term for the most populous region of the state of Colorado in the United States. The area is located just east of the foothills of the Front Range, aligned in a north-south configuration on the western edge of the Great Plains, where they meet the...
near Denver. The Heartland Expressway may eventually be extended along US Highway 85 north to Regina, SaskatchewanRegina, SaskatchewanRegina is the capital city of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The city is the second-largest in the province and a cultural and commercial centre for southern Saskatchewan. It is governed by Regina City Council. Regina is the cathedral city of the Roman Catholic and Romanian Orthodox...
, to create an additional major north-south artery through the Great PlainsGreat PlainsThe Great Plains are a broad expanse of flat land, much of it covered in prairie, steppe and grassland, which lies west of the Mississippi River and east of the Rocky Mountains in the United States and Canada. This area covers parts of the U.S...
which would pass through Rapid City.
Rapid City's location on the boundary of the Western and Eastern power grids, together with the hydroelectric plants of the Mainstem Dams on the Missouri River and the large coal fields and power plants of the Powder River Basin of Wyoming make it one of the points where the two national power grids connect with each other, allowing switching of electrical power from east to west and vice versa. Rapid City has its own coal-fired power plant, but also obtains much of its power from both the Missouri dams and power stations near Gillette, Wyoming
Gillette, Wyoming
Gillette is a city in and the county seat of Campbell County, Wyoming, United States. The population was 29,087 in 2010. Gillette is a city centrally located in an area involved with the development of vast quantities of American coal, oil, and coal bed methane gas...
. Electrical rates are considered relatively low.
Rapid City obtains most of its water supply from Rapid Creek and the alluvial aquifers associated with the creek, owning significant water rights in Pactola Reservoir located some 15 miles (24 km) west of the city, but does also obtain water from some springs in the vicinity, and has the ability to draw water from deep formations which receive water from recharge in areas of the Black Hills where the formations come to the surface. The heavy dependence on shallow alluvial aquifers is of some concern to planners, as most suburbs of Rapid City use septic systems for domestic sewage treatment. However, water supplies remain relatively good for future growth.
The Rapid City Regional Airport
Rapid City Regional Airport
Rapid City Regional Airport is a city-owned, public-use airport located eight nautical miles southeast of the central business district of Rapid City, in Pennington County, South Dakota, United States.- Facilities and aircraft :...
operates at below maximum capacity for general aviation and commercial aviation, and is capable of handling all current commercial passenger and cargo aircraft.
Rapid City no longer has passenger rail service. Rail cargo service is limited: the Dakota, Minnesota, and Eastern provides connections to other cities in South Dakota and Minnesota, and connects to major rail service along the Mississippi River corridor, but the DM&E also connects to major transcontinental rail lines to the south, in Nebraska and Wyoming.
Rapid City has limited city-to-city bus service along I-90, but many charter bus services operate in the area, and connect Rapid City and Deadwood with cities in Colorado, Nebraska, and Iowa. Rapid City does have a municipally-owned bus service with multiple bus stops and a headquarters in the city.
Suburbs
The estimated 2007 population of the Rapid City Metropolitan Statistical Area (consisting of Pennington CountyPennington County, South Dakota
As of the census of 2000, there were 88,565 people, 34,641 households, and 23,278 families residing in the county. The population density was 32 people per square mile . There were 37,249 housing units at an average density of 13 per square mile...
and Meade County
Meade County, South Dakota
As of the census of 2000, there were 24,253 people, 8,805 households, and 6,700 families residing in the county. The population density was 7 people per square mile . There were 10,149 housing units at an average density of 3 per square mile...
) was 120,279. Most cities and towns in the Black Hills and the surrounding plains have a significant percentage of their population which commute to and from Rapid City, and many residents of Rapid City work in outlying towns. All settlements in the Black Hills have the same disputed legal status
Black Hills Land Claim
The Black Hills Land Claim is an ongoing land dispute between Native Americans from the Sioux nation and the United States Federal Government.- Geography :...
as Rapid City, having been squatted
Squatting
Squatting consists of occupying an abandoned or unoccupied space or building, usually residential, that the squatter does not own, rent or otherwise have permission to use....
on land illegally misappropriated from the Sioux
Sioux
The Sioux are Native American and First Nations people in North America. The term can refer to any ethnic group within the Great Sioux Nation or any of the nation's many language dialects...
.
Among the nearer suburbs in Pennington and Meade Counties:
- Ashland HeightsAshland Heights, South DakotaAshland Heights is a census-designated place and unincorporated community in Pennington County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 754 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Ashland Heights is located at ....
- Rapid ValleyRapid Valley, South DakotaRapid Valley is a census-designated place and unincorporated community in Pennington County, South Dakota, United States, and a suburb of Rapid City. The population was 8,260 at the 2010 census. Rapid Valley has been a retreat for people living in Rapid City due to its low crime, cheap land, and...
- BlackhawkBlackhawk, South DakotaBlackhawk is an unincorporated census-designated place in Meade County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 2,892 at the 2010 census. Blackhawk has been assigned the ZIP code of 57718...
- Piedmont Valley
- PiedmontPiedmont, South DakotaPiedmont is a city in Meade County, South Dakota, United States. According to the 2010 Census, the population was 222. Piedmont lies along Interstate 90 between Rapid City and Sturgis. Piedmont has been assigned the ZIP Code of 57769.-History:...
- Box ElderBox Elder, South DakotaBox Elder is a city in Meade and Pennington counties in the U.S. state of South Dakota. The population was 7,800 at the 2010 census. Ellsworth Air Force Base lies on the north side of the city.-Geography:Box Elder is located at ....
- Colonial Pine HillsColonial Pine Hills, South DakotaColonial Pine Hills is a census-designated place and unincorporated community in Pennington County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 2,493 at the 2010 census...
- CaputaCaputa, South DakotaCaputa is an unincorporated community in Pennington County, South Dakota, United States. Although not tracked by the Census Bureau, Caputa has been assigned the ZIP code of 57725....
- HermosaHermosa, South DakotaHermosa is a town in Custer County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 398 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Hermosa is located at ....
- NemoNemo, South DakotaNemo is an unincorporated community in Lawrence County, South Dakota, United States. Although not tracked by the Census Bureau, Nemo has been assigned the ZIP code of 57759....
- Rimrock AreaRimrock Area, South DakotaThe Rimrock Area is a suburban area of Rapid City, South Dakota located along South Dakota Highway 44 and Rapid Creek in the eastern Black Hills, between Rapid City and US-385...
- Johnson SidingJohnson Siding, South DakotaJohnson Siding is an unincorporated community in Pennington County, South Dakota, United States. The population as of the 2010 census was 659. It is located in the Rimrock Area, about 10 miles west of Rapid City. It is surrounded by the Black Hills National Forest...
- Rockerville
- SummersetSummerset, South DakotaSummerset is a city in Meade County, South Dakota, United States. Located in the western part of the state, it is the first city to incorporate in the state since 1985.Summerset was incorporated in an election that was held on June 7, 2005...
- Whispering Pines
- Moon Meadows
Communities at a greater distance from Rapid City include:
- New UnderwoodNew Underwood, South DakotaNew Underwood is a city in Pennington County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 660 at the 2010 census.-Geography:New Underwood is located at ....
- Silver CitySilver City, South DakotaSilver City is an unincorporated community in Pennington County, South Dakota, United States, outside of Rapid City. It lies at the head of Pactola Lake on Rapid Creek, and is about 5 miles west of U.S. Route 385 via a paved county road. The area was first referenced by General George A. Custer...
- KeystoneKeystone, South DakotaKeystone is a town in the Black Hills region of Pennington County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 337 at the 2010 census. It had its origins in 1883 as a mining town, and has since transformed itself into a resort town, serving the needs of the millions of visitors to Mount...
- Hill CityHill City, South DakotaHill City is the oldest existing city in Pennington County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 948 at the 2010 census. Hill City is located southwest of Rapid City on State Highway 16 and on U.S. Route 385 that connects Deadwood to Hot Springs...
- Hayward
- SpearfishSpearfish, South DakotaSpearfish is a city in Lawrence County, South Dakota,United States. The population was 10,494 at the 2010 census.- History :Prior to the Black Hills Gold Rush of 1876, the area was used by Native Americans who would spear fish in the creek...
- Sturgis
- Belle Fourche
AM Radio
| AM radio stations | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frequency | Call sign | Name | Format | Owner | City of License | Broadcast Market |
| 580 AM | KZMX KZMX (AM) KZMX is a radio station broadcasting a country music format. Licensed to Hot Springs, South Dakota, USA, the station serves the Rapid City area. The station is currently owned by Mt. Rushmore Broadcasting, Inc.... |
580 Country | Country Country A country is a region legally identified as a distinct entity in political geography. A country may be an independent sovereign state or one that is occupied by another state, as a non-sovereign or formerly sovereign political division, or a geographic region associated with a previously... |
Mt. Rushmore Broadcasting, Inc | Hot Springs | Rapid City |
| 810 AM | KBHB KBHB KBHB is a radio station broadcasting a farm/news related format. Licensed to Sturgis, South Dakota, USA, it serves the Rapid City area. The station is currently owned by New Rushmore Radio, Inc... |
Five State Ranch Radio | Farm Farm A farm is an area of land, or, for aquaculture, lake, river or sea, including various structures, devoted primarily to the practice of producing and managing food , fibres and, increasingly, fuel. It is the basic production facility in food production. Farms may be owned and operated by a single... |
New Rushmore Radio, Inc | Sturgis | Rapid City |
| 920 AM | KKLS KKLS (AM) KKLS is a radio station licensed to serve Rapid City, South Dakota. The station is owned by New Rushmore Radio, Inc. It airs an Oldies music format... |
97.5 The Hills | Contemporary Hits | New Rushmore Radio, Inc | Rapid City | Rapid City |
| 980 AM | KDSJ KDSJ KDSJ is a radio station broadcasting an oldies format. Licensed to Deadwood, South Dakota, USA, the station serves the Rapid City area. The station is currently owned by Goldrush Broadcasting, Inc.... |
Oldies Oldies Oldies is a term commonly used to describe a radio format that concentrates on music from a period of about 15 to 55 years before the present day.... |
Goldrush Broadcasting, Inc | Deadwood | Rapid City | |
| 1150 AM | KIMM KIMM (AM) KIMM is a radio station broadcasting a country music format. Licensed to Rapid City, South Dakota, USA, the station serves the Rapid City area... |
Big Kim Country | Classic Country Classic country Classic country is a music radio format that specializes in playing mainstream country hits from past decades.This genre generally follows one of two formats: those specializing in hits from the 1920s through the early 1970s, and focus primarily on innovators and artists from country music's Golden... |
Gunslinger Radio, Inc | Rapid City | Rapid City |
| 1340 AM | KTOQ KTOQ KTOQ is a radio station broadcasting a news/talk format. Licensed to Rapid City, South Dakota, USA, the station serves the Rapid City area... |
K-Talk AM 1340 | News/Talk | Haugo Broadcasting, Inc | Rapid City | Rapid City |
| 1380 AM | KOTA KOTA (AM) KOTA is a radio station licensed to serve Rapid City, South Dakota. The station is owned by the Duhamel family of Rapid City... |
Radio 1380 KOTA | News/Talk | Duhamel Broadcasting Enterprises | Rapid City | Rapid City |
FM Radio
| FM radio stations | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frequency | Call sign | Name | Format | Owner | Target city/market Media market A media market, broadcast market, media region, designated market area , Television Market Area , or simply market is a region where the population can receive the same television and radio station offerings, and may also include other types of media including newspapers and Internet content... | City of license City of license A city of license or community of license, in American and Canadian broadcasting, is the community that a radio station or television station is officially licensed to serve by that country's broadcast regulator.... |
| 88.3 FM | KLMP KLMP KLMP , known as "The Light", is a radio station in Rapid City, South Dakota airing a Christian format.-History:KLMP signed onto the air in 1968 as KVSR-FM, which stood for "Keep Voicing the Savior’s Redemption". After a change of ownership in 1992, the call letters were changed to KLMP... |
The Light | Christian Christian radio Christian radio is a category of radio formats that focus on transmitting programming with a Christian message. In the United States, where it is more established, many such broadcasters play popular music of Christian influence, though many programs have talk or news programming covering... |
Bethesda Christian Broadcasting | Rapid City | Rapid City |
| 88.7 FM | K204FB KILI KILI , licensed to Porcupine, South Dakota, is a non-profit radio station broadcasting to the Lakota people on the Pine Ridge, Cheyenne River, and Rosebud Indian Reservations, part of the Great Sioux Nation... |
Community Radio Community radio Community radio is a type of radio service, that offers a third model of radio broadcasting beyond commercial broadcasting and public broadcasting. Community stations can serve geographic communities and communities of interest... KILI-FM KILI KILI , licensed to Porcupine, South Dakota, is a non-profit radio station broadcasting to the Lakota people on the Pine Ridge, Cheyenne River, and Rosebud Indian Reservations, part of the Great Sioux Nation... translator |
Lakota Communications Inc. | Rapid City | Rapid City | |
| 89.3 FM | KBHE South Dakota Public Broadcasting South Dakota Public Broadcasting, or SDPB for short, is a state network of Public Broadcasting Service Non-commercial educational Public television and NPR radio stations serving the state of South Dakota. The stations are operated by the South Dakota Bureau of Information and Telecommunication, a... |
South Dakota Public Broadcasting | NPR | SD Board of Directors for Educational Telecommunications | Rapid City | Rapid City |
| 89.9 FM | KQFR Family Radio Family Radio, also known by its licensee name Family Stations Inc., is a Christian radio network based in Oakland, California, USA, founded by Lloyd Lindquist, Richard H. Palmquist and Harold Camping... |
Family Radio | Christian Christian radio Christian radio is a category of radio formats that focus on transmitting programming with a Christian message. In the United States, where it is more established, many such broadcasters play popular music of Christian influence, though many programs have talk or news programming covering... |
Family Stations Inc | Rapid City | Rapid City |
| 90.3 FM | KASD American Family Radio American Family Radio is a network of more than 180 radio stations broadcasting Christian-oriented programming to over 40 states.-Overview:AFR was launched by Rev... |
American Family Radio | Christian Christian radio Christian radio is a category of radio formats that focus on transmitting programming with a Christian message. In the United States, where it is more established, many such broadcasters play popular music of Christian influence, though many programs have talk or news programming covering... |
American Family Radio | Rapid City | Rapid City |
| 91.3 FM | KTEQ KTEQ KTEQ or "K-Tech" is the campus radio station of the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology in Rapid City, South Dakota. The station's daily schedule consists of shows that are three hours in length. The music formats of the radio shows vary according to the tastes of the volunteer DJ's doing... |
K-Tech | Alternative Alternative rock Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s... |
Tech Educational Radio Council | Rapid City | Rapid City |
| 91.7 FM | K218DX CSN International CSN International, broadcasting under the callsign KAWZ, is an FM radio station in Twin Falls, Idaho, operating on a frequency of 89.9 MHz with an effective radiated power of 100 kW at 302 meters above average terrain.... |
CSN International | Christian Christian radio Christian radio is a category of radio formats that focus on transmitting programming with a Christian message. In the United States, where it is more established, many such broadcasters play popular music of Christian influence, though many programs have talk or news programming covering... KAWZ-FM CSN International CSN International, broadcasting under the callsign KAWZ, is an FM radio station in Twin Falls, Idaho, operating on a frequency of 89.9 MHz with an effective radiated power of 100 kW at 302 meters above average terrain.... translator |
CSN International | Rapid City | Box Elder |
| 92.2 FM | KQRQ-FM | Q92.3 | Classic Hits Classic hits Classic hits is a radio format which generally includes rock and pop music from 1964 to 1989. The term is sometimes erroneously used as a synonym for the adult hits format, but is more accurately characterized as a contemporary style of the oldies format... |
New Generation Broadcasting | Rapid City | Rapid City |
| 93.1 FM | KRCS KRCS KRCS is a radio station that airs a Top 40 format in the Rapid City and the Black Hills area. The station is owned by New Rushmore Radio, Inc... |
Hot 93.1 | Top 40 | New Rushmore Radio, Inc. | Rapid City | Sturgis |
| 93.9 FM | KKMK KKMK KKMK is a radio station in Rapid City, South Dakota, airing a hot adult contemporary format.-Ownership:In May 1999, Triad Broadcasting reached a deal to acquire this station from Brothers Jim and Tom Instad as part of a twelve-station deal valued at a reported $37.8 million.In July 2006, Schurz... |
Magic 93.9 | Hot AC | New Rushmore Radio, Inc. | Rapid City | Rapid City |
| 95.1 FM | KSQY KSQY KSQY is a radio station broadcasting a mainstream rock format. The station known as "K-SKY" is licensed to Deadwood, South Dakota and serves the Rapid City listening area... |
K-Sky | Album Oriented Rock | Haugo Broadcasting, Inc | Rapid City | Deadwood |
| 95.9 FM | KZZI KZZI KZZI is a radio station licensed to serve Belle Fourche, South Dakota, serving the Rapid City, South Dakota market. The station is owned by Duhamel Broadcasting and licensed to Western South Dakota Broadcasting, LLC... |
The Eagle | Country Country A country is a region legally identified as a distinct entity in political geography. A country may be an independent sovereign state or one that is occupied by another state, as a non-sovereign or formerly sovereign political division, or a geographic region associated with a previously... |
Duhamel Broadcasting | Rapid City | Belle Fourche |
| 96.3 FM | K242BK KZZI KZZI is a radio station licensed to serve Belle Fourche, South Dakota, serving the Rapid City, South Dakota market. The station is owned by Duhamel Broadcasting and licensed to Western South Dakota Broadcasting, LLC... |
The Eagle | Country Country A country is a region legally identified as a distinct entity in political geography. A country may be an independent sovereign state or one that is occupied by another state, as a non-sovereign or formerly sovereign political division, or a geographic region associated with a previously... |
Duhamel Broadcasting | Rapid City | Rapid City |
| 97.1 FM | KFND-LP KFND-LP KFND-LP is a radio station broadcasting a religious music format. Licensed to Rapid City, South Dakota, USA, the station is currently owned by Calvary Chapel of the Black Hills.... |
Religious | Calvary Chapel of the Black Hills | Rapid City | Rapid City | |
| 97.5 FM | K248BT KKLS (AM) KKLS is a radio station licensed to serve Rapid City, South Dakota. The station is owned by New Rushmore Radio, Inc. It airs an Oldies music format... |
97.5 The Hills | Adult Contemporary | New Rushmore Radio, Inc. | Rapid City | Rapid City |
| 97.9 FM | KTPT KTPT KTPT, known as "97.9 The Point", is a radio station serving Rapid City, South Dakota and the surrounding region. The station airs a mix of upbeat, positive themed music. 97.9 The Point is owned by Bethesda Christian Broadcasting.... |
The Point | Christian Rock Christian rock Christian rock is a form of rock music played by individuals and bands whose members are Christians and who often focus the lyrics on matters concerned with the Christian faith. The extent to which their lyrics are explicitly Christian varies between bands... |
Bethesda Christian Broadcasting | Rapid City | Rapid City |
| 98.7 FM | KOUT KOUT KOUT is a radio station licensed to serve Rapid City, South Dakota. The station is owned by New Rushmore Radio, Inc. It airs a country music format.... |
Kat Country 98.7 | Country Country A country is a region legally identified as a distinct entity in political geography. A country may be an independent sovereign state or one that is occupied by another state, as a non-sovereign or formerly sovereign political division, or a geographic region associated with a previously... |
New Rushmore Radio, Inc | Rapid City | Rapid City |
| 99.5 FM | KRKI-FM1 | 99-5 ESPN Sports Radio | Sports KRKI-FM KRKI KRKI is a radio station licensed to serve Newcastle, Wyoming but has an application to change the city of license to Keystone, South Dakota. The station serves Rapid City, South Dakota, with an on-channel broadcast booster licensed as KRKI-FM1... booster Broadcast relay station A broadcast relay station, relay transmitter, broadcast translator , rebroadcaster , or repeater is a broadcast transmitter which relays, repeats, or reflects the signal of another radio station or television station, usually to an area not covered by the signal of the originating station... |
Michael Radio Group, LLC | Rapid City | Rapid City |
| 100.3 FM | KFXS KFXS KFXS is a radio station licensed to serve Rapid City, South Dakota. The station is owned by New Rushmore Radio, Inc... |
100.3 The Fox | Classic Rock Classic rock Classic rock is a radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format features music ranging generally from the late 1960s to the late 1980s, primarily focusing on the hard rock genre that peaked in popularity in the... |
New Rushmore Radio, Inc | Rapid City | Rapid City |
| 101.1 FM | KDDX KDDX -External links:*... |
X-Rock | Active Rock Active rock Active rock is a radio format used by many commercial radio stations across the United States and Canada. Active rock plays contemporary rock artists with a mix of songs common in the classic rock radio format.-Format background:... |
Duhamel Broadcasting Enterprises | Rapid City | Spearfish |
| 101.9 FM | KFMH-FM1 | Oldies 101.9 | Oldies Oldies Oldies is a term commonly used to describe a radio format that concentrates on music from a period of about 15 to 55 years before the present day.... KFMH-FM booster Broadcast relay station A broadcast relay station, relay transmitter, broadcast translator , rebroadcaster , or repeater is a broadcast transmitter which relays, repeats, or reflects the signal of another radio station or television station, usually to an area not covered by the signal of the originating station... |
Laramie Mountain Broadcasting, LLC | Rapid City | Rapid City |
| 102.7 FM | KXMZ KXMZ KXMZ is a radio station with a Hot AC format. Licensed to Box Elder, South Dakota, it serves the Rapid City, South Dakota metropolitan area. The station is owned by Connoisseur Media.-External links:*... |
Hits 102.7 | Hot AC | Connoisseur Media | Rapid City | Box Elder |
| 103.5 FM | K278AN KDDX -External links:*... |
X-Rock | Active Rock Active rock Active rock is a radio format used by many commercial radio stations across the United States and Canada. Active rock plays contemporary rock artists with a mix of songs common in the classic rock radio format.-Format background:... KDDX-FM KDDX -External links:*... translator |
Duhamel Broadcasting Enterprises | Rapid City | Rapid City |
| 104.1 FM | KIQK KIQK KIQK is a radio station broadcasting a Country music format. Licensed to Rapid City, South Dakota, USA, the station serves the Rapid City area. The station is currently owned by Haugo Broadcasting, Inc.-History:... |
Kick 104 | Country Country A country is a region legally identified as a distinct entity in political geography. A country may be an independent sovereign state or one that is occupied by another state, as a non-sovereign or formerly sovereign political division, or a geographic region associated with a previously... |
Haugo Broadcasting, Inc | Rapid City | Rapid City |
| 104.7 FM | K284BA KRCS KRCS is a radio station that airs a Top 40 format in the Rapid City and the Black Hills area. The station is owned by New Rushmore Radio, Inc... |
Hot 93.1 | Top 40 KRCS-FM KRCS KRCS is a radio station that airs a Top 40 format in the Rapid City and the Black Hills area. The station is owned by New Rushmore Radio, Inc... translator |
New Rushmore Radio, Inc | Rapid City | Rapid City |
| 105.1 FM | KAWK KAWK KAWK is a radio station broadcasting an Oldies format. Licensed to Custer, South Dakota, USA, the station serves the Rapid City area. The station is currently owned by Mt. Rushmore Broadcasting, Inc.-History:... |
The Hawk 105.1 | Adult Contemporary | Haugo Broadcasting, Inc | Rapid City | Custer |
| 105.7 FM | K289AI KLMP KLMP , known as "The Light", is a radio station in Rapid City, South Dakota airing a Christian format.-History:KLMP signed onto the air in 1968 as KVSR-FM, which stood for "Keep Voicing the Savior’s Redemption". After a change of ownership in 1992, the call letters were changed to KLMP... |
The Light | Christian Christian radio Christian radio is a category of radio formats that focus on transmitting programming with a Christian message. In the United States, where it is more established, many such broadcasters play popular music of Christian influence, though many programs have talk or news programming covering... KLMP-FM KLMP KLMP , known as "The Light", is a radio station in Rapid City, South Dakota airing a Christian format.-History:KLMP signed onto the air in 1968 as KVSR-FM, which stood for "Keep Voicing the Savior’s Redemption". After a change of ownership in 1992, the call letters were changed to KLMP... translator |
Bethesda Christian Broadcasting | Rapid City | Rapid City |
| 106.3 FM | KZLK KZLK KZLK is an American radio station licensed by the Federal Communications Commission to broadcast at 106.3 MHz in the city of Rapid City, South Dakota. The station's programming is called "She 106.3", which is a hot AC format.-History:... |
She 106.3 | Hot AC | Steven E. Duffy | Rapid City | Custer |
| 106.7 FM | K294BT KIMM (AM) KIMM is a radio station broadcasting a country music format. Licensed to Rapid City, South Dakota, USA, the station serves the Rapid City area... |
Big Kim Classic Country | Country Country A country is a region legally identified as a distinct entity in political geography. A country may be an independent sovereign state or one that is occupied by another state, as a non-sovereign or formerly sovereign political division, or a geographic region associated with a previously... KIMM-AM KIMM (AM) KIMM is a radio station broadcasting a country music format. Licensed to Rapid City, South Dakota, USA, the station serves the Rapid City area... translator |
Gunslinger Radio, Inc | Rapid City | Rapid City |
| 107.3 FM | KSLT KSLT KSLT known as "Power 107.1" is a radio station licensed to Spearfish, South Dakota serving Rapid City, South Dakota and the surrounding region with a Christian contemporary format. The station is currently owned by Bethesda Christian Broadcasting.... |
Power 107.3 | Christian Contemporary | Bethesda Christian Broadcasting | Rapid City | Spearfish |
| 107.9 FM | K300AX KSLT KSLT known as "Power 107.1" is a radio station licensed to Spearfish, South Dakota serving Rapid City, South Dakota and the surrounding region with a Christian contemporary format. The station is currently owned by Bethesda Christian Broadcasting.... |
Power 107.3 | Christian Contemporary KSLT-FM KSLT KSLT known as "Power 107.1" is a radio station licensed to Spearfish, South Dakota serving Rapid City, South Dakota and the surrounding region with a Christian contemporary format. The station is currently owned by Bethesda Christian Broadcasting.... translator |
Bethesda Christian Broadcasting | Rapid City | Rapid City |
Television
- KOTA-TVKOTA-TVKOTA-TV, channel 3, is an ABC television affiliate based in Rapid City, South Dakota, USA. The station is owned by the Duhamel family of Rapid City...
3 ABCAmerican Broadcasting CompanyThe American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
(ATSCATSCATSC standards are a set of standards developed by the Advanced Television Systems Committee for digital television transmission over terrestrial, cable, and satellite networks....
2) - KEVN-TVKEVN-TVKEVN-TV, channel 7, is a Fox television station affiliate based in Rapid City, South Dakota. It also operates a satellite in Lead, South Dakota, KIVV-TV , which can also be seen over the air in Rapid City...
7 FoxFox Broadcasting CompanyFox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
(ATSC 18) - KBHE-TVSouth Dakota Public BroadcastingSouth Dakota Public Broadcasting, or SDPB for short, is a state network of Public Broadcasting Service Non-commercial educational Public television and NPR radio stations serving the state of South Dakota. The stations are operated by the South Dakota Bureau of Information and Telecommunication, a...
9 PBSPublic Broadcasting ServiceThe Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
(ATSC 26) - KCLOKELO-TVKELO is the CBS affiliate television station in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, broadcasting on digital channel 11. South Dakotans pronounce its call letters as a homonym of "hello"...
15 CBSCBSCBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
(ATSC 16) - KNBNKNBNKNBN, channel 21, is the NBC affiliate in Rapid City, South Dakota. It is owned by Rapid Broadcasting, and is also the sister station to KWBH-LP...
21 NBCNBCThe National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago... - KKRA-LP 24 MyNetworkTVMyNetworkTVMyNetworkTV is a television broadcast syndication service in the United States, owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, a division of News Corporation...
/ION - KWBH-LPKWBH-LPKWBH-LP, channel 27, is a low-powered affiliate of The CW in Rapid City, South Dakota. KWBH is seen on cable channel 16 in most areas. Much of the programming comes from The CW Plus. They are owned by Rapid Broadcasting, which also owns KNBN and KKRA-LP. KWBH is simulcasted on KNBN's digital...
27 The CWThe CW Television NetworkThe CW Television Network is a television network in the United States launched at the beginning of the 2006–2007 television season. It is a joint venture between CBS Corporation, the former owners of United Paramount Network , and Time Warner's Warner Bros., former majority owner of The WB... - KCPL-LPKCPO-LPKCPO-LP, Channel 26 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota and KCPL-LP, Channel 52 in Rapid City, South Dakota are a pair of simulcasting independent television stations that are operated by Central Plains Media that were formerly UPN affiliates...
52 IndependentIndependent stationAn independent station is in the category of television terminology used to describe a television station broadcasting in the United States or Canada that is not affiliated with any television network....
- Rapid City JournalRapid City JournalThe Rapid City Journal is the daily newspaper of Rapid City, South Dakota.See also List of newspapers in South Dakota-External links:*...
- Rapid City Weekly Report
- Patriot (Ellsworth AFB Bulletin)
Places of interest
- Dinosaur ParkDinosaur ParkDinosaur Park is a science-fiction novel by Hayford Peirce first published by Tor in 1989 under the title The Thirteenth Majestral and republished as Dinosaur Park in 1994. The nondescript cover of the original book had no relation to the story...
- Hart Ranch
- Reptile GardensReptile GardensReptile Gardens is an animal park located in Rapid City, South Dakota. Its mission is "To educate the public on important environmental issues, while working closely with many major zoos worldwide to promote species survival"...
- Bear Country USA
- Storybook Island
- South Dakota School of Mines and TechnologySouth Dakota School of Mines and TechnologyThe South Dakota School of Mines and Technology is a public institution of higher learning in Rapid City, South Dakota governed by the South Dakota Board of Regents. Founded in 1885 as the Dakota School of Mines, Tech offers degree programs in engineering and science fields. 2,354 students were...
- The Journey Museum and GardensThe Journey Museum and GardensThe Journey Museum and Gardens is a museum in Rapid City, South Dakota, USA with of gardens. It is set up as a journey through the history of the Black Hills, starting with the Native American creation stories, moving into the 2.5 billion years of history in the rock record with the geology...
- Rapid City Public LibraryRapid City Public LibraryThe Rapid City Public Library is the system of public libraries in Rapid City, South Dakota. It has two locations, the downtown branch at 610 Quincy Street, and the North location at 10 Van Buren St...
- Rushmore MallRushmore MallRushmore Mall is a shopping mall located in Rapid City, South Dakota. It fulfills the needs of residents in a sprawling western South Dakota/northwestern Nebraska/northeastern Wyoming market area...
Noteworthy residents
- Catherine BachCatherine BachCatherine Bach is an American actress. She is known for playing Daisy Duke in the television series The Dukes of Hazzard and Margo Dutton in African Skies.-Career:...
She is mostly known for playing Daisy DukeDaisy DukeDaisy Mae Duke is a fictional character, played by Catherine Bach, from the American television series The Dukes of Hazzard. She was the cousin of Bo and Luke, the main protagonists of the show, who were also cousins, and the three lived on a farm on the outskirts of Hazzard County with their Uncle...
in The Dukes of HazzardThe Dukes of HazzardThe Dukes of Hazzard is an American television series that aired on the CBS television network from 1979 to 1985.The series was inspired by the 1975 film Moonrunners, which was also created by Gy Waldron and had many identical or similar character names and concepts.- Overview :The Dukes of Hazzard...
. - Shane Van Boening - Professional Billiards player
- Dave CollinsDave CollinsDavid S. Collins is a former outfielder in Major League Baseball from to .Collins is one of three players to have made it to the major leagues who played for the storied Rapid City Post 22 American Legion baseball program in Rapid City, SD...
former outfielder in Major League Baseball from 1975 to 1990 - Mark EllisMark Ellis (baseball)Mark William Ellis is an American professional baseball second baseman for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball. He has played for the Oakland Athletics and Colorado Rockies.-Early career:...
- Starting second baseman for the Colorado RockiesColorado RockiesThe Colorado Rockies are a Major League Baseball team based in Denver, Colorado. Established in 1991, they started play in 1993 and are in the West Division of the National League. The team is named after the Rocky Mountains... - Jack van der GeestJack van der GeestJack van der Geest was one of only eight people ever to escape from Buchenwald concentration camp. He escaped on March 3, 1943...
- Born in The Hague, Netherlands. Holocaust survivor, author of 'Was God on Vacation?' - Dick GreenDick GreenRichard Larry Green , is a former Major League Baseball player.He was raised in Rapid City, S.D., where his ability as a baseball player was first noted....
- Professional Baseball Player - Becky HammonBecky HammonRebecca Lynn "Becky" Hammon is a professional basketball player currently under contract with the San Antonio Silver Stars of the WNBA.-Early life:...
- WNBA player for San Antonio Silver StarsSan Antonio Silver StarsThe San Antonio Silver Stars are a professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded in Salt Lake City, Utah before the league's inaugural 1997 season began; the team moved to San Antonio...
and the Russian national team. - Carrie IngallsCarrie IngallsCaroline Celestia "Carrie" Ingalls Swanzey was the third child of Charles and Caroline Ingalls, and was born in Montgomery County, Kansas...
- younger sister of author Laura Ingalls WilderLaura Ingalls WilderLaura Elizabeth Ingalls Wilder was an American author who wrote the Little House series of books based on her childhood in a pioneer family... - Lawrence LessigLawrence LessigLawrence "Larry" Lessig is an American academic and political activist. He is best known as a proponent of reduced legal restrictions on copyright, trademark, and radio frequency spectrum, particularly in technology applications, and he has called for state-based activism to promote substantive...
- Lawyer, Stanford professor, founder of the Creative CommonsCreative CommonsCreative Commons is a non-profit organization headquartered in Mountain View, California, United States devoted to expanding the range of creative works available for others to build upon legally and to share. The organization has released several copyright-licenses known as Creative Commons...
. Moved to the Eastern United States as a child. - Eric PiatkowskiEric PiatkowskiEric Todd Piatkowski is a former American professional basketball player. He most recently played for the National Basketball Association's Phoenix Suns. He is the son of former ABA player Walt Piatkowski.-High school career:...
- NBA player and former Nebraska Cornhusker - Kelvin TorveKelvin TorveKelvin Curtis Torve was a Major League Baseball player. He played with the Minnesota Twins in 1988 and with the New York Mets in and . He also played two seasons in Japan for the Orix BlueWave in and...
- Major League BaseballMajor League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
player for the Minnesota TwinsMinnesota TwinsThe Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
and New York MetsNew York MetsThe New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League... - Adam VinatieriAdam VinatieriAdam Matthew Vinatieri is an American football placekicker currently playing for the Indianapolis Colts. He has played in six Super Bowls, four with the New England Patriots and two with the Colts, winning four. Vinatieri won a Super Bowl in 2006 with Indianapolis and won Super Bowls in 2001,...
- NFL player with the Indianapolis ColtsIndianapolis ColtsThe Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
, formerly of the New England PatriotsNew England PatriotsThe New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National... - David Hallberg - Principal dancer with the American Ballet Theater and the Boshoi Ballet
External links
- Rapid City government website
- Rapid City Visitors Bureau
- Yesterday's News blog "Residents had only minutes to flee," Minneapolis Tribune, June 11, 1972