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A WALK THROUGH RAPID CITY HISTORY

Rapid City 1883

Courtesy of Minnilusa Historical Assn.

Sweeney Hardware
Courtesy of Minnilusa Historical Assn.

International Hotel and City Trolley
Courtesy of Minnilusa Historical Assn.

School of Mines
Courtesy of Minnilusa Historical Assn.

Duhamel/Ackerman Float
Courtesy of Minnilusa Historical Assn.
Library Hall
Courtesy of Minnilusa Historical Assn.


FOUNDERS PARK PLAZA
Rapid City, South Dakota


THE MISSION:
The mission of Founders Park Plaza is to honor Rapid City’s founders and to present an appreciation, within a beautiful park, of the first 50 years of the city the founders and pioneers helped to forge.

THE HISTORY:
1876 was an extraordinary year in the Black Hills. Discovery of mineral treasure opened the door to a deluge of exploration, immigration, and settlement that would change the landscape forever. Deadwood, at first just a series of mining camps downstream from the mother lode, soon became the commercial and social hub of the Black Hills’ universe.

Not every mining endeavor would fulfill its expectations. This was the case for a small party of gold prospectors led by John Brennan. After months of fruitless toil high in Palmer Gulch, beneath the shadow of Harney Peak, still in the grip of a Dakota winter, a more expansive plan developed. Brennan recognized the need for a central location, a town that would connect thriving Deadwood and the surrounding mining and timber camps with each other and with other cities. Brennan envisioned a “new Denver”- a “gateway” in the foothills, close to clean water and good grass and fertile ground, easily accessible by road and rail. A town could be developed and commerce established.

In February of 1876 Brennan and his party descended to a spot in the foothills, where they pitched camp alongside Rapid Creek, in the shelter of a prominent rocky cliff. The next day another small party joined them. Using Brennan’s compass, Sam Scott, a seasoned land surveyor, surveyed a townsite. William Martin named it Rapid City, “Rapid” for the waterway, and “City”, in anticipation of its importance to the Black Hills and its prospect for prosperity, and a “city” was born.

Here there was no mining, no particular mineral treasure. It was all about “location.” The good grass, ideal for grazing livestock and resting oxen, would earn the town the nickname “Hay Camp”. The level route through Centennial Valley made for easy access to Deadwood and points north. Points east and south were similarly convenient. The rocky cliff became the signpost and Rapid City would indeed become the Gateway to the Black Hills.

Commerce began to flow between the Hills towns. John Brennan became Rapid City’s first mayor, and started one of the first hotels. Sam Scott jumped right into the real estate business. William (Billy) Nuttall, another of the founders, and a young man with a taste for the wilder side of life, headed for Deadwood, where he applied his entrepreneurial skills to the theater business, starting by buying the Bella Union theater and saloon.

Deadwood merchants like grocerymen Hermann and Treber, and Jacob Goldberg, and dealers in liquors and cigars, Harris Franklin and Ben Baer, set up satellite wholesale houses for their popular merchandise in Rapid City. Although Brennan and Scott set down roots, Tom Ferguson, like most of Rapid City’s original founders, left. Some headed for Deadwood, still hoping to find their bonanza in the northern Hills.

THE ENTRYWAY SIGNAGE:
The 6 interpretive pedestal signs flanking the entryway describe, through marvelous historical photographs (courtesy of the Minnilusa Historical Association) with explanatory text, Rapid City in its infancy. The founders are introduced, along with some prominent citizens, landscapes and landmarks. Puzzling aspects of the town’s orientation are clarified here. The signs welcome the visitor, explain the objectives and meaning of Founders Park Plaza, and describe the “Walk through Rapid City History.”

THE PLAZA:
The visitor enters Founders Park Plaza within view of that same rocky cliff that sheltered the founding party. Situated beside Rapid Creek, in a serene spot convenient to the bike path, parking lot and other community amenities, it is a level, approximately 75’ x 100’, flat, in-ground concrete representation of the original town, according to the plan laid out by the founding party. Interesting landmarks and historical features are inscribed in the colorful concrete.

The Plaza is vivid and artistic, with the streets colored a dusty yellow and the blocks a brick red. The streets are named and numbered as they were in the original townsite. The visitor is guided through the streets by the inscribed patterns of horseshoes, locomotive, ox train, stagecoach and other early modes of transportation. The visitor follows the horseshoes as they wind their way in a serpentine fashion through the streets, and learns that there was once a horse-drawn streetcar on Main St.

The streets lead past the blocks, which are also numbered. The names of businesses and other landmarks are inscribed in concrete in the blocks where they were located. One may see where development took place and where the residential districts were.

Founders Park Plaza will be the centerpiece of the Omaha St. Beautification and Historical Preservation Project as planned by the City of Rapid City. It is a tourist attraction, a classroom in the sunshine, an outstanding stop along the bike path, a great destination for a weekend outing, and a valuable family activity, all wrapped up in one distinctive monument to the legacy of the Black Hills Gold Rush and to Rapid City’s place as Gateway to the Hills.

The names of donors, their family, honoree, business or other preferred text will be inscribed directly into the concrete in virtual “bricks” that cannot be removed. Blocks toward the south end of town that had little activity will be used for this purpose. A business, organization, family or individual who contributes to this project in amounts of $100 or more will have the inscription of their choice permanently inscribed in Founders Park Plaza.

John Brennan level: $1000 or more - Inscription on largest “brick” (Maximum 75 total characters and/or spaces)

Sam Scott level: $500 or more – Inscription on medium-sized “brick” (Maximum 50 total characters and/or spaces)

Willam Martin level: $100 or more – Inscription on “brick” (Maximum 30 total characters and/or spaces)

Contribution forms can be picked up at Copy Country, northeast side of Main St. in the Gap, but contributions can be sent with just a note giving the following information: Your name or business’s name, phone number or other contact information, and your preferred inscription. Please print very clearly.

The Founders Park Plaza Fund is a component fund of the Black Hills Area Community Foundation, a 501(c)(3) public charity. Contributions to the Fund should be directed to BHACF/Founders Park Plaza Fund, P.O. Box 231, Rapid City, SD 57709. Contributions are deductible to the maximum extent allowable for federal income tax purposes.

For questions,contact:

Thank you from the Founders Park Plaza Fundraising Committee: Ann H. Stanton, Patrick Roseland and Jerry Brown.
Web site support by E. R. Dunwiddie