Hill City, South Dakota
Encyclopedia
Hill 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 26 miles (41.8 km) southwest of Rapid City
on State Highway 16
and on U.S. Route 385 that connects Deadwood
to Hot Springs
. Hill City is known as the "Heart of the Hills" which is derived from its close proximity to both the geographical center of the Black Hills
, and the local tourist destinations.
The city has its roots in the Black Hills mining rush of the late 19th century. Tin mining was dominant in the 1880s and led to an influx of capital and people into the area. As the mining industry subsequently waned, tourism and timber became increasingly important to the area. With the establishment of Mount Rushmore
in the 1940s, Custer State Park
, and the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally
, the Black Hills became known as a tourist destination which Hill City benefited from. In recent years the city has diversified to become a center for the arts in the area featuring several art studios and festivals.
arrived by 1500 A. D., followed by the Cheyenne
, Crow
, Kiowa
and Pawnee. In the 19th century the Lakota Sioux
claimed the land calling it Paha Sapa. In 1874 Major General George Armstrong Custer
led an expedition into the Black Hills during which gold was discovered in French Creek, 13 miles (20.9 km) south of Hill City. The discovery of gold opened the Black Hills, and the Hill City area, to mining. Hill City was first settled by miners in 1876 who referred to the area as Hillyo. This was the second American settlement in the Black Hills. Hill City is the oldest city still in existence in Pennington County. A post office was constructed and opened on November 26, 1877. The city almost reverted into a ghost town
when miners relocated to the northern Black Hills after the discovery of gold there. However, in 1883, tin
was discovered near town and the population rebounded. The Harney Peak Tin Mining, Milling, and Manufacturing Company made its headquarters on Main Street along with at one time 15 saloons. The company was backed by English financiers and bought 1100 prospecting sites around the area. As mining grew, the city became known for its wild living and was once referred to as, " a town with a church on each end and a mile of Hell in between." The company built the Harney Peak Hotel on Main Street to entertain its management and executives. Upon realizing the market in Tin was unsustainable, the company ceased operation in 1902.
Although a small school building was established previously, a main school building was constructed on Main Street in 1921. This school building was replaced in 2001 with the current high school. On July 10, 1939 a fire started ten miles (16 km) outside of Hill City. Among those who battled the blaze was Hill City High School's entire basketball squad, as well as several teachers and administrators. US forest service named the school boys one of the best crews who fought the fire. The school team name thus became the Hill City Rangers and was privileged as the only school district in the United States allowed to use Smokey Bear
as its official mascot. Hill City was incorporated on March 21, 1945. The Harney Peak Hotel remained in operation until 1934. The Building has been restored and is the current location of the Alpine Inn. This building is on the List of Registered Historic Places in South Dakota. The Black Hills Institute of Geological Research opened in 1973 and is involved in excavation and display of dinosaur and other fossils. In 1992 the institute was engaged in a legal battle over ownership of Tyrannosaurus rex
fossil named "Sue".
This city was one of the filming locations for TNT
's 1994 film Lakota Woman: Siege at Wounded Knee
.
The main railroad lines that intersected Hill City are the Burlington Northern Line (also called the High line), previously the Grand Island and Wyoming Central, operated by the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad
Company, and the Black Hills central line a spur that extended from Hill City to Keystone. The Northern line extended from Edgemont
north through Hill City and terminated in Deadwood. Hill City was reached by this line in 1893, and the central line was extended to Keystone
and reached there on January 20, 1900. Narrow gauge
trolley cars were operated at 45 minute intervals during the day on the northern line. The Northern line was discontinued for passenger service in 1949, and was fully abandoned in 1983. It is now the George S. Mickelson Trail
after being converted to a bike trail during the 1990s.
In 1957 the Black Hills Central Railroad
, also known locally as the 1880 train, opened a tourist passenger train on the central line. In 1972 a flood destroyed the last mile of the Burlington Northern/Black Hills Central line that extended from Hill City to Keystone. This final mile was restored in 2001. The Black Hills Central Railroad restores era style locomotives and train cars, and has been featured on the television shows, Gunsmoke
episode Snow Train, General Hospital
and the TV mini-series, Into the West
produced by TNT. The railroad also made an appearance in the movie, Orphan Train.
, an American paleontologist working for the Black Hills Institute of Geological Research
discovered the fossil of what would become the most complete skeleton of a Tyrannosaurus Rex ever discovered. The fossil was named "Sue
" after the woman who discovered it. After discovery, excavation, and transport to the Institute's facilities in Hill City, controversy arose as to who the rightful owners of the fossil was. The parties in dispute were the land owner, Maurice Williams, the tribe - and thus the federal government, and the Black Hills Institute. Since Mr. Williams had put the part of his land "in trust" with the federal government was case to this action. On May 12, 1992 FBI agents seized Sue from the Institute over the course of three days. The fossil was shipped to South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
. Through the ongoing court battle it was finally decided that Maurice Williams was the owner of the fossil. The federal government later brought a 39 count 153 charge indictment against the institute and several of its members which was related to this case and other fossils. This case turned into the longest criminal trial in South Dakota state history. Finally Peter Larson the president of the institute was convicted on two counts customs violations for which he served two years in federal prison. Sue was finally auctioned off by Sotheby's
auction house, and sold by Maurice Williams to the Field Museum in Chicago, Illinois for 8.36 million dollars.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 0.8 square miles (2.1 km²). 0.8 square miles (2.1 km²) of it is land and 1.28% is water.
Hill City has been assigned the ZIP code
57745 and the FIPS place code 29100.
The climate of Hill City is dry with an average of 20 inches (508 mm) of precipitation annually. The presence of the hills surrounding the town leads to cooler weather in winter and summer and makes for calm conditions with little wind compared to areas outside of the Black Hills.
of 2010, there were 963 people, 298 households, and 213 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,013.5 people per square mile (391.1/km2). There were 340 housing units at an average density of 441.8 per square mile (170.5/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 89.74% White, 3.46% Native American, 0.26% Asian, 4.36% from other races
, and 2.18% from two or more races. Hispanic
or Latino
of any race were 7.05% of the population.
There were 298 households out of which 39.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.3% were married couples
living together, 13.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.2% were non-families. 24.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.11.
In the city the population was spread out with 31.2% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 30.3% from 25 to 44, 20.4% from 45 to 64, and 10.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 94.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $32,500, and the median income for a family was $37,500. Males had a median income of $30,114 versus $17,000 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $15,789. About 12.5% of families and 13.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.5% of those under age 18 and 13.3% of those age 65 or over.
style of governance in which the mayor is the chief executor and the council has legislative control over city ordinances. The city is broken into two wards with two members of the city council elected from each ward to serve two year terms. Mayor Don Voorhees was elected to his first term in 2006 and will serve a four year term. Dave Grey is the president of the council and represents the first ward. Mr. Grey has served on the council since 1998 and was re-elected in 2006. The second representative from the first ward is Tana Nichols who was first elected in 2001 and re-elected in 2005. Ward II is represented by John Johnson who was first elected in 2003 and re-elected in 2005, and Dan Maxfield who was elected to his first term in 2006.
Members of the Zoning and Planning Commission, Parks Board, and Library Board are appointed. There are five members on the zoning and planning commission with the chair and vice-chair being elected positions. The city's financial officer administrates city offices, council activities, mayoral activities, department and personnel management, while also acting as financial control of city assets, budgets, and fiscal activities. The major source of city income is through a sales tax. The office of Public Works oversees city infrastructure, water and sewers.
In the South Dakota State Legislature, Hill City is represented by two representatives and one senator from District 30 who all serve two year terms corresponding to even numbered years. The district encompasses all of Fall River County, Custer County
, and most of Pennington country excluding most of the Rapid City and Sturgis
area in the north central part of the county. The senator is Jim Lintz an incumbent Republican from Hermosa
. The representatives are Gordon Howie an incumbent Republican from Rapid City, and Mike Verchio a Republican from Hill City.
Hill City has a voluntary ambulance service and voluntary fire department. There is one health clinic in town with limited services. Rapid City Regional hospital (26 miles away) and Custer community hospital (13 miles away) both offer emergency room and other health facilities. There is a small library in town with a collection of 7,338 books and various audio and visual resources. The Pennington Country Sheriff's Department has allocated three deputies to serve the Hill City area.
, tourism
, and telecommunications industries. The timber industry is important to Hill City since it is located in the Black Hills National Forest
. Rushmore Forest Products runs a lumber mill outside of town and is the area's largest employer. Tourism is enabled by Hill City's proximity to Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse Memorial, Custer State Park, and the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. Several local attractions, restaurants, souvenir shops, and art galleries cater to those visiting the area. RMA & Associates, a telecommunications company responsible for telephone surveying, has a call center in Hill City.
Hill City has increasingly become the arts community of the Black Hills, and is the home to the Warrior's Work gallery, which features both Indian art and art reflecting the West, Black Hills Bronze, and the home gallery of well-known local painter Jon Crane. It is also the home of Art of the Hills magazine, which focuses on the art and artists of the region.
Hill City collects a 2% sales tax on general merchandise, and an additional 1% on lodging, restaurants, alcohol, and ticket sales.
Hill City does not tax income on business or individuals.
Enrollment as of the 2010-2011 school year was 506, while the majority live outside the city limits. The school also serves the town of Keystone, South Dakota, and the unincorporated towns of Rochford, and Silver City
. The school system is administered by a board of education which as of the 2010-2011 school year, was made up of President Owen Wiederhold and members Cydnee Gruzenski, Kris Knapp, Darrell Sullivan and Michelle Anderson. The school's superintendent is Mark Naugle. The high school and middle school principal is Todd Satter and the elementary principal is Blake Gardner.
The Hill City Schools made AYP under the No Child Left Behind Legislation at every grade level and at every subgroup. South Dakota school districts use the Dakota Step Test as its assessment tool. The upcoming year, 79% of students will be required to be proficient in reading and 72% in math.
community. The Hill City Arts Council oversees the promotion of the arts in the city, as well as several arts events throughout the year including the annual Art Extravaganza put on by the local artists and Arts and Crafts fair which draws more regional influence. An annual quilt
show and Native American quilt show are also offered. There are seven art studios and galleries in town with several regionally known artists. Styles highlighted are sculpture in bronze and stone, watercolors, painting, and framing. Native American artwork and jewelry are also prominent.
The Hill City Slickers is a musical group that plays country, folk, and bluegrass music as well as original music. In 2003 they were featured artists with the Black Hills Symphony Orchestra
. Thus far they have produced three albums.
Hill City is home to the Black Hills Museum of Natural History, which came out of the vision of the Black Hills Institute for Geological Research. The museum was incorporated in 1992. The collection on display includes dinosaurs, fossil fishes, mammals, birds, reptiles, and fossil invertebrates, as well as gemstones, minerals, and meteorites. The highlight of the collection is the Tyrannosaurus rex specimen named "Stan" which is one of the most compete skeletons unearthed with 65% of the bones unearthed. The museum is also a leading contributor to Hill City's Natural History Days celebration that focuses on fun and education, with guest speakers, and a fossil hunt for children.
Wade's Gold Mill and Mining Museum offers a look back on the history of mining in the Black Hills. The museum has worked to collect and preserve equipment used of mining in the Black Hills and hosts a one-stamp gold mill.
Although people of many faiths live in Hill City, five groups have established church buildings in town. These include Assemblies of God
, Catholic Church, Lutheran (Missouri Synod), Lutheran (ELCA)
, and one non-denominational Christian church.
and competes in class "A". Because students helped to fight a wildfire that threatened the community in 1939, the school's mascot is Smokey Bear
, and the fight song is Marines' Hymn
. High School Boys compete in basketball, football, track and field, cross country, and wrestling. High School Girls compete in basketball, volleyball, cheerleading, track and field, cross country, and golf.
The Hill City football team had many winning season and all-state players during the tenure of Head Coach Todd Weber and assistant Cory Ginsbach. Coach Ginsbach was also the Hill City athletic director for 23 years. He was diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gherig's Disease) and passed away in the fall of 2008. An award is still given to area athletes on behalf of Coach Gins' name and the new gymnasium in Hill City is appropriately named 'Coach Gins Court'.
The Hill City Boys basketball team enjoys playing in the Gin's Gym located downtown Hill City. The Rangers have had several successful seasons; most notably in 1999 (19-4)and 2009 (16-6). The Rangers are coached by Blake Gardner and play in the Black Hills Conference.
The Hill City girls basketball team qualified for the South Dakota State Basketball Tournament in 1997. The girls are coach by Shawn Woodward.
The Hill City Boys track and field team were the winners of the 1998 State meet in class A and were runners up in 1997. The Rangers also won the State "A" Boy's Cross Country meet in 2007. The Rangers rich running tradition can be credited to many including Jesse Coy, who ran on the 97-98 team and coached the 07 team. Members of the 07 team include Andy Coy (currently running for Dakota State University), Hudson Koel, Clint Lewis (previously ran for University of South Dakota), John Bintliff (currently running for Dakota State University), Andy Quenzer (currently running for Dakota State University), and Josh Robison (football player at Black Hills State University). The Rangers cross country team is coached by Dan Ashiem.
The Boys and Girls club of the Black Hills, located in Hill City, also organizes youth baseball, softball, and soccer teams.
Outdoor Sports popular in the area include hiking, mountain climbing, snowmobiling and dogsled racing
. Hill City is ninth trailhead on the George S. Mickelson Trail
that runs from Deadwood, to Edgemont. This trail is often used for running, cycling, and snowmobiling in the winter.
Snowmobiling is also enjoyed in the area with groomed paths running through Hill City and the surrounding Black Hills. There are 350 miles (563.3 km) of groomed trails in the area. Two snowmobiling magazines have rated the Black Hills as one of the best places to ride in North America.
market. Hill City does have one FM station, 103.9 K280AJ, which is a translator station of KRCS
Sturgis.
The Hill City Prevailer is a weekly newspaper covering local issues in Hill City and Keystone. Founded in 1970, the paper is published by Southern Hills Publishing Inc. and has a circulation of 850.
Art of the Hills Magazine is a bi-annual publication focusing on visual and performing arts
and creative writing
in Hill City and the Black Hills.
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...
, 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...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 948 at the 2010 census. Hill City is located 26 miles (41.8 km) southwest of Rapid City
Rapid City, South Dakota
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...
on State Highway 16
South Dakota Highway 16
-History:South Dakota 16 was designated in the 1920s, as a number for the Yellowstone Trail across the state. When the U.S. highway system was implemented in 1926, this road was designated as part of U.S. Highway 12. After a short period of dual signage, the SD 16 designation was...
and on U.S. Route 385 that connects 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...
to Hot Springs
Hot Springs, South Dakota
Hot Springs is a city in Fall River County, South Dakota, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 3,711. It is the county seat of Fall River County...
. Hill City is known as the "Heart of the Hills" which is derived from its close proximity to both the geographical center 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...
, and the local tourist destinations.
The city has its roots in the Black Hills mining rush of the late 19th century. Tin mining was dominant in the 1880s and led to an influx of capital and people into the area. As the mining industry subsequently waned, tourism and timber became increasingly important to the area. With the establishment 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...
in the 1940s, Custer State Park
Custer State Park
Custer State Park is a state park and wildlife reserve in the Black Hills of southwestern South Dakota, USA. The park is South Dakota's largest and first state park, named after Lt...
, and 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:...
, the Black Hills became known as a tourist destination which Hill City benefited from. In recent years the city has diversified to become a center for the arts in the area featuring several art studios and festivals.
History
Human history in the area that became Hill City, and the greater Black Hills in particular, started by at least 7000 B.C. The ArikaraArikara
Arikara are a group of Native Americans in North Dakota...
arrived by 1500 A. D., followed by the Cheyenne
Cheyenne
Cheyenne are a Native American people of the Great Plains, who are of the Algonquian language family. The Cheyenne Nation is composed of two united tribes, the Só'taeo'o and the Tsétsêhéstâhese .The Cheyenne are thought to have branched off other tribes of Algonquian stock inhabiting lands...
, Crow
Crow Nation
The Crow, also called the Absaroka or Apsáalooke, are a Siouan people of Native Americans who historically lived in the Yellowstone River valley, which extends from present-day Wyoming, through Montana and into North Dakota. They now live on a reservation south of Billings, Montana and in several...
, Kiowa
Kiowa
The Kiowa are a nation of American Indians and indigenous people of the Great Plains. They migrated from the northern plains to the southern plains in the late 17th century. In 1867, the Kiowa moved to a reservation in southwestern Oklahoma...
and Pawnee. In the 19th century the Lakota 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...
claimed the land calling it Paha Sapa. In 1874 Major General George Armstrong 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...
led an expedition into the Black Hills during which gold was discovered in French Creek, 13 miles (20.9 km) south of Hill City. The discovery of gold opened the Black Hills, and the Hill City area, to mining. Hill City was first settled by miners in 1876 who referred to the area as Hillyo. This was the second American settlement in the Black Hills. Hill City is the oldest city still in existence in Pennington County. A post office was constructed and opened on November 26, 1877. The city almost reverted into a ghost town
Ghost town
A ghost town is an abandoned town or city. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economic activity that supported it has failed, or due to natural or human-caused disasters such as floods, government actions, uncontrolled lawlessness, war, or nuclear disasters...
when miners relocated to the northern Black Hills after the discovery of gold there. However, in 1883, tin
Tin
Tin is a chemical element with the symbol Sn and atomic number 50. It is a main group metal in group 14 of the periodic table. Tin shows chemical similarity to both neighboring group 14 elements, germanium and lead and has two possible oxidation states, +2 and the slightly more stable +4...
was discovered near town and the population rebounded. The Harney Peak Tin Mining, Milling, and Manufacturing Company made its headquarters on Main Street along with at one time 15 saloons. The company was backed by English financiers and bought 1100 prospecting sites around the area. As mining grew, the city became known for its wild living and was once referred to as, " a town with a church on each end and a mile of Hell in between." The company built the Harney Peak Hotel on Main Street to entertain its management and executives. Upon realizing the market in Tin was unsustainable, the company ceased operation in 1902.
Although a small school building was established previously, a main school building was constructed on Main Street in 1921. This school building was replaced in 2001 with the current high school. On July 10, 1939 a fire started ten miles (16 km) outside of Hill City. Among those who battled the blaze was Hill City High School's entire basketball squad, as well as several teachers and administrators. US forest service named the school boys one of the best crews who fought the fire. The school team name thus became the Hill City Rangers and was privileged as the only school district in the United States allowed to use Smokey Bear
Smokey Bear
Smokey Bear is a mascot of the United States Forest Service created to educate the public about the dangers of forest fires. An advertising campaign featuring Smokey was created in 1944 with the slogan, "Smokey Says – Care Will Prevent 9 out of 10 Forest Fires". Smokey Bear's later slogan,...
as its official mascot. Hill City was incorporated on March 21, 1945. The Harney Peak Hotel remained in operation until 1934. The Building has been restored and is the current location of the Alpine Inn. This building is on the List of Registered Historic Places in South Dakota. The Black Hills Institute of Geological Research opened in 1973 and is involved in excavation and display of dinosaur and other fossils. In 1992 the institute was engaged in a legal battle over ownership of Tyrannosaurus rex
Tyrannosaurus
Tyrannosaurus meaning "tyrant," and sauros meaning "lizard") is a genus of coelurosaurian theropod dinosaur. The species Tyrannosaurus rex , commonly abbreviated to T. rex, is a fixture in popular culture. It lived throughout what is now western North America, with a much wider range than other...
fossil named "Sue".
This city was one of the filming locations for TNT
Turner Network Television
Turner Network Television is an American cable television channel created by media mogul Ted Turner and currently owned by the Turner Broadcasting System division of Time Warner...
's 1994 film Lakota Woman: Siege at Wounded Knee
Lakota Woman: Siege at Wounded Knee
Lakota Woman: Siege at Wounded Knee is a 1994 TNT original movie starring Irene Bedard, Tantoo Cardinal, Pato Hoffmann, Joseph Runningfox, Lawrence Bayne, and Michael Horse and August Schellenberg....
.
Railroad
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad
The Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad was a railroad that operated in the Midwestern United States. Commonly referred to as the Burlington or as the Q, the Burlington Route served a large area, including extensive trackage in the states of Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri,...
Company, and the Black Hills central line a spur that extended from Hill City to Keystone. The Northern line extended from Edgemont
Edgemont, South Dakota
Edgemont is a city in Fall River County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 774 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Edgemont is located at ....
north through Hill City and terminated in Deadwood. Hill City was reached by this line in 1893, and the central line was extended to Keystone
Keystone, South Dakota
Keystone 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...
and reached there on January 20, 1900. Narrow gauge
Narrow gauge
A narrow gauge railway is a railway that has a track gauge narrower than the of standard gauge railways. Most existing narrow gauge railways have gauges of between and .- Overview :...
trolley cars were operated at 45 minute intervals during the day on the northern line. The Northern line was discontinued for passenger service in 1949, and was fully abandoned in 1983. It is now the George S. Mickelson Trail
George S. Mickelson Trail
The George S. Mickelson Trail is a rail trail in the Black Hills region of South Dakota.The main trail route extends , from Edgemont to Deadwood, with approximately nine miles of additional branch trails, including a three mile paved link from Custer to the Custer State Park completed in 2007...
after being converted to a bike trail during the 1990s.
In 1957 the Black Hills Central Railroad
Black Hills Central Railroad
The Black Hills Central Railroad is a heritage railroad that operates in South Dakota.It currently operates the 1880 Train on the former Keystone Branch of the Burlington Northern Railroad between Hill City, South Dakota and Keystone, South Dakota...
, also known locally as the 1880 train, opened a tourist passenger train on the central line. In 1972 a flood destroyed the last mile of the Burlington Northern/Black Hills Central line that extended from Hill City to Keystone. This final mile was restored in 2001. The Black Hills Central Railroad restores era style locomotives and train cars, and has been featured on the television shows, Gunsmoke
Gunsmoke
Gunsmoke is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman MacDonnell and writer John Meston. The stories take place in and around Dodge City, Kansas, during the settlement of the American West....
episode Snow Train, General Hospital
General Hospital
General Hospital is an American daytime television drama that is credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running American soap opera currently in production and the third longest running drama in television in American history after Guiding Light and As the World Turns....
and the TV mini-series, Into the West
Into the West (TV miniseries)
Into the West is a 2005 miniseries produced by Steven Spielberg and Dreamworks, with six two-hour episodes . The series was first broadcast in the U.S. on Turner Network Television on six Fridays starting on June 10, 2005...
produced by TNT. The railroad also made an appearance in the movie, Orphan Train.
Sue controversy
On August 12, 1990, Sue HendricksonSue Hendrickson
Susan "Sue" Hendrickson is an American paleontologist. Hendrickson is best known for her discovery of the remains of a Tyrannosaurus rex in South Dakota on August 12, 1990. Her discovery was the largest specimen of a T. rex found and one of the most complete skeletons. This skeleton is now known...
, an American paleontologist working for the Black Hills Institute of Geological Research
Black Hills Institute of Geological Research, Inc.
The Black Hills Institute of Geological Research, Inc. is a private corporation specializing in the excavation and preparation of fossils, as well as the sale of both original fossil material and museum-quality replicas...
discovered the fossil of what would become the most complete skeleton of a Tyrannosaurus Rex ever discovered. The fossil was named "Sue
Sue (dinosaur)
"Sue" is the nickname given to FMNH PR 2081, which is the largest, most extensive and best preserved Tyrannosaurus rex specimen ever found. It was discovered in the summer of 1990 by Sue Hendrickson, a paleontologist, and was named after her...
" after the woman who discovered it. After discovery, excavation, and transport to the Institute's facilities in Hill City, controversy arose as to who the rightful owners of the fossil was. The parties in dispute were the land owner, Maurice Williams, the tribe - and thus the federal government, and the Black Hills Institute. Since Mr. Williams had put the part of his land "in trust" with the federal government was case to this action. On May 12, 1992 FBI agents seized Sue from the Institute over the course of three days. The fossil was shipped to South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
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...
. Through the ongoing court battle it was finally decided that Maurice Williams was the owner of the fossil. The federal government later brought a 39 count 153 charge indictment against the institute and several of its members which was related to this case and other fossils. This case turned into the longest criminal trial in South Dakota state history. Finally Peter Larson the president of the institute was convicted on two counts customs violations for which he served two years in federal prison. Sue was finally auctioned off by Sotheby's
Sotheby's
Sotheby's is the world's fourth oldest auction house in continuous operation.-History:The oldest auction house in operation is the Stockholms Auktionsverk founded in 1674, the second oldest is Göteborgs Auktionsverk founded in 1681 and third oldest being founded in 1731, all Swedish...
auction house, and sold by Maurice Williams to the Field Museum in Chicago, Illinois for 8.36 million dollars.
Geography and climate
Hill City is located in the Black Hills at 43.933675°N 103.571415°W (43.933675, -103.571415) near the geographic center of the Black Hills, which is where the cities motto "The Heart of the Hills" originated. Spring Creek runs through the east side of town.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 0.8 square miles (2.1 km²). 0.8 square miles (2.1 km²) of it is land and 1.28% is water.
Hill City has been assigned the ZIP code
ZIP Code
ZIP codes are a system of postal codes used by the United States Postal Service since 1963. The term ZIP, an acronym for Zone Improvement Plan, is properly written in capital letters and was chosen to suggest that the mail travels more efficiently, and therefore more quickly, when senders use the...
57745 and the FIPS place code 29100.
The climate of Hill City is dry with an average of 20 inches (508 mm) of precipitation annually. The presence of the hills surrounding the town leads to cooler weather in winter and summer and makes for calm conditions with little wind compared to areas outside of the Black Hills.
| Monthly Normal and Record High and Low Temperatures | ||||||||||||
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rec High °F | 66 | 67 | 76 | 83 | 88 | 96 | 99 | 94 | 95 | 85 | 76 | 69 |
| Norm High °F | 36 | 40 | 45 | 53 | 63 | 74 | 80 | 79 | 70 | 58 | 44 | 37 |
| Norm Low °F | 7 | 11 | 18 | 26 | 36 | 44 | 49 | 47 | 36 | 27 | 16 | 9 |
| Rec Low °F | -26 | -38 | -25 | -9 | 12 | 26 | 30 | 28 | 12 | -9 | -13 | -39 |
| Precip (in) | 0.32 | 0.53 | 1.05 | 2.35 | 3.61 | 3.62 | 3.39 | 2.11 | 1.47 | 1.51 | 0.69 | 0.41 |
| Source: weather.com | ||||||||||||
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 2010, there were 963 people, 298 households, and 213 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 1,013.5 people per square mile (391.1/km2). There were 340 housing units at an average density of 441.8 per square mile (170.5/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 89.74% White, 3.46% Native American, 0.26% Asian, 4.36% 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 2.18% from two or more races. Hispanic
Hispanic
Hispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
or Latino
Latino
The demonyms Latino and Latina , are defined in English language dictionaries as:* "a person of Latin-American descent."* "A Latin American."* "A person of Hispanic, especially Latin-American, descent, often one living in the United States."...
of any race were 7.05% of the population.
There were 298 households out of which 39.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.3% 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, 13.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.2% were non-families. 24.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.11.
In the city the population was spread out with 31.2% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 30.3% from 25 to 44, 20.4% from 45 to 64, and 10.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 94.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $32,500, and the median income for a family was $37,500. Males had a median income of $30,114 versus $17,000 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 $15,789. About 12.5% of families and 13.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.5% of those under age 18 and 13.3% of those age 65 or over.
Government and services
Hill City incorporates a Mayor-CouncilMayor-council government
The mayor–council government system, sometimes called the mayor–commission government system, is one of the two most common forms of local government for municipalities...
style of governance in which the mayor is the chief executor and the council has legislative control over city ordinances. The city is broken into two wards with two members of the city council elected from each ward to serve two year terms. Mayor Don Voorhees was elected to his first term in 2006 and will serve a four year term. Dave Grey is the president of the council and represents the first ward. Mr. Grey has served on the council since 1998 and was re-elected in 2006. The second representative from the first ward is Tana Nichols who was first elected in 2001 and re-elected in 2005. Ward II is represented by John Johnson who was first elected in 2003 and re-elected in 2005, and Dan Maxfield who was elected to his first term in 2006.
Members of the Zoning and Planning Commission, Parks Board, and Library Board are appointed. There are five members on the zoning and planning commission with the chair and vice-chair being elected positions. The city's financial officer administrates city offices, council activities, mayoral activities, department and personnel management, while also acting as financial control of city assets, budgets, and fiscal activities. The major source of city income is through a sales tax. The office of Public Works oversees city infrastructure, water and sewers.
In the South Dakota State Legislature, Hill City is represented by two representatives and one senator from District 30 who all serve two year terms corresponding to even numbered years. The district encompasses all of Fall River County, Custer County
Custer County, South Dakota
As of the census of 2000, there were 7,275 people, 2,970 households, and 2,067 families residing in the county. The population density was 5 people per square mile . There were 3,624 housing units at an average density of 2 per square mile...
, and most of Pennington country excluding most of the Rapid City and Sturgis
Sturgis, South Dakota
Sturgis is a city in Meade County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 6,627 as of the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Meade County. Sturgis is famous for being the location of one of the largest annual motorcycle events in the world, which is held annually on the first full week...
area in the north central part of the county. The senator is Jim Lintz an incumbent Republican from Hermosa
Hermosa, South Dakota
Hermosa is a town in Custer County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 398 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Hermosa is located at ....
. The representatives are Gordon Howie an incumbent Republican from Rapid City, and Mike Verchio a Republican from Hill City.
Hill City has a voluntary ambulance service and voluntary fire department. There is one health clinic in town with limited services. Rapid City Regional hospital (26 miles away) and Custer community hospital (13 miles away) both offer emergency room and other health facilities. There is a small library in town with a collection of 7,338 books and various audio and visual resources. The Pennington Country Sheriff's Department has allocated three deputies to serve the Hill City area.
Economy
Employment in Hill City is based on the timberTimber
Timber may refer to:* Timber, a term common in the United Kingdom and Australia for wood materials * Timber, Oregon, an unincorporated community in the U.S...
, tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
, and telecommunications industries. The timber industry is important to Hill City since it is located in the Black Hills National Forest
Black Hills National Forest
Black Hills National Forest is located in southwestern South Dakota and northeastern Wyoming. The forest has an area of over 1.25 million acres and is managed by the Forest Service. Forest headquarters are located in Custer, South Dakota...
. Rushmore Forest Products runs a lumber mill outside of town and is the area's largest employer. Tourism is enabled by Hill City's proximity to Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse Memorial, Custer State Park, and the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. Several local attractions, restaurants, souvenir shops, and art galleries cater to those visiting the area. RMA & Associates, a telecommunications company responsible for telephone surveying, has a call center in Hill City.
Hill City has increasingly become the arts community of the Black Hills, and is the home to the Warrior's Work gallery, which features both Indian art and art reflecting the West, Black Hills Bronze, and the home gallery of well-known local painter Jon Crane. It is also the home of Art of the Hills magazine, which focuses on the art and artists of the region.
Hill City collects a 2% sales tax on general merchandise, and an additional 1% on lodging, restaurants, alcohol, and ticket sales.
Hill City does not tax income on business or individuals.
Education
Hill City School District 51-2 and is made up of elementary, middle, and high schools located in separate building on the same campus. A permanent school building was constructed in 1921 and housed all grades until an elementary school building was constructed in 1961 with several modifications in the 1980s. The Middle School was built in the 1970s with several additions in the 1990s. After the middle school was built the original school building became the high school building. In 2001, construction was begun on a new high school which was completed in 2002. The previous high school was razed in 2003. Hill City District 51-2 schools are predominantly funded through property tax on those living in the school district. The district also has adopted an open enrollment policy that makes it easier to transfer between local school districts.Enrollment as of the 2010-2011 school year was 506, while the majority live outside the city limits. The school also serves the town of Keystone, South Dakota, and the unincorporated towns of Rochford, and Silver City
Silver City, South Dakota
Silver 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...
. The school system is administered by a board of education which as of the 2010-2011 school year, was made up of President Owen Wiederhold and members Cydnee Gruzenski, Kris Knapp, Darrell Sullivan and Michelle Anderson. The school's superintendent is Mark Naugle. The high school and middle school principal is Todd Satter and the elementary principal is Blake Gardner.
The Hill City Schools made AYP under the No Child Left Behind Legislation at every grade level and at every subgroup. South Dakota school districts use the Dakota Step Test as its assessment tool. The upcoming year, 79% of students will be required to be proficient in reading and 72% in math.
Culture and religion
Hill City is becoming a center for the Black Hills visual artsVisual arts
The visual arts are art forms that create works which are primarily visual in nature, such as ceramics, drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking, design, crafts, and often modern visual arts and architecture...
community. The Hill City Arts Council oversees the promotion of the arts in the city, as well as several arts events throughout the year including the annual Art Extravaganza put on by the local artists and Arts and Crafts fair which draws more regional influence. An annual quilt
Quilt
A quilt is a type of bed cover, traditionally composed of three layers of fiber: a woven cloth top, a layer of batting or wadding and a woven back, combined using the technique of quilting. “Quilting” refers to the technique of joining at least two fabric layers by stitches or ties...
show and Native American quilt show are also offered. There are seven art studios and galleries in town with several regionally known artists. Styles highlighted are sculpture in bronze and stone, watercolors, painting, and framing. Native American artwork and jewelry are also prominent.
The Hill City Slickers is a musical group that plays country, folk, and bluegrass music as well as original music. In 2003 they were featured artists with the Black Hills Symphony Orchestra
Black Hills Symphony Orchestra
The 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...
. Thus far they have produced three albums.
Hill City is home to the Black Hills Museum of Natural History, which came out of the vision of the Black Hills Institute for Geological Research. The museum was incorporated in 1992. The collection on display includes dinosaurs, fossil fishes, mammals, birds, reptiles, and fossil invertebrates, as well as gemstones, minerals, and meteorites. The highlight of the collection is the Tyrannosaurus rex specimen named "Stan" which is one of the most compete skeletons unearthed with 65% of the bones unearthed. The museum is also a leading contributor to Hill City's Natural History Days celebration that focuses on fun and education, with guest speakers, and a fossil hunt for children.
Wade's Gold Mill and Mining Museum offers a look back on the history of mining in the Black Hills. The museum has worked to collect and preserve equipment used of mining in the Black Hills and hosts a one-stamp gold mill.
Although people of many faiths live in Hill City, five groups have established church buildings in town. These include Assemblies of God
Assemblies of God
The Assemblies of God , officially the World Assemblies of God Fellowship, is a group of over 140 autonomous but loosely-associated national groupings of churches which together form the world's largest Pentecostal denomination...
, Catholic Church, Lutheran (Missouri Synod), Lutheran (ELCA)
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is a mainline Protestant denomination headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. The ELCA officially came into existence on January 1, 1988, by the merging of three churches. As of December 31, 2009, it had 4,543,037 baptized members, with 2,527,941 of them...
, and one non-denominational Christian church.
Sports and recreation
Hill City High School is a member of the South Dakota High School Activities AssociationSouth Dakota High School Activities Association
South Dakota High School Activities Association governs high school sports and other activities in the state of South Dakota. The SDHSAA was founded in 1906 and has been a member of the National Federation of State High School Associations since 1923....
and competes in class "A". Because students helped to fight a wildfire that threatened the community in 1939, the school's mascot is Smokey Bear
Smokey Bear
Smokey Bear is a mascot of the United States Forest Service created to educate the public about the dangers of forest fires. An advertising campaign featuring Smokey was created in 1944 with the slogan, "Smokey Says – Care Will Prevent 9 out of 10 Forest Fires". Smokey Bear's later slogan,...
, and the fight song is Marines' Hymn
Marines' Hymn
The "Marines' Hymn" is the official hymn of the United States Marine Corps. It is the oldest official song in the United States military. The "Marines' Hymn" is typically sung at the position of attention as a gesture of respect...
. High School Boys compete in basketball, football, track and field, cross country, and wrestling. High School Girls compete in basketball, volleyball, cheerleading, track and field, cross country, and golf.
The Hill City football team had many winning season and all-state players during the tenure of Head Coach Todd Weber and assistant Cory Ginsbach. Coach Ginsbach was also the Hill City athletic director for 23 years. He was diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gherig's Disease) and passed away in the fall of 2008. An award is still given to area athletes on behalf of Coach Gins' name and the new gymnasium in Hill City is appropriately named 'Coach Gins Court'.
The Hill City Boys basketball team enjoys playing in the Gin's Gym located downtown Hill City. The Rangers have had several successful seasons; most notably in 1999 (19-4)and 2009 (16-6). The Rangers are coached by Blake Gardner and play in the Black Hills Conference.
The Hill City girls basketball team qualified for the South Dakota State Basketball Tournament in 1997. The girls are coach by Shawn Woodward.
The Hill City Boys track and field team were the winners of the 1998 State meet in class A and were runners up in 1997. The Rangers also won the State "A" Boy's Cross Country meet in 2007. The Rangers rich running tradition can be credited to many including Jesse Coy, who ran on the 97-98 team and coached the 07 team. Members of the 07 team include Andy Coy (currently running for Dakota State University), Hudson Koel, Clint Lewis (previously ran for University of South Dakota), John Bintliff (currently running for Dakota State University), Andy Quenzer (currently running for Dakota State University), and Josh Robison (football player at Black Hills State University). The Rangers cross country team is coached by Dan Ashiem.
The Boys and Girls club of the Black Hills, located in Hill City, also organizes youth baseball, softball, and soccer teams.
Outdoor Sports popular in the area include hiking, mountain climbing, snowmobiling and dogsled racing
Dogsled racing
Sled dog racing is a winter dog sport most popular in the Arctic regions of the United States, Canada, Russia, and some European countries. It involves the timed competition of teams of sleddogs that pull a sled with the dog driver or musher standing on the runners...
. Hill City is ninth trailhead on the George S. Mickelson Trail
George S. Mickelson Trail
The George S. Mickelson Trail is a rail trail in the Black Hills region of South Dakota.The main trail route extends , from Edgemont to Deadwood, with approximately nine miles of additional branch trails, including a three mile paved link from Custer to the Custer State Park completed in 2007...
that runs from Deadwood, to Edgemont. This trail is often used for running, cycling, and snowmobiling in the winter.
Snowmobiling is also enjoyed in the area with groomed paths running through Hill City and the surrounding Black Hills. There are 350 miles (563.3 km) of groomed trails in the area. Two snowmobiling magazines have rated the Black Hills as one of the best places to ride in North America.
Area Media
The television and radio stations available in Hill City are generally based out of the Rapid CityRapid City, South Dakota
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...
market. Hill City does have one FM station, 103.9 K280AJ, which is a translator station of 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...
Sturgis.
- 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... - 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... - 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.... - 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...
- KOTA-TV
- FM Radio
- 89.3 KBHESouth 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...
SDPBSouth 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...
/NPR (Public/Classical/JazzJazzJazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
) - 92.3 KQRQ-FM "Q 92.3" (Classic hitsClassic hitsClassic 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...
) - 93.1/99.5 KRCSKRCSKRCS 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/CHRContemporary hit radioContemporary hit radio is a radio format that is common in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by the Top 40 music charts...
) - 93.9 KKMKKKMKKKMK 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" (Adult contemporary) - 95.1 KSQYKSQYKSQY 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" (Mainstream RockMainstream rockMainstream rock is a radio format used by many commercial radio stations in the United States and Canada.-Format background:...
) - 97.9/105.7 KTPTKTPTKTPT, 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 rockChristian rockChristian 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...
) - 98.7 KOUTKOUTKOUT 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" (CountryCountry musicCountry music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
) - 100.3 KFXSKFXSKFXS is a radio station licensed to serve Rapid City, South Dakota. The station is owned by New Rushmore Radio, Inc...
"The Fox" (Classic rockClassic rockClassic 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...
) - 103.9 K280AJ (Adult contemporary)
- 104.1 KIQKKIQKKIQK 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" (CountryCountry musicCountry music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
) - 105.1 KAWKKAWKKAWK 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" (Adult contemporary) - 106.3 KZLKKZLKKZLK 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:...
"Max FM" (Adult hitsAdult hitsAdult hits is a radio format, popular in the early 2000s, that does not adhere to a specific music genre, but instead draws from a wider playlist...
)
- 89.3 KBHE
- AM Radio
- 810 KBHBKBHBKBHB 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...
Sturgis - 920 KKLSKKLS (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...
Rapid City - 980 KDSJKDSJKDSJ 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....
Deadwood - 1150 KIMMKIMM (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...
Rapid City - 1340 KTOQKTOQKTOQ is a radio station broadcasting a news/talk format. Licensed to Rapid City, South Dakota, USA, the station serves the Rapid City area...
Rapid City - 1380 KOTAKOTA (AM)KOTA is a radio station licensed to serve Rapid City, South Dakota. The station is owned by the Duhamel family of Rapid City...
Rapid City
- 810 KBHB
The Hill City Prevailer is a weekly newspaper covering local issues in Hill City and Keystone. Founded in 1970, the paper is published by Southern Hills Publishing Inc. and has a circulation of 850.
Art of the Hills Magazine is a bi-annual publication focusing on visual and performing arts
Performing arts
The performing arts are those forms art which differ from the plastic arts insofar as the former uses the artist's own body, face, and presence as a medium, and the latter uses materials such as clay, metal or paint which can be molded or transformed to create some physical art object...
and creative writing
Creative writing
Creative writing is considered to be any writing, fiction, poetry, or non-fiction, that goes outside the bounds of normal professional, journalistic, academic, and technical forms of literature. Works which fall into this category include novels, epics, short stories, and poems...
in Hill City and the Black Hills.