Why Sturgis History
Did you know that it was at Fort Meade, near Strugis, that the Star Spangled Banner began its journey to becoming the National Anthem?
Or that Strugis was home to one of the greatest women poker players in the country, who made fortunes, and also lost them.
Or that while Deadwood may be known as being more wild, Sturgis was seen as being rougher in its early days.
Strugis, and the surrounding area is filled with history that has a national impact, but also captures the essence of the wild west. Today many know the city for the annual motorcycle rally, but the history goes much further than that, and it’s a thrilling history.
We find that history incredibly interesting, and well worth exploring. That’s why we’ve created this website, so that the history can be preserved, and enjoyed by others.
Be a part of History
History is interactive. While a portion of it can be done through researching the written record, much of it demands a larger participation. There needs to be community involvement.
That is one of the focuses of this project. There are many in the community who have great stories to tell about the area. There are many who lived the history, and know it from a personal perspective. We want to collect those stories, and preserve them.
Many also have photos and other artifacts that show the history of Sturgis, but are collecting dust or are in need of restoration. They have a lot to offer, but remain hidden. We want to help bring them to light.
As this project grows, we strive to do our part to preserve and share the history of this area, and we look forward to working with you in order to achieve that goal.
Family Histories
A community is only as great at the people who make it up. And some great people have passed through the area. They have helped make Sturgis what it is, and continue to do so. Part of our goal is to preserve their stories and legacies, so that we, as a community, can see where we came from, and get a better view of where we are going.
Creating a Guide
Walking through downtown Sturgis, we noticed that there was a lot of possible history. We just didn’t know what it was. There were buildings that were more than a hundred years old, which certainly told a story. But that story wasn’t being told. So we decided to create a guide that helps connect people with the history of Sturgis. A guide that allows you to walk through the city, and explore the history in a fun and exciting manner.
This guide will be developed over time, and our overall goal is for it to allow people to take self guided tours through Sturgis, so they can also discover what we’ve come to love about the area.
Support
We are super excited to begin this new project, and to do it with all of you. Sturgis, SD is a fascinating area, that has become famous for their annual motorcycle rally. But there is also so much more to this area, that often gets overlooked. With your help, we will uncover all of that.
If you would like to help support this endeavor, think about becoming a Patreon member at https://www.patreon.com/historicalsturgis.