In December of 1885, May Howard was arrested and fined for being an inmate of a house of ill-fame in Rapid City, SD. It wasn’t the first time she would be arrested for, as the local paper stated, flaunting her shame in the face of decency, but it would beRead More →
As with many western cities that looked to emulate the “civilized” cities of the east, Sturgis was excited to build their own streetcar line. They were the Key City of the Black Hills, a county seat, and thus an important destination. Obviously, they should showcase that importance by having theirRead More →
Possibly the best-known streetcar line in the Black Hills belongs to Deadwood. While the line wouldn’t receive the same recognition that the line in Rapid City did, it would retain its history, partially because of the town’s dedication to their past. The Deadwood Street Railway would be incorporated in AugustRead More →
The west may have been won on the back of a horse, but it grew upon streetcar lines. Or at least some would argue such. When it came to civilizing the west, the streetcar played an important role, as it allowed towns to expand by making them more interconnected. ItRead More →
With Meade County finally being organized in March of 1889, the fight for the county seat was now on. Throughout the journey of becoming a county, many who looked at the situation assumed it would be Sturgis who would take the title. Others had different plans though. A few contendersRead More →
In 1889, Meade separated from Lawrence County. One could argue it was more of a formality, as the citizens of Sturgis, and the larger area, had already separated themselves from the rest of Lawrence County. In many ways, Meade had begun as a rogue county; a county set on changingRead More →
On December 7th, 1941, the unthinkable happened. Hundreds of Japanese fighter planes descended upon Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, in what would become a devastating surprise attack. The next day, the United States would declare war on Japan. With that declaration, day to day life in the states would begin to changeRead More →
It would only take a year for the Black Hills Motor Classic to become an international event. The first to show up, and show up ready for speed, were Canadians. Bringing some of the fastest bikes from around the world, they would put up their skills against the quickest ridersRead More →
On August 30th, 1885, Gottlieb Daimler created the first motorcycle. That German invention would go on to change a tiny town in the Black Hills of South Dakota into a worldwide phenomenon. At the time, Sturgis, SD was just beginning to form, not even being a decade old. The citizensRead More →
In 1872, John “Grasshopper Jim” Frederick left Bismarck, Dakota Territory, and traveled down to the Black Hills. At least according to Frederick. As with many early characters of the Black Hills, it may be that Frederick exaggerated a bit when it came to his life. Well, more like outright lied.Read More →