Gay Family Considering a Relocation to Rapid City in 2020 (Hot Springs: appointed, sales)
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Hello everyone and thanks for responding, fella's.
Yeah, I'm surprised Rodeo isn't more of a thing in RC, what with all the ranchers. Down in Palm Springs, there's a annual Rodeo Festival and it's BIG! Very popular.
Also surprised about hockey. North Dakota has been a powerhouse in the sport forever. I'll do a Google search, there ought to be skating rinks in town and programs. Learning while young is the key.
Our youngest son shows a real interest in football but the potential for serious injury has held us back but, what are the odds, right?
There were a couple of years where we wouldn't even watch an NFL game in our house because multi-millionaire players wouldn't stand for the anthem. Too bad politics creeps into everything (I guess, even this post, sigh.) Even this years Half-Time show... Women on stripper poles and children in cages... really? Why do it when you know it offends half the country? Takes me back to my college days, playing Rugby and it was only -- only about your team, your team-mates, having fun and winning. I sorta miss the purity of sportsmanship. Anyway, thanks for commenting and I appreciate the information.
Also surprised about hockey. North Dakota has been a powerhouse in the sport forever. I'll do a Google search, there ought to be skating rinks in town and programs. Learning while young is the key.
Ice hockey has become more popular, but it is still an expensive sport and it never reached the activity level in SD that it reached in ND (19 squads). And ND pales in comparison to Minnesota (149 squads). I say "squads" because in both states smaller high schools will co-op together to get enough players to form teams.
Rapid City does field a high school team, but I think that high school hockey in the state is still under the SD amateur hockey association and is not part of the state high school league.
My brother and I played for an East River team and there were only 5 or 6 in the state at that time (Britton, Watertown, Aberdeen, Brookings, Huron, and maybe one in Sioux Falls). We also played one Minnesota school that wasn't part of the Minnesota state high school league yet (Marshall). This was a long time ago, of course.
Now it looks like there are SD teams in these 11 places:
Aberdeen
Brookings
Huron
Mitchell
Oahe (Pierre)
Rushmore (Rapid City)
Sioux Center
Sioux Falls (two squads)
Watertown
Yankton
I am not surprised that Britton no longer fields a squad. There was one hockey mad family living there and their sons made up 1/3 of the squad, if I remember correctly.
Anyway, Rapid City does have an ice rink, and one high school team, but they have to travel far for away games. And there is also a mid-level pro team: Rapid City Rush that play in the ECHL.
Wow, Teak, you're so knowledgeable on the subject thanks for sharing and educating. I can't imagine the distances involved for these kids to travel for away games! And the time involved! Do you suppose they fly or take a bus?
Just as a comparison, let me offer this:
NYC has over 1 MILLION students in its public school system. And some of the schools (I mean the physical plants) are in such deplorable condition. Even some of them that are in OK condition don't have gymnasiums and the kids run around the cafeteria after lunch to practice for area track and field meets... Bowling? They take the subway to a local bowling alley. And so it goes. Sad, right?
Also as an aside there are more than 100,000 students in NYC who are HOMELESS. Can you imagine? Trying to get an education while living in a shelter with a crack ho mother and a drunken father? Just the worst kind of example... It's no wonder that more than 40% of these students drop out of high school w/out a diploma.
Contrast that with Rapid City which has a total homeless population of right around 1,000 people. Living through a South Dakota winter, no less. I don't know which is harder to endure. I've veered off topic, but thanks for the eye opener on the local hockey scene!
Hey all!
Need advice on real estate locations. Some people have said not to move to North Rapid. WHAT is considered north Rapid? Is that anything north of Main? Or Omaha? Hard to believe the Rushmore Mall and the Walmart Supercenter are considered bad or dangerous neighborhoods. Would you advise against locating a business (office) in this area? I don't want staff walking to their cars in an area that is unsafe after dark.
ALSO--- Lately, it seems there is hardly a winter in New York City. Meanwhile, in southern California brush fires are scorching the forests. So... I don't want to get into a climate change debate, but if climate is currently fluctuating, what does that mean for the Black Hills? Are y'all experiencing a drought? How severe is the threat of forest fires?
Thanks in advance for the advice. I've talked with two local realtors and everything is apparently great, fine and crime is not a concern (or so I've been told.)
North Rapid is anything north of Omaha Street. It wouldn’t be my choice of places to live. However, it is not that dangerous after dark. The area around the mall, it is okay. You get north of the mall it is somewhat newer.
The wildfire situation, 10 years ago we had an infestation of Mountain Pine beadles that did a lot of damage to the forest. However, there was an aggressive thinning and logging project that made a huge difference. IMO, the forests are in better shape now. Logging is usually selective in what is harvested and run to the mill.
In December of 2017 the southern hills had a huge wildfire that ripped through Custer State Park and worked its way to Highway 79. Highway 79 was closed for several hours. I spent the day in the cold and wind directing traffic away from affected area. Now we are in better shape for wildfires. The 2017 fire was caused a tree that fell onto a power line in high winds. The tree was outside the right of way of power line.
In December of 2017 the southern hills had a huge wildfire that ripped through Custer State Park and worked its way to Highway 79. Highway 79 was closed for several hours. I spent the day in the cold and wind directing traffic away from affected area. Now we are in better shape for wildfires. The 2017 fire was caused a tree that fell onto a power line in high winds. The tree was outside the right of way of power line.
Have you ever seen that photo collection that shows the difference between the Black Hills in the 20th Century versus the time when the Custer expedition went through with a photographer in tow? Pretty interesting. The Hills are more heavily forested today because of the U.S. Forest Service and the Smoky Bear philosophy (fire suppression). But in fact, the Black Hills forest ecology developed via periodic fires which kept tree stands thinned out. As you said, fire keeps those dog-hair stands from developing.
Paul Horsted is the author of several photo collections.
Have you ever seen that photo collection that shows the difference between the Black Hills in the 20th Century versus the time when the Custer expedition went through with a photographer in tow? Pretty interesting. The Hills are more heavily forested today because of the U.S. Forest Service and the Smoky Bear philosophy (fire suppression). But in fact, the Black Hills forest ecology developed via periodic fires which kept tree stands thinned out. As you said, fire keeps those dog-hair stands from developing.
Paul Horsted is the author of several photo collections.
Yes, I have that book. That is what I was trying to convey in a round about way. Also, good reading in the book “The Big Burn” which talks about the 1910 fires that burned in Western Montana and Northern Idaho and the start of the US Forest Service.
That's a great help, thanks. We were checking out a property out in Lead... only 10 acres but with a nice house and several out buildings. Love the greenery but do worry about the fire risk. I know there are some gardening techniques we could employ to lower the risk, keeping a pond, clearing brush, even landscape in a break wall around the house.
One of the shows we watch as a family is "Homestead Rescue" on Discovery. I showed the kids the pictures you posted and asked them "How'd you like a spread like this? We could saddle up and ride out, wouldn't that be nice?" Their eyes were as big as saucers! Talked about it right up until bedtime. ha! We have horseback riding along the bridle paths in Central Park but of course it doesn't hold a candle to your wide open meadows and pastures. It's good to do a little daydreaming and fantasizing to see what might be a good fit. Now we have to figure out which village it's best to be closest to for those ongoing provisions. Keystone? Hill City? Hot Springs? Lead? Deadwood? Sturgis? Spearfish? And plenty of others we'll check out this Spring. Unless we find the hills have some real (unexpected) drawbacks I'm not anticipating, I think the country property will be easier than finding something in-town.
A few things I noticed on Google satellite, it seems there's an area NW of the city that looks industrial (cement plant?) and with warehousing? Sort of the same thing on the east side of town, along Campbell Rd? And even they're nice enough, just maybe not "walking neighborhoods." What side of town do you think is considered by locals as "the nicest part of town?" Somebody mentioned south and west along highway 16? Or further west, over the mountain by the Arrowhead country club? Appreciate your telling me if my assumptions are off base.
"Now we have to figure out which village it's best to be closest to for those ongoing provisions. Keystone? Hill City? Hot Springs? Lead? Deadwood? Sturgis? Spearfish?"
Hot Springs has recently expanded its primary grocery store [DakotaMart] and has another smaller independent grocery along with a health food store. We have an Ace hardware store as well as a lumber yard and Baumgardners recently opened a variety store that is geared towards ranching supplies and "stuff you need for country living". Tourist traffic is not as heavy as most locations further north and the warm water, mineral spring spas are an attraction. I'll let others address the attributes of the other communities.
Hi Dick,
So you really should have a position with the local Chamber of Commerce. Ha! Your posts are quite persuasive, the images online are beautiful and almost all readings we've found online have been positive. So I'd say, so far -- so good. I've noticed too that the population has dropped off from its all-time high and has stabilized around 4,000. Frankly, that's good news as far as I'm concerned as I'm not looking for a high-growth area.
Do you think it's correct to say that areas to the north of downtown Hot Springs are generally greener, more lush and areas south tend to be drier and more scrub (probably not the right word to use here?) Not a deal breaker, just wondering if I'm seeing a trend when I look at property profiles. Probably no difference (north vs south) when it comes to putting in a well, right?
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