Admittedly, South Dakotans aren’t usually the first ones to champion a cause in the name of progress. People in the Black Hills tend to be conservative and resistant to change, embracing it only after much deliberation. All the same, South Dakotans can’t be thought of as being backward, especially when it comes to education. That’s because we’re serious about educating our young people and preparing them to make their way in life. We provide school-to-work opportunities so students can experience the career world firsthand while earning credit toward graduation. For gifted students, we have academic enrichment programs to let them stretch their abilities to the fullest. And although we know there’s always room for improvement, we see our efforts paying off in test scores that are slightly to significantly higher than the national average, particularly in math, science, and social studies. Approximately 75 percent of our high school students stay in school and graduate (our dropout rate is less than 2.5 percent a year); of those, more than 47 percent go on to a four-year college, and 20 percent attend other postsecondary institutions. Another 5 percent enter the military.
We face some difficult issues, nonetheless. One shortcoming is in teacher pay: South Dakota has been 50th or 51st in the nation (counting the District of Columbia) for more years than we care to recall. Another point of contention is the way we fund our public schools. Roughly half of school funding comes from property taxes, a system that has produced several citizen-initiated ballot measures aimed at shifting more, or all, of the burden elsewhere. So far, however, the state legislature has failed to come up with a satisfactory school-funding alternative, in part because the thought of a state income tax is anathema to most South Dakotans. Currently, the state’s funding formula provides half of school funds, paying districts approximately $4,200 per student.
Still, we’ve moved ahead on other issues. With the advent of open enrollment in 1998, parents and students entered an arena of brand-new choices and challenges. Under open enrollment, most students can attend any public school in the state without paying tuition, subject to limitations aimed at maintaining reasonable attendance levels. The idea is to help students find schools best suited to their needs.
Overview
Not everyone in South Dakota is concerned with open enrollment, of course. In a recent school year, 2,724 students were receiving alternative instruction, with 1,938 of them in home schools taught mostly by dedicated mothers. Alternatively schooled students must achieve proficiency in English and take math and reading/language arts as well as nationally standardized achievement tests, the same as their peers in public school. But it’s up to individual districts to decide what course work they’ll accept for credit toward graduation for students who want a diploma from an accredited public high school. For more information about alternative schooling, call your local school district.
Districts throughout the Hills contract with Black Hills Special Services Cooperative for special- and alternative-education services, various forms of therapy, and a full range of other benefits for special-needs students. In addition, the co-op’s Technology and Innovations in Education (TIE) office is involved in a sophisticated technology project in schools across South Dakota. The co-op has been a national leader in rural education services since the 1970s.
Learning doesn’t end at adulthood. Older learners find intellectual stimulation in community education programs. In most cases the local school district is the place to call for information about that as well as about General Educational Development (GED) preparation and testing; in Rapid City, however, contact the Career Learning Center, 730 East Watertown St., (605) 394-5120, www.clcbh.org.
Below you’ll find thumbnail sketches of many school districts, private schools, and colleges. We couldn’t squeeze all of their accolades into this chapter, but administrators and teachers at each one would be happy to fill in the blanks. Naturally, the best way to get acquainted with a school is to pay a call, or several, and observe it for yourself. The profiles here serve as an introduction.
For many visitors, the natural world of the Black Hills is the awe-inspiring main attraction, their primary reason for coming. And this delightful aspect of the Black Hills makes so many other activities and attractions possible. For example, camping and recreational opportunities abound here. We also have some great art, as well as geology- and paleontology-based museums and sites. Many accommodations boast gorgeous locations; some restaurants serve Black Hills trout. All of these are inspired and sustained by our natural world.
We talk a lot about nature and its many facets throughout this book—it’s integral to our way of life—and we’ll make a point here of directing you to the Recreation chapter, which provides thorough information on outdoor activities. In this chapter, however, we’ll tell you a bit about our natural history: the Hills’ elements and how they came to be; the animals, birds, fish, and flora you can expect to see; the insects you’ll likely swat; and the weather you will alternately bask in and curse (sometimes all in the same day).
In a state where wages are relatively low, few families can afford to have a parent who doesn’t work. In fact, recent statistics show that South Dakota has the highest percentage nationally of working mothers with preschoolers (well over 70 percent versus the national average of about 65 percent). Other numbers show that more than 80 percent of South Dakotan women with school-age children work, well above the national statistic of around 75 percent. As a result, child care is an important issue among South Dakotans in general, and Black Hills residents especially.
There’s an enormous demand for quality child care, an issue that’s an increasingly high priority for state officials and communities. The state even has a coordinator of child-care services to help us do a better job of watching over our kids. There’s widespread agreement that more infant and toddler care is needed here, and the state is doing its best to create more slots with a new reimbursement rate structure and more accessible training for child-care providers.
In the Black Hills especially, both providers and parents have an outstanding number of training opportunities. In addition, numerous agencies provide services or referrals for special-needs children. You’ll find some of both listed in the following information.
We’re also innovative when it comes to looking after children when they’re not in school. In Rapid City, for instance, the YMCA and the school district joined forces to create the Kidstop program that provides before- and after-school supervision and activities in many elementary schools. You can learn more about their approach by calling the YMCA at (605) 718-9622 or by visiting www.rcymca.org. In the Northern Hills the Lead-Deadwood School District has instituted a similar program called Stop and Grow. For more information call the Administration office at (605) 717-3890.
Overview
Although the Black Hills is a strongly traditional and conservative area, long based on standard nine-to-five jobs, a growing tourist industry and increasing population base mean that more and more workers are taking shifts on weekends and during the evenings. In response, more child-care providers have been experimenting with extended hours. And as day care becomes a more permanent fixture in our lives, we’re seeing a growing array of public and private child-care options, from licensed day-care centers and home-based facilities to preschools and after-school programs. Some schools have day-care programs for students who are raising children.
With so many choices, be sure to shop around. Use the resources listed in this chapter to find the right place for your child and which meet your criteria.
Physical activity is common in the Black Hills, and with good reason. The pine-covered bluffs and creek-carved canyons of this region are an incredibly beautiful backdrop for any number of recreational pursuits. Because of this, local residents usually prefer being in the thick of the action to being anchored on the sidelines.
There are a handful of venues for spectator sports, but not many. It isn’t for a lack of trying, either; Rapid City has hosted several semiprofessional teams since the last decades of the 20th century, but few have lasted. The city had a fantastic semiprofessional basketball team in the 1980s, but attendance numbers dwindled, and the franchise packed up and left. A replacement team failed to keep local attention. Officials decided residents needed a change of pace, so they established an indoor football league in 2000. The Rapid City Flying Aces played several seasons but folded in 2007. The newest edition to the semipro sports saga began in late 2008, with the addition of the Rapid City Rush, a Central Hockey League team playing in the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center’s new $20-million-plus, 5,000-seat ice arena.
College and high school sports attract a more passionate group of fans than any regional pro franchise. Rapid City’s two American Legion teams—Post 22 and Post 320—are especially popular, and each maintains high national rankings. Other Black Hills communities sponsor teams. Since the local American Legion officials change regularly, the best way to obtain information is to check the local newspapers. You can find out more on school-sponsored sports in the Education chapter.
There are three universities in the Black Hills: Black Hills State in Spearfish, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology in Rapid City, and National American University in Rapid City. Each has a smattering of sports teams, and you’ll find some information on the teams below. However, since each school is relatively small, sports teams are formed and disbanded depending on student and local interest. A phone call or a quick look on the sports page is your best bet for updated information.
The Black Hills and Badlands form a region of contrasts. The Hills are an uplifted island of mountains in the middle of prairie flatland, and the Badlands resemble a sometimes spooky, prehistoric moonscape. Considered together, as they are in this book, they form a place that is welcoming, accessible, and quietly magnificent.
The Black Hills and Badlands are bounteous and beautiful, but sometimes tough and challenging, too. You’ll find natural beauty of great power here: craggy mountains, mysterious geological formations, sudden weather changes, towering evergreens, grassy prairie, alpine meadows and vistas that will make your heart ache. This is still a homey kind of place where the good-hearted residents look you in the eye and say hello, and where visitors are welcomed with smiles, questions, and helpful hints.
In addition to the natural wonders and welcoming atmosphere, the contrasts, we believe, are what make life here so extremely interesting. You’ll find ghost towns and modern towns, high-tech commerce and country life, and a taste of the combined Old West, Midwest, and New West. We have trendy restaurants and rustic bars, sophisticated art galleries and quaint attractions, and cowboys and businesspeople and artists. Recreation ranges from rough-and-tumble rodeos to skiing, skating, mountain hiking, and biking. In some areas you can still view century-old wagon-trail ruts from modern highways. Life has changed quickly here in the relatively short history of settlement; yet, in other ways, it has hardly changed at all.
We’ve filled this book with places to visit, eat, and shop, fun activities for children, sights to see, trails to hike, history to discover, and much more. The table of contents will direct you to specific chapters, and the How to Use This Book chapter will help you use and enjoy some of the unique tidbits we’ve sprinkled throughout this book.
Whether you’re an armchair traveler or tourist or new resident, we’re glad for the opportunity to contribute to your enjoyment of our beloved Black Hills and Badlands. We think you’ll love this place, too, and that you’ll take pleasure in its delightful contrasts. We hope you’ll feel at home here, just as we do.
Welcome. The Black Hills and Badlands await your exploration.
The Black Hills are known for many things: unspoiled alpine vistas, herds of wild-roaming bison, epic mountain carvings, and woolly western legends. Nightlife, however, does not immediately spring to one’s mind when the words “South Dakota” are uttered in conversation. In fact, the idea never occurs to many who visit here; there’s even a good number of residents who never go for a night out on the town.
All the same, the Black Hills have a significant number of places that don’t open until the sun sinks below the horizon. Rapid City’s population base and Spearfish’s college crowd make both communities regional nightlife capitals, though Deadwood’s saloons, casinos, and frequent free concerts on Main Street make it the busiest nightlife headquarters in a 500-mile radius.
In fact the following listings feature a few bars and pubs that have been here since gold-rush days. You’ll find coffeehouses where you can hear live music and sometimes poetry, sports bars with TVs galore, a couple of nightclubs, and comedy clubs for a truly lighthearted night out.
Overview
A state law requires businesses that serve wine or hard liquor to also serve food if they’re open on Sunday, even if the fare is just hot dogs, snacks, microwave pizza, or sandwiches. The South Dakota Department of Revenue calls this Sunday privilege. We call it your guarantee that you can at least find a snack or a meal at a bar or pub on Sunday. Remember that the drinking age in South Dakota, as in the rest of the country, is 21. Expect to be carded anywhere, but especially in Deadwood. We can’t guarantee that you’ll be able to buy wine or liquor in a package store on Sunday or certain holidays, because those regulations vary from town to town. And our source at the revenue department tells us hard liquor can neither be sold nor served anywhere in South Dakota on Memorial Day or Christmas. Keep in mind that the South Dakota Highway Patrol doesn’t take kindly to drunk drivers, and penalties can be aggressive. Checkpoints in Rapid City and outside Deadwood are common.
As of November 2010, smoking has been outlawed in virtually all public places in South Dakota, including bars, restaurants, liquor stores, and video lottery establishments. The few exceptions are found at tobacco shops and cigar bars in Sioux Falls and Deadwood. Although video lottery machines (see the Gaming & Casinos chapter) remain controversial, you’ll find machines in just about any establishment where you can buy a drink. Because they’re so prevalent, we’ve noted those places that don’t have them.
We’ve handled closing time the same way—unless otherwise noted, it’s 2 a.m. You also can assume a business is open seven days a week unless we’ve mentioned that it’s closed on certain days. Most bars and pubs offer discounted drinks during a late-afternoon or early evening weekday happy hour, so we’ve noted only the exceptions or those that serve food as an accompaniment. And because so few of our bars and pubs require a cover charge, we tell you those that do.
When Deadwood was young, saloons were the mainstay of the town. Thousands of prospectors—many unsuccessful and disheartened—needed entertainment to lift their spirits. Spirits, in fact, were the elixirs to which many of these miners turned. But the bar and its stock of liquor was only one part of the saloon. Upstairs, ladies of the evening held court, and at the back of the building, there were the card tables.
Professional gamblers quickly followed the merchants and bar owners, hoping to play the precious metals right out of the miners’ hands. In fact, if one thing bound Deadwood’s early residents together, it was lust for gold: Some mined it, some traded for it, and others shuffled for it. Practiced card players could indeed walk away from a table with a profit if they stayed sober, didn’t challenge other professionals, and understood the odds. Of course, the inexperienced and less clever didn’t fare so well, often losing everything to an unlucky turn of a card.
Men sometimes gambled away all their money in one poker game, leaving their families destitute and struggling. It’s said that one fed-up wife cured her husband’s gambling problem when she stalked into the saloon (it was unheard of that a proper lady would enter such a place), raked all the money on the table into her apron, and stalked back out, followed by her humiliated husband. The woman certainly remedied her husband’s compulsive gambling, if only because no one would ever play cards with him again.
Overview
When the founding fathers in the Dakota Territory were trying hard to create a state in 1889, the open gambling going on in the wild town of Deadwood was a source of embarrassment to them. A prohibition against gambling was written into the constitution of the new state of South Dakota, but it continued, although most often in the back rooms of saloons. Even Prohibition barely crimped Deadwood’s style.
Slot machines arrived in the late 1930s. The one-armed bandits, technically prohibited by law, were profitable and popular. In 1947, however, the state attorney general organized a surprise raid on the gambling establishments in Deadwood. All the gambling equipment was seized and, after the trials were over, hauled to the local dump and burned. That event ended open gambling in town for many years, although, true to tradition, it continued in a few back rooms. The other back rooms were used for prostitution, which wasn’t shut down until 1980.
But running both industries underground and (mostly) out of business did little to improve the economy of the town. With the closure of public gambling came the slow demise of Deadwood; the raids on prostitution in 1980 only hastened it (longtime residents will tell you that hunting season has never been the same since the brothels closed). The once-proud Victorian buildings on Main Street crumbled; those that weren’t abandoned were occupied by businesses that didn’t make enough of a profit to maintain them. This and other factors led to the fires of the 1980s, blazes which took as victims the Ranger Bar and Brothel, the Homestake Opera House, the oldest part of Deadwood Elementary School, and the Syndicate Building. But the more the town decayed, the more proactive residents became, until they bravely forwarded a progressive idea in the late 1980s: Legalize gambling, then take a massive percentage of the profits to use for historic preservation and visitor advertising.
Of course, this meant altering the state constitution. Fortunately for Deadwood, the lure of restoration and the idea of increasing visitors to the state was enough for the conservative voters of South Dakota. On November 1, 1989, at high noon and marked by ceremonial gunshots, Deadwood officially became the third place in the nation to legalize gambling (after Nevada and Atlantic City). In the years since, Deadwood has been returned to the glory of its golden Victorian Age, thanks entirely to this now highly regulated and strictly monitored industry.
Some two million enthusiasts now gamble in Deadwood each year, and since 1989 they have wagered more than $12.7 billion (of that, $11.5 billion was won by gamblers). From this staggering amount, many millions have funded grants and low-interest loans to restore historic buildings and landmarks, both public and private. The scale of this restoration—both in terms of funds and number of buildings—makes Deadwood one of the largest ongoing historic preservation projects in the nation.
Gambling funds have been used to improve Deadwood’s infrastructure and to repair and renovate the Adams Museum, Days of ’76 rodeo grounds, the town’s Carnegie Library, Mount Moriah Cemetery, Deadwood Recreation Center, and historic Main Street. Such renovations have in turn increased the wage scale and provided jobs in city and county government as well as in private businesses. In fact, there are far more jobs in Deadwood than there are residents. Though the precise figures vary from year to year, reports consistently show about 1,800 gaming-related jobs in the city. Population estimates, however, show that Deadwood has only 1,380 inhabitants.
Although modern Deadwood’s gaming is somewhat controversial, and some citizens still believe the focus on gaming was an unfortunate choice, no one can argue with the positive changes in the town and the amazing improvements to both its appearance and economic outlook.
Today’s Deadwood offers limited-stakes gaming, which means the maximum bet is $100 per blackjack hand, poker bet, or slot machine play. About 80 gaming establishments—few business names include the word casino—offer live poker, blackjack, Let It Ride, three-card poker, and Rainbow 21 card games, progressive and other slot machines, and video lottery machines. Most have nickel, quarter, and dollar slot machines; you may even find some dime and penny machines. Many businesses also have special events such as slot tournaments and leagues, car giveaways, cash drawings, ladies’ nights, and happy hours; some offer gaming clubs for frequent visitors. Many have restaurants, bars, adjacent motel or hotel accommodations, or offer travel packages with discounts and incentives. There are several special events in Deadwood each month, ranging from a Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association rodeo and Christmas follies concert to a classic car show and two-day outdoor music festival with national recording artists. Many casinos and hotels anticipate these citywide events with their own parties or package deals; call the business and see the Annual Events & Festivals chapter for more information.
Deadwood gaming establishments line historic Main Street, but a few are on nearby Sherman Street, too. You’ll find slot machines where you never expected to see them: the VFW, and even the Super 8 Motel. A walk down Main Street is nothing like a walk down the Strip in Las Vegas. Perhaps low stakes also means low-key, because you won’t see building-size neon signs or chorus lines of dancing showgirls, and no football-field-size casinos or skyscraping hotels. We’d be surprised, in fact, if you heard a police car siren. As you stroll down the sidewalks that line the brick-paved streets and past the buildings restored to their former glory, you’ll see gamblers hurrying from door to door. Some stop to browse in the shops, but most are looking for that slot machine with their name on it, the one that calls seductively, “You’re a winner if you put just one more quarter in the slot.”
Elsewhere in the Black Hills, South Dakota’s state-operated video lottery—the machines that offer poker, keno, blackjack, and other electronic games—can be found in both casinos and other types of businesses in most Hills towns. In the past, video lottery has been highly controversial and has been the focus of repeal efforts in the state legislature and at the ballot box, but the state has come to depend on the revenues from thousands of video lottery machines. Video lottery is purported to be one of the most addictive forms of gambling. A study published in the South Dakota Medical Journal reported that players who don’t have problems with other types of gambling, and who don’t display tendencies toward gambling addictions, tend to have problems with video lottery.
For this and other reasons, including government dependence on the revenue, some state legislators believe it was a mistake to institute video lottery, which was legalized in 1989. Replacing that revenue (which includes a 50 percent take on the machine’s winnings, plus licensing fees and gaming taxes) will be difficult, however, especially since the most likely replacement would be a sales or income tax, an alternative that is unpopular with voters. Video lottery also generates income for the business owners and communities offering it, and they are understandably less than enthusiastic about losing that source of revenue.
Consequently, you can still play the machines, which you’ll find in restaurants, bars, hotel and motel lounges, and convenience stores in addition to casinos and gaming establishments.
For fans of lottos—the kind played with paper tickets instead of electronic machines—the state offers several options. There’s a Cash for Life game and a Wild Card game. One of the most popular is the South Dakota Powerball game; its large jackpots come from a pool of bets placed in several states. Several kinds of instant-win scratch tickets are available, too. You’ll find them for sale at most convenience stores.
The few bingo parlors in the Hills are run by private organizations; they are listed in the Yellow Pages under Bingo Games.
Although Black Hills gaming definitely isn’t Las Vegas, fans of gaming will find a great variety of lotteries, games, machines, and events (albeit low stake and mild mannered) from which to choose. Gaming is part of both the tourism and local entertainment scenes in the Black Hills and generates income for many. However, if gaming becomes a problem, you’ll find the Gamblers Anonymous hotline listed in a tip in this chapter.