Rapid City, South Dakota
134987
226148655
2008-07-17T01:14:29Z
AlexiusHoratius
2306142
/* The 1972 Flood */ shouldn't wiki-link section titles, added a 'main article' link to 1972 flood
{{Infobox Settlement
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|official_name = City of Rapid City
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|leader_name = [[Alan Hanks (American Politician)|Alan Hanks]]
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|established_date = 1882
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|elevation_m = 976
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|area_code = [[Area code 605|605]]
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|website = [http://www.rcgov.org www.rcgov.org]
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'''Rapid City''' is the second-largest city in the U.S. state of [[South Dakota]], and the [[county seat]] of [[Pennington County, South Dakota|Pennington County]].{{GR|6}} Rapid City is named after the [[Rapid Creek]] on which the city is established. Set against the eastern slope of the [[Black Hills]], the 2005 estimated population of Rapid City was 67,167, and the population of the [[Rapid City metropolitan area|metropolitan area]], defined as Pennington and Meade counties, was 138,763. Rapid City is known as the "Gateway to the Black Hills of South Dakota" and the "Star of the West." The city is divided by a small mountain range that splits the western and eastern parts of the city into two.
==Geography==
Rapid City is located at {{coor dms|44|4|34|N|103|13|42|W|city}} (44.076188, -103.228299){{GR|1}}. The downtown elevation of Rapid City is 3,202 feet (976 m) and Rapid City sits in the shadow of [[Harney Peak]]; which at {{convert|7242|ft|m|0}}, is the highest point east of the [[Rockies]] in the continental USA.
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of 44.7 [[square mile|sq mi]] (115.7 [[km²]]). 44.6 sq mi (115.5 km²) of it is land and 0.1 sq mi (0.2 km²) of it (0.13%) is water.<ref name=AFgeo>{{cite American Factfinder2|2|46103|county|2008-01-31|Pennington County, South Dakota}}</ref>
Rapid City has been assigned the [[ZIP code]] range 57701-57709 and the [[FIPS place code]] 52980.
Rapid City is located on the eastern edge of the Black Hills, and is split in half by the Dakota Hogback, which runs north-south at this point. "Westside" or "West Rapid" is located in the Red Valley or Racetrack between the foothills of the Black Hills proper and the Hogback, so named for the red Spearfish formation soils and the way the valley completely circles the Black Hills. The city has grown up into the foothills, with both ridges and valleys developed, especially in the last 20 years, and wildfire is a distinct threat to these residential areas, as shown by the Westberry Trails fire in 1988. Skyline Drive follows the crest of the Dakota Hogback south from near Rapid Gap (where Rapid Creek cuts through the Hogback) to a large high plateau which forms the current south edge of Rapid City. The Central and Eastern portions of Rapid Creek lie in the wide valley of Rapid Creek outside the Hogback, which includes a number of mesas rising a hundred feet or more above the creek.
Rapid Creek flows through Rapid City, emerging from Dark Canyon above Canyon Lake and flowing in a large arc through the Gap and north of Downtown, and then descending to the southeast as the valley widens. The floodplain of Rapid Creek is mostly undeveloped, one legacy of the Black Hills Flood of 1972. To the north, a series of ridges separates Rapid Creek from Box Elder Creek, with large older and new residential areas and commercial areas along I-90. To the south, the terrain rises more steeply to the southern widening of the Dakota Hogback into a plateau dividing the Rapid Creek drainage from Spring Creek.
===Climate===
Rapid City's location makes the city's climate unlike both the higher elevations of the Black Hills (especially the northern portion) and the Great Plains to the east. It is characterized by long arid summers and long dry winters, with short but distinct spring and autumn seasons.
January and February are the coldest months of winter. Daytime temperatures average in the 30s, but Chinook winds can warm temperatures into the 50s and 60s. Occasional intrusions of Arctic air are short-lived and temperature inversions sometimes produce warmer conditions in the Black Hills. Low temperatures average from 10 to 20 degrees above zero. Below zero readings are not uncommon in the higher valleys of the Black Hills. Rapid City frequently has inversions during this period, which can trap air pollutants, but also provides periods of "unseasonably" warm temperatures. Average monthly snowfall ranges from five inches in Rapid City to {{convert|15|in|mm}} in the Black Hills. The snow on the plains and Rapid City usually melts within a few days.
March and April is western South Dakota’s snow season and temperatures are still cool enough in the higher elevations to retain the snow cover, but Rapid City rarely has snow on the ground for more than a week at a time. March is typically the snowiest month of the year, with average snowfall 15 to {{convert|25|in|mm}} in the northern Black Hills and eight to {{convert|12|in|mm}} over the southern Hills. Normal highs are in the 40s and lows are in the 20s. Snow often occurs in April, although temperatures are warmer. Normal snowfall for the Black Hills is 10 to {{convert|20|in|mm}} in the north and five to {{convert|10|in|mm}} in the south. Average daytime temperatures are in the 50s with lows in the 20s and 30s.
May and June weather is mild and precipitation changes from rain showers to thunderstorms. Storms typically develop over the Black Hills during the afternoon and move onto the plains in the evening. However, Rapid City still sees an average of 20 clear to partly cloudy days and 65 percent of its possible sunshine in June. This is the traditional "flood" season for Rapid and other creeks in the Eastern Hills. Temperatures warm rapidly as summer approaches. Daytime highs average in the 60s during May and 70s during June. Overnight temperatures are still chilly, especially in Black Hills, where May minimums are in the 30s and 40s. Lows are typically in the 40s and 50s during June.
Summer is warm, dry, and sunny. July and August are the warmest months of the year, when daytime temperatures climb into the 70s and 80s--and sometimes 90s and occasionally to over 100. Breezy winds and low humidity levels help make the hot days comfortable. Early mornings are cool, so a jacket or sweater may be needed for outdoor activities. Low temperatures average in the 50s, although 40s--and even 30s--can occur at the higher elevations like Deerfield. Snow can occur in the higher Hills even in July and August.
Thunderstorms produce less rainfall, and drier conditions increase the wildfire potential in the Black Hills. Rapid City records an average of 9 thunderstorm days in August, but only {{convert|1.67|in|mm}} of rain. Rapid City receives 75 percent of its possible sunshine. Because the elevation of the Black Hills are between 4000 and {{convert|8000|ft|m|-2}}, the sun is very intense.
Sunny, mild days and cool nights are characteristic of September and October weather. Temperatures begin to cool around Labor Day, with September highs averaging in the 60s and 70s, falling into the 50s and 60s in October. Lows drop from the 30s and 40s into the 20s and 30s. The average first freeze in Rapid City is October 4 and late August through September in the Black Hills. The Rapid City area’s first snowfall is usually in October, although higher elevations sometimes receive significant snow in September. Occasional cold fronts moving through the area bring blustery northwest winds.
November and December mark the beginning of winter in the Black Hills. Despite cooler temperatures and more snow; the area still has many mild, sunny days. By December, daytime temperatures are in the 30s with nighttime readings in the teens and sometimes below zero in the Black Hills. Occasionally cold air fronts from Canada will bring subzero temperatures to the entire area; however, warmer weather returns quickly. Snowfall averages about five inches each month with only two days typically receiving more than one inch of snow. Storms early in the season produce heavy, wet snow. As the winter progresses, storm tracks from the northwest bring drier snow. Rapid City’s chances for a "White Christmas" (defined as having inch or more of snow on the ground) averages about 50 percent.
Rapid City holds two [[weather records]] — fastest temperature rise of 49 °F (27 °C) in 2 minutes on [[January 22]] [[1943]] and fastest temperature drop of 47 °F (26 °C) in 5 minutes on [[January 10]] [[1911]].<ref name="Handy Weather Answer Book"> {{cite book | last = Lyons | first = Walter A | title = The Handy Weather Answer Book | edition = 2nd Edition | year = 1997 | publisher = Visible Ink press | location = [[Detroit, Michigan]] | isbn = 0-7876-1034-8}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" "text-align:center;font-size:90%;"|
| colspan="13" style="text-align:center;font-size:120%;"|Monthly Normal and Record High and Low Temperatures
|-
! style="background: #E5AFAA; color: #000000" height="17" | Month
! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Jan
! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Feb
! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Mar
! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Apr
! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | May
! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Jun
! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Jul
! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Aug
! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Sep
! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Oct
! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Nov
! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Dec
|-
! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Rec High °F
| style="text-align:center; background: #E8EAFA; color:#000000;" | 76
| style="text-align:center; background: #E8EAFA; color:#000000;" | 75
| style="text-align:center; background: #E8EAFA; color:#000000;" | 82
| style="text-align:center; background: #E8EAFA; color:#000000;" | 93
| style="text-align:center; background: #E8EAFA; color:#000000;" | 98
| style="text-align:center; background: #E8EAFA; color:#000000;" | 109
| style="text-align:center; background: #E8EAFA; color:#000000;" | 110
| style="text-align:center; background: #E8EAFA; color:#000000;" | 106
| style="text-align:center; background: #E8EAFA; color:#000000;" | 104
| style="text-align:center; background: #E8EAFA; color:#000000;" | 94
| style="text-align:center; background: #E8EAFA; color:#000000;" | 83
| style="text-align:center; background: #E8EAFA; color:#000000;" | 75
|-
! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Norm High °F
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 33.6
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 38.6
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 46.6
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 57.1
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 67.2
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 77.4
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 85.5
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 85.5
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 75.2
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 61.7
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 44.8
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 36.1
|-
! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Norm Low °F
| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 11.3
| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 15.9
| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 23.2
| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 32.3
| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 42.7
| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 51.8
| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 57.9
| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 56.6
| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 46
| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 34.7
| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 22.1
| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 13.3
|-
! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Rec Low °F
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | -27
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | -31
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | -21
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 1
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 18
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 31
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 39
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 38
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 18
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | -2
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | -19
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | -30
|-
! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Precip (in)
| style="text-align:center; background: #E8EAFA; color:#000000;" | 0.37
| style="text-align:center; background: #E8EAFA; color:#000000;" | 0.46
| style="text-align:center; background: #E8EAFA; color:#000000;" | 1.03
| style="text-align:center; background: #E8EAFA; color:#000000;" | 1.86
| style="text-align:center; background: #E8EAFA; color:#000000;" | 2.96
| style="text-align:center; background: #E8EAFA; color:#000000;" | 2.83
| style="text-align:center; background: #E8EAFA; color:#000000;" | 2.03
| style="text-align:center; background: #E8EAFA; color:#000000;" | 1.61
| style="text-align:center; background: #E8EAFA; color:#000000;" | 1.1
| style="text-align:center; background: #E8EAFA; color:#000000;" | 1.37
| style="text-align:center; background: #E8EAFA; color:#000000;" | 0.61
| style="text-align:center; background: #E8EAFA; color:#000000;" | 0.41
|-
| colspan="13" style="text-align:center;font-size:90%;"|''Source: USTravelWeather.com [http://www.ustravelweather.com/weather-south-dakota/rapid-city-weather.asp]''
|}
==Demographics==
As of the [[census]]{{GR|2}} of 2000, there were 59,607 people, 23,969 households, and 15,220 families residing in the city. The [[population density]] was 1,336.7 people per square mile (516.1/km²). There were 25,096 housing units at an average density of 562.8/sq mi (217.3/km²).<ref name=AFgeo/> The racial makeup of the city was 84.33% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.97% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 10.14% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 1.00% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.06% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.73% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 2.77% from two or more races.<ref name=AFgen>{{cite American Factfinder|town|4652980|general}}</ref> [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 2.77% of the population.<ref>{{cite American Factfinder|city|4652980|social}}</ref>
There were 23,969 households out of which 31.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.7% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 12.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.5% were non-families. 29.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.96.<ref name=AFgen/>
In the city the population was spread out with 25.3% under the age of 18, 11.8% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 20.9% from 45 to 64, and 13.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 96.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.6 males.<ref>{{cite American Factfinder|city|4652980|age}}</ref>
The median income for a household in the city was $35,978, and the median income for a family was $44,818. Males had a median income of $30,985 versus $21,913 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $19,445. About 9.4% of families and 12.7% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 17.6% of those under age 18 and 6.9% of those age 65 or over.<ref>{{cite American Factfinder|city|4652980|economic}}</ref>
==History==
The public discovery of [[gold]] in 1874 by the [[George Armstrong Custer|Custer]] Expedition brought an influx of settlers into the [[Black Hills]] region of [[South Dakota]]. Rapid City was founded (and originally known as "Hay Camp") in 1876 by a group of disappointed miners, who promoted their new city as the "Gateway to the Black Hills." John Brennan and Samuel Scott, with a small group of men, laid out the site of the present Rapid City, which was named for the spring-fed [[Rapid Creek (South Dakota)|Rapid Creek]] that flows through it. A square mile was measured off and the six blocks in the center were designated as a business section. Committees were appointed to bring in prospective merchants and their families to locate in the new settlement. Although it began as a hay camp, the city soon began selling supplies to miners and pioneers, and its location on the edge of the Plains and Hills, with a large river valley made it the natural hub of railroads arriving in the late 1880s from both the south and east. By 1900, Rapid City had survived a boom and bust and was establishing itself as an important regional trade center.
Although the Black Hills became a tourist destination in the late 1890s, it was a combination of local boosterism, the popularity of the automobile, and construction of improved highways that brought tourists to the [[Black Hills]] in large numbers after World War I. [[Gutzon Borglum]], already a famous sculptor, began work on [[Mount Rushmore]] in 1927, and his son, Lincoln Borglum continued the carving of the presidents' faces in rock following his father's death in 1941, but work was halted and the massive sculpture was declared completed in 1941, due to pressures leading to the US entry into World War II. Although tourism sustained the city throughout the [[Great Depression]] of the 1930s, the gas rationing of [[World War II]] had a devastating effect on the tourist industry in the town, but this was more than made up for by the war-related growth.
The city benefited greatly from the opening of Rapid City Army Air Base, later [[Ellsworth Air Force Base]], an [[United States Army Air Corps|Army Air Corps]] training base. As a result, the population of the area nearly doubled between 1940 and 1948, from almost 14,000 to nearly 27,000 people. Military families and civilian personnel soon took every available living space in town, and mobile parks proliferated. Rapid City businesses profited from the military payroll.
During the Cold War, missile installations proliferated in the area: a series of Nike Air Defense sites were constructed around Ellsworth in the 1950s. In the early 60s the construction of three [[Titan]] missile launch sites containing a total of nine Titan I missiles in the general vicinity of Rapid City took place. Beginning in November 1963, the land for a hundred miles east, northeast and northwest of the city was dotted with 150 [[Minuteman]] [[missile silo]]s and 15 launch command centers, all of which were deactivated in the early 1990s.<ref>{{cite web | last =The Brookings Institution | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | title =Retiring a Minuteman ICBM (LGM-30F) | work =U.S. Nuclear Weapons Cost Study Project | publisher = | date = | url =http://www.brook.edu/fp/projects/nucwcost/retire.htm | format = | doi = | accessdate =2007-10-04 }}</ref>
In 1949, city officials envisioned the city as a retail and wholesale trade center for the region and designed a plan for growth that focused on a civic center, more downtown parking places, new schools, and paved streets. A construction boom continued into the 1950s. Growth slowed in the 1960s, but the worst natural disaster in South Dakota history, the Black Hills Flood led to another building boom a decade later. On [[June 9]], [[1972]], heavy rains caused massive flooding of the Rapid Creek. More than 250 people lost their lives and more than $100 million in property was destroyed.
[[Image:Rapidcreek1972flood.jpg|thumb|right|Debris along Rapid Creek after 1972 flood.]]
The devastation of the flood and the outpouring of private donations and millions of dollars in federal aid led to the completion of one big part of the 1949 plan: clearing the area along the Rapid Creek and making it a public park. New homes and businesses were constructed to replace those that had been destroyed. [[Rushmore Plaza Civic Center]] and a new Central High School were built in part of the area that had been cleared. The rebuilding in part insulated Rapid City from the drop in automotive tourism caused by the Oil Embargo in 1974, but tourism was depressed for most of a decade. In 1978, [[Rushmore Mall]] was built on the north edge of the city, adding to the city's position as a retail shopping center.
In the 1980s, growth was fueled by an increase in tourism, increasingly tied to the [[Sturgis Motorcycle Rally]], followed by another decline in the late 1990s. Fears for the closure of Ellsworth AFB as part of the massive base closure process in the 1990s and 2000s led to attempts to expand other sectors of the economy, but growth continued and the city expanded significantly during this period.
Today, Rapid City is South Dakota's primary city for tourism and recreation. Urban flight from neighboring towns has greatly benefited the growth of Rapid City and the city continues to expand both commercially and residentially. With the approval of a [[Deep Underground Science and Engineering Laboratory]] at the [[Homestake Mine]] site, Rapid City has a future of great advancements in [[technology]], [[medicine]], and [[scientific research]].
=== 1972 Flood ===
{{main|Black Hills flood}}
[[Image:Rapid City SD wea00703.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Cars jumbled together by the 1972 flood.]]
On June 9-10, 1972, extremely heavy rains over the eastern [[Black Hills]] of [[South Dakota]] produced record [[floods]] on [[Rapid Creek (South Dakota)|Rapid Creek]] and other streams in the area. Nearly {{convert|15|in|mm}} of [[rain]] fell in about 6 hours near [[Nemo, South Dakota|Nemo]], and more than {{convert|10|in|mm}} of rain fell over an area of {{convert|60|sqmi|km2|-1}}. According to the [[Red Cross]], the resulting peak floods (which occurred after dark) left 238 people dead and 3,057 people injured.<ref>{{cite web | title = The 1972 Black Hills-Rapid City Flood Revisited | publisher = United States Geological Survey | accessdate = 2007-10-15 | url = http://sd.water.usgs.gov/projects/1972flood/}}</ref> In addition to the human tragedy, total damage was estimated in excess of $160 million (about $664 million in 2002 dollars), which included 1,335 homes and 5,000 automobiles that were destroyed. Runoff from this [[storm]] produced record floods (highest peak flows recorded) along Battle, Spring, Rapid, and Box Elder Creeks. Smaller floods also occurred along [[Elk Creek]] and [[Bear Butte]] Creek. Canyon Lake Dam, on the west side of Rapid City, broke the night of the flood, unleashing a wall of water down the creek. The 1972's flooding has an estimated recurrence interval of 500 years.[http://pubs.er.usgs.gov/pubs/ofr/ofr96202 (Burr and Korkow, 1996),] which means that a flood of this magnitude will occur on average once every 500 years. Every year there is a 0.2 percent chance (1 in 500) of experiencing a similar event. To prevent a similar tragedy from occurring in the future, the city's flood plain is no longer allowed to be built upon. Today the flood plain features golf courses, parks, sports arenas, and arboretums where neighborhoods and businesses once stood.
In 2007, the [[Rapid City Public Library]] created a [http://www.rapidcitylibrary.org/lib_info/1972Flood/index.asp 1972 Flood digital archive] that collects survivors' stories, photos and news accounts of the flood.
==Healthcare==
Rapid City is a major medical care center for a five-state region, centered around the [[Rapid City Regional Hospital]] and the [[Indian Health Service's]] Sioux San Hospital. Other smaller, independent medical facilities have been established in the area, including the Black Hills Surgery Center, The Heart Doctors, The Spine Center at Rapid City, Setliff Sinus Institute, Black Hills Eye Institute, and Regional Behavioral Healthcare. Two [[Veterans Affairs]] hospitals are located nearby at Fort Meade, and Hot Springs.
==Education==
Rapid City institutions of higher education include the [[South Dakota School of Mines and Technology]], [[Oglala Lakota College - Paha Sapa]], [[National American University]], [[Western Dakota Technical Institute]], and several small sectarian preacher training schools. [[Black Hills State University]] is located in nearby [[Spearfish, South Dakota|Spearfish]], and offers several classes both in Rapid City and at Ellsworth Air Force Base. The South Dakota state nurse training program is also based in Rapid City. There are two public high schools in the city, [[Central High School (Rapid City)|Central High School]] and [[Stevens High School (Rapid City)|Stevens High School]]. The city also has several alternative academies; Jefferson Academy and Odyssey Academy, and at least two Christian high schools including [[St. Thomas More High School (South Dakota)|Saint Thomas More]] and [[Rapid City Christian High School]].
===Rapid City Area Schools===
The local public schools fall under the [[Rapid City Area Schools]] [[school district]]. There are two major high schools within the district. They are Central High School and Stevens High School. The middle schools include Dakota Middle School, North Middle School, South Middle School, Southwest Middle School, and West Middle School. They are 16 elementary schools within the district. These are Black Hawk, Canyon Lake, Corral Drive, General Beadle, Grandview, Horace Mann, Kibben Kuster, Knollwood Heights, Meadowbrook, Pinedale, Rapid Valley, Robbinsdale, South Canyon, South Park, Valley View, and Woodrow Wilson. <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rcas.org/index.aspx|title=Rapid City Area Schools|publisher=Rapid City Area Schools|accessdate=2008-04-25}}</ref>
==Sports==
* The most successful of South Dakota's sports programs, [[Rapid City Post 22 American Legion Baseball]] has won dozens of state titles and made several appearances in the American Legion Baseball World Series, winning a title in 1993.
*The [[Rapid City Thrillers]] was a professional basketball club that competed in the Continental Basketball Association beginning in the 1987-1988 season through the 1996-1997 season.
*The [[Black Hills Posse]] was a professional basketball club that competed in the [[International Basketball Association]] beginning in the 1995-1996 season.
*The [[Black Hills Gold]] was a professional basketball club that competed in the International Basketball Association during the 1999-2000 season.
*The [[Rapid City Flying Aces]] is an [[indoor football]] team that competed between 2000 and 2006 in the [[Indoor Football League]], [[United Indoor Football]], and [[National Indoor Football League]], changing names from season to season.
* The [[Rapid City Rush]] is a minor league hockey team in the [[Central Hockey League|CHL]] which is expected to begin play in October 2008.
==Art and Culture==
Because of the importance of tourism in the area, and its extensive market area, Rapid City has many cultural resources usually found only in much larger urban areas. Among these are:
* [[The Journey Museum]]
* [http://www.thedahl.org Dahl Arts Center]
* Heritage Festival
* [[Rushmore Plaza Civic Center]]
* [http://www.blackhillsplayhouse.com Black Hills Playhouse]
* Storybook Island Theater
* [http://artalley.awardspace.com/ Art Alley gallery]
* [http://www.bhct.org Black Hills Community Theatre]
* [[Black Hills Symphony Orchestra]]
* Black Hills Chamber Orchestra
* [http://www.prairieedge.com/ Prairie Edge Art Gallery]
* [http://www.sdsmt.edu/services/museum/ School of Mines Geological Museum]
Rapid City also has a large amount of public sculpture on display in many parts of the city. The most visible of this art is the "Parade of Presidents" - a series of lifesize statues of all past American presidents placed on street corners in the downtown area, with an interpretive center. These statutes were erected by public subscription over a ten-year period between 1997 and 2007.
==Sister Cities==
Rapid City has three [[town twinning|sister cities]], as designated by [http://www.sister-cities.org/ Sister Cities International, Inc. (SCI)]:
*{{flagicon|Germany}} [[Apolda]], [[Germany]]
*{{flagicon|Japan}} [[Nikko]], [[Japan]]
*{{flagicon|China}} Yangshuo County, [[People's Republic of China|China]]
== Industry and Economy ==
Rapid City's economy is diverse, but has only a moderate amount of industry. Heavy and medium industrial activities include a [[Portland cement]] plant (constructed and owned for 84 years<ref>Created by SD Constitutional Amendment, 1919.</ref> by the State of [[South Dakota]] and sold in 2003 to [[Grupo Cementos de Chihuahua|GCC]], a Mexican-based conglomerate), a chipboard manufacturing plant owned by [[Merillat Industries]], [[Black Hills Ammunition]] an ammunition and reloading supplies manufacturing company, several custom sawmills, a lime plant, a computer peripheral component manufacturing plant, and several farm and ranch equipment manufacturers. Of particular note, Rapid City is the center for the manufacture of Black Hills Gold, a popular product with tourists and Westerners in general. Rapid City is also the location of the only manufacturer of stamping machines used for the labeling of plywood and chipboard products.
Although most gold mining has ceased in the Black Hills and was never done in or near Rapid City, mining of sand and gravel, as well as the raw materials for [[Lime (mineral)|lime]] and Portland cement (including chemical-grade [[limestone]], taconite iron ore, and gypsum, remains an important part of the economy.
The largest sector of the Rapid City economy is government services, including local, state, and federal. Major employers include [[Ellsworth Air Force Base]], home of the [[28th Bomb Wing]] flying the [[B-1B]] long-range bomber; the [[Army National Guard]] based at [[Camp Rapid]] and hosting annual exercises in the Black Hills drawing troops from five to ten states; and various federal agencies including the [[National Park Service]], [[United States Forest Service|US Forest Service]], and [[Indian Health Service]].
The [[Rapid City Regional Hospital]] Healthcare System covers one of the largest expansions of territory in the United States. Regional Healthcare employs over 7,000 persons in the Rapid City area.
Tourism is also a major portion of the Rapid City economy, due to the proximity of [[Mount Rushmore]], Sturgis, home of the [[Sturgis Motorcycle Rally]], [[Deadwood, South Dakota|Deadwood]], and other attractions in the Black Hills. Rapid City is the major source of services for the Motorcycle Rally, and the Rally's demand for motel rooms, camp sites, and other services for tourists during the first week of August means that Rapid City has the capacity to host large conventions and large numbers of tourists year-round. Various minor tourist attractions, including wildlife parks, specialty shops, caves, water parks, private museums, and other businesses are found in and near Rapid City.
Other economic sectors include financial service and investing companies such as [[Waddel and Reed]], [[Citibank]], [[WaMu]], [[Merrill Lynch]], and [[Northwestern Mutual]]. Rapid City is the headquarters for [[Assurant]] Insurance and Rapid City has a strong medical services sector, and institutions of higher education. Rapid City is also the major market town for much of five states, drawing commerce from more than half of South Dakota, and large portions of [[North Dakota]], [[Montana]], [[Wyoming]], and the [[Nebraska Panhandle]]; including ranching areas, coal mining areas, oil and gas fields, AmerInd reservations, and additional tourism activities.
==Transportation==
Rapid City is a major transportation hub for the Northern Plains. [[Rapid City Regional Airport]] provides flights daily to the airline hub cities of [[Denver]], [[Minneapolis]] and [[Salt Lake City]]. There are also three flights a week to [[Las Vegas metropolitan area|Las Vegas]], two flights a week to [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix]]/Mesa and daily flights to [[Chicago]] during tourist season. The airport also has extensive [[General Aviation]] operations, including wildfire fighting activities and medical flight support to Rapid City medical facilities and Indian Health Service operations in the Dakotas.
Although historically a fairly important regional rail hub, today Rapid City is a minor railroad junction, with a single local rail line to the Northern Black Hills, and railroad connection east to Minnesota and south through Nebraska to connect with major transcontinental railroads ([[Burlington Northern Santa Fe]] and [[Union Pacific]]).
Rapid City's central location in North America (the [[geographic center]] of the United States is located approximately {{convert|60|mi|km|0}} north) allows easy transport of products to both coasts, and trucking is a major business activity in the city. Improved connections with Denver and I-80 to the south, via the [[Heartland Expressway]] now under construction will primarily benefit local trucking.
Rapid City's location on the boundary of the Western and Eastern power grids, together with the hydroelectric plants of the [[Mainstem Dams]] on the [[Missouri River]] and the large coal fields and power plants of the [[Powder River Basin]] of Wyoming make it one of the points where the two national power grids connect with each other, allowing switching of electrical power from east to west and vice versa.
== Infrastructure ==
* [[Interstate 90]] is the primary east-west route for Rapid City. Rapid City is served by 7 exits. I-90 splits the northern commercial and residential suburbs from the major part of the city. The South Dakota DOT has been reconstructing most of these interchanges in the last five years.
* [[Interstate 190 (South Dakota)|Interstate 190]] is an Interstate spur linking downtown Rapid City to [[Interstate 90]].
* [[U.S. Route 16|US Highway 16]] is the main route to the southwest and the [[Black Hills]] from Rapid City. It links Rapid City to [[Custer, South Dakota|Custer]] and then west to [[Newcastle, Wyoming]], where it connects to [[U.S. Route 85|US Highway 85]] for travel to Cheyenne and Denver. Reconstructed as a four-lane parkway connecting Rapid City to Mount Rushmore in the mid-1960s, major segments have been rebuilt as three-lane or "super-two" highways in the past decade, to support increased tourist traffic.
* [[South Dakota Highway 44]] is a state highway that links the interior of the [[Black Hills]] to the southwest of Rapid City, and the [[Pine Ridge Indian Reservation]] and nearby areas in the Great Plains to the southeast.
* [[South Dakota Highway 79]] is a state highway that is multiplexed with I-90 northwest of Rapid City. SD Highway 79 extends to and connects with US Highway 85 into [[North Dakota]]. South of Rapid City to [[Nebraska]], Highway 79 is being reconstructed as the [[Heartland Expressway]], a high-speed four-lane highway which will eventually connect to [[Interstate 80]] in Nebraska and the [[Colorado Front Range]]. The Heartland Expressway may eventually be extended along US Highway 85 north to [[Regina, Saskatchewan]], to create an additional major north-south artery through the [[Great Plains]] which would pass through Rapid City.
Rapid City's location on the boundary of the Western and Eastern power grids, together with the hydroelectric plants of the Mainstem Dams on the Missouri River and the large coal fields and power plants of the Powder River Basin of Wyoming make it one of the points where the two national power grids connect with each other, allowing switching of electrical power from east to west and vice versa. Rapid City has its own coal-fired power plant, but also obtains much of its power from both the Missouri dams and power stations near [[Gillette, Wyoming]]. Electrical rates are considered relatively low.
Rapid City obtains most of its water supply from Rapid Creek and the alluvial aquifers associated with the creek, owning significant water rights in [[Pactola Reservoir]] located some {{convert|15|mi|km|0}} west of the city, but does also obtain water from some springs in the vicinity, and has the ability to draw water from deep formations which receive water from recharge in areas of the Black Hills where the formations come to the surface. The heavy dependence on shallow alluvial aquifers is of some concern to planners, as most suburbs of Rapid City use [[septic systems]] for domestic sewage treatment. However, water supplies remain relatively good for future growth.
The Rapid City Regional Airport operates at below maximum capacity for general aviation and commercial aviation, and is capable of handling all current commercial passenger and cargo aircraft.
Rapid City has no passenger rail service. Rail cargo service is limited: the [[Dakota, Minnesota, and Eastern]] provides connections to other cities in South Dakota and Minnesota, and connects to major rail service along the Mississippi River corridor, but the DM&E also connects to major transcontinental rail lines to the south, in Nebraska and Wyoming.
Rapid City has limited city-to-city bus service along I-90, but many charter bus services operate in the area, and connect Rapid City and Deadwood with cities in Colorado, Nebraska, and Iowa. The city does have a municipally-owned small bus service.
== Suburbs ==
{{main|Rapid City metropolitan area}}
In many ways, the entire Black Hills, including portions of South Dakota, Wyoming, and Nebraska, can be considered a single large urban area of approximately {{convert|40000|sqmi|km2|-4}} and a permanent, year-round population of about 250,000, of which Rapid City is the core city. Most cities and towns in the Black Hills and the surrounding plains have a significant percentage of their population which commute to and from Rapid City, and many residents of Rapid City work in outlying towns.
Among the nearer suburbs in Pennington and Meade Counties:
* [[Ashland Heights, South Dakota|Ashland Heights]]
* [[Rapid Valley, South Dakota|Rapid Valley]]
* [[Black Hawk, South Dakota|Black Hawk]]
* [[Piedmont Valley, South Dakota|Piedmont Valley]]
* [[Piedmont, South Dakota|Piedmont]]
* [[Box Elder, South Dakota|Box Elder]]
* [[Colonial Pine Hills, South Dakota|Colonial Pine Hills]]
* [[Caputa, South Dakota|Caputa]]
* [[Hermosa, South Dakota|Hermosa]]
* [[Nemo, South Dakota|Nemo]]
* [[Rimrock Area, South Dakota|Rimrock Area]]
* [[Johnson Siding, South Dakota|Johnson Siding]]
* [[Rockerville, South Dakota|Rockerville]]
* [[Summerset, South Dakota|Summerset]]
* [[Whispering Pines, South Dakota|Whispering Pine]]
Suburbs at a greater distance from Rapid City include:
* [[New Underwood, South Dakota|New Underwood]]
* [[Silver City, South Dakota|Silver City]]
* [[Keystone, South Dakota|Keystone]]
* [[Hill City, South Dakota|Hill City]]
* [[Hayward, South Dakota|Hayward]]
==Media==
===Television===
*[[KOTA-TV]] 3 [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] ([[ATSC]] 2)
*[[KEVN-TV]] 7 [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] (ATSC 18)
*[[South Dakota Public Broadcasting|KBHE-TV]] 9 [[Public Broadcasting Service|PBS]] (ATSC 26)
*[[KELO-TV|KCLO]] 15 [[CBS]] (ATSC 16)
*[[KNBN]] 21 [[NBC]]
*[[KKRA-LP]] 24 [[MyNetworkTV]]/[[ION Television|ION]]
*[[KWBH-LP]] 27 [[The CW Television Network|The CW]]
*[[KCPO-LP|KCPL-LP]] 52 [[Independent station|Independent]]
===Radio===
*88.3 [[KLMP]] "The Light" ([[Christian radio|Christian]])
*89.3 [[South Dakota Public Broadcasting|KBHE]] [[South Dakota Public Broadcasting|SDPB]]/[[National Public Radio|NPR]] ([[Public radio|Public]]/[[European classical music|Classical]]/[[Jazz]])
*90.3 KASD-FM [[American Family Radio]] ([[Christian radio|Christian]])
*90.9 K215DV [[CSN International|CSN]] [[broadcast translator|translator]] ([[Christian radio|Christian]])
*91.3 [[KTEQ]] "K-Tech" ([[Campus radio|College]]/[[Freeform (radio format)|Freeform]])
*92.3 [[KQRQ-FM]] "Q 92.3" ([[Classic hits]])
*93.1 [[KRCS]] "Hot 93.1" ([[Top 40 (radio format)|Top 40]]/[[Contemporary hit radio|CHR]])
*93.9 [[KKMK]] "Magic 93.9" ([[Adult contemporary]])
*95.1 [[KSQY]] "K-Sky" ([[Mainstream Rock]])
*95.9/96.3 [[KZZI]] "The Eagle" ([[Country music|Country]])
*97.1 [[KFND-LP]] ([[Christian radio|Christian]])
*97.9/105.7 [[KTPT]] "The Point" ([[Christian pop]])
*98.7 [[KOUT]] "Kat Country" ([[Country music|Country]])
*100.3 [[KFXS]] "The Fox" ([[Classic rock]])
*101.1/103.5 [[KDDX]] "X Rock" ([[Active rock]])
*101.9 [[KFMH]] "B102" ([[Oldies]])
*102.7 [[KXMZ]] "Today's Best Hits" ([[Hit single|Hits]])
*104.1 [[KIQK]] "Kick 104" ([[Country music|Country]])
*105.1 [[KAWK]] "The Hawk" ([[Adult contemporary]])
*106.3 [[KZLK]] "Max FM" ([[Adult hits]])
*107.3/107.9 [[KSLT]] "K-Salt" ([[contemporary Christian music]])
===Print===
*''[[Rapid City Journal]]''
*''Rapid City Weekly Report''
*''Patriot'' (Ellsworth AFB Bulletin)
== Places of interest ==
* [http://myspace.com/artalley Art Alley]
* [[Berlin Wall]] Exhibit
* [[Dinosaur Park]]
* [http://www.piratescove.net Pirate's Cove]
* [[Hart Ranch]]
* [[Reptile Gardens]]
* [[Bear Country USA]]
* [[Storybook Island]]
* [[South Dakota School of Mines and Technology]]
* [[The Journey Museum and Gardens]]
* [[Rapid City Public Library]]
* [http://www.rushmorewaterslide.com Rushmore Waterslide Park]
* Canyon Lake Park
* Rushmore Maze
* Pirates table
==Famous Residents==
* [[Mark Ellis (baseball)|Mark Ellis]] - Starting second baseman for the [[Oakland Athletics]]
* [[Becky Hammon]] - WNBA player for [[San Antonio Silver Stars]], she attended Rapid City Stevens High School and Colorado State University. She announced in April 2008 that since she was not going to be able to get a spot on the U.S. Women's National Basketball Team, she had decided to play for Russia in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China.
* [[Adam Vinatieri]] - Born in Yankton, SD. NFL player with the [[Indianapolis Colts]], formerly of the [[New England Patriots]].
* [[Jack van der Geest]]- holocaust survivor, author of 'Was God on Vacation?'
* [[Eric Piatkowski]] - Born in Steubenville, OH. NBA player and former [[Nebraska Cornhusker]]. Moved to Rapid City in high school. Attended Rapid City Stevens High School.
* [[Lawrence Lessig]] - Lawyer, Stanford professor, founder of the [[Creative Commons]]. Moved to the Eastern United States as a child.
* [[Brandon Claussen]] - a [[Major league baseball]] [[pitcher]] with the [[Washington Nationals]], was born in Rapid City on May 1, 1979. [http://www.sportsline.com/mlb/players/playerpage/284585] Left in his youth for New Mexico. Graduated from Goddard High School in Roswell, N.M.
* [[Kelvin Torve]] - [[Major League Baseball]] player for the [[Minnesota Twins]] and [[New York Mets]]
{{see also|List of people from Rapid City}}
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{commons}}
==External links==
* [http://www.rcgov.org/ Rapid City government website]
* [http://www.rapidcityjournal.com/ Rapid City Journal - local newspaper]
* [http://ww3.startribune.com/blogs/oldnews/archives/100 Yesterday's News blog] "Residents had only minutes to flee," Minneapolis Tribune, June 11, 1972
*[http://www.blackhillsportal.com/ Black Hills Area Guide & Community Portal]
{{Geolinks-US-cityscale|44.076188|-103.228299}}
{{Pennington County, South Dakota}}
{{South Dakota}}
[[Category:Rapid City, South Dakota| ]]
[[Category:Black Hills]]
[[Category:Cities in South Dakota]]
[[Category:Pennington County, South Dakota]]
[[Category:County seats in South Dakota]]
[[Category:Settlements established in 1876]]
[[Category:Rapid City metropolitan area]]
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