Rapid City is a land of prairies, pine forests, and desolate, rocky landscapes. Founded only two years after the gold boom in the Black Hills, Rapid City is a boomtown that has truly made a name for itself. It's where visitors come to visit such places as Deadwood, a gambling excursion once known as a 19th century mining town, and Mt. Rushmore, where even after 50 years the grandeur of these carvings still captivates the eyes and hearts of all its visitors. This land was once dominated by the proud and mighty Sioux nation. Today, there are nine Native American reservations in South Dakota. The Sioux influence in Rapid City can be seen in the shops and museums that display and sell Native American Art and artifacts.
Rapid City, South Dakota's second-largest city - located west of the Missouri River, is a great place from which to explore the well-known Black Hills. The vast Black Hills National forest covers 1.3 million acres on the state's western edge. Known for its magnificent forests, mountain scenery and ghost towns, the Black Hills region is home to the natural splendors of bison, deer, coyotes, elk, mountain goats, and big horn sheep. It is among these hills that sculptor Gutzon Borglum labored for more than 14 years at the granite cliff where the faces of Presidents Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt are carved. Also in the Black Hills region, the largest sculpture in the world, the Crazy Horse Memorial is being created. When finished the Crazy Horse Memorial will depict the Dakota warrior who defeated General Custer at Little Bighorn. The site includes a full function Visitor Center and is the home of the Indian Museum of North America. It is for all these attractions and more that Rapid City is considered the shining "Star of the West."
Rapid City combines the natural wonders of the wide-open spaces with the Native American and frontier legend. Rapid City offers accessibility to some of the most beautiful and interesting attractions in America. Rapid City's heartland hospitality and a backdrop of the most attractive scenery in America-makes Rapid City a sure bet for a memorable trip.
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