Rapid City, USA, 1913 and 2015
Rapid City, South Dakota, was born out of the 1870s Black Hills gold rush. Entrepreneurs saw an opportunity to sell mining and homestead goods to prospectors, setting up a commercial center near the Black Hills. This commercial center, Rapid City, continued to thrive after the gold rush ended in the 1880s. The 1913 image shows a modest community along the eastern edge of the Black Hills. The area became a hub for lumber, mining, agriculture, and tourism. The 2005 image shows some of the historic buildings still standing, but the community has grown, with taller buildings and a denser urban layout. Rapid City today has a thriving tourism industry, serving as a gateway to the Black Hills and famous national landmarks. Visitors come to Rapid City for its easy access to Mount Rushmore, the ongoing Crazy Horse Monument, and the nearby notorious ‘Wild West’ community of Deadwood.