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Rapid City, SD -- During Stock Show Week, the civic center isn’t the
only place you’ll find the cowboy and all the stories and trappings of the
West. The arts and museum community offer the estimated 250,000 visitors to
the event exceptional exhibits and programs tailored to a variety of interests
and ages.
From the High Plains Western Heritage Center in Spearfish to The Journey
Museum and The Dahl in Rapid City, there are a wealth of cowboy and western
exhibits and programs to choose from. “These centers of history and art offer wonderful opportunities to
enhance the stock show experience,” says BHSS Foundation Community Relations
Director Diane Norman. “We encourage folks to put a visit to each one of these
facilities on their “must see” list during stock show week.” And all year long for that matter. Feast your eyes on one of the few Cycloramas in existence.
Where?
At The Dahl where this magnificent tribute to 200 years of American
history is viewed in the round. Or make your plans now to attend the upcoming
exhibit “From The Ground Up”, visions in oil, photography and pottery that
opens the first week in February. Peruse the single, most complete rodeo
collection to be found anywhere in the region at the High Plains Western
Heritage Center.
Programs
abound at The Journey Museum where story tellers recreate the West in words and
song and where the beauty and grace
of the rodeo queen will be on display during preliminary competition events held
there during stock show week.
The most recent development is a collaborative effort between two
museums, the High Plains Western Heritage Center and The Journey Museum where
the exhibit “The History of Rodeo in the Black Hills” runs through February
22. “From the late 1800’s to present day, rodeo has been the number one
social activity of the population of this area,” says High Plains Director
Peggy Ables. “In the early days, they came by wagon, later by motor vehicles
to arenas set up out on the prairie. Now they come to modern outdoor and indoor
facilities.” She continues,
“But they still come for the same reason, great rodeo, legends and
legends in the making.”
What you’ll find at this exhibit are 53 contributors who have loaned
items from their private collections, Ables says. “It is the most
comprehensive look at rodeo history in this area to ever be made available to
the public. “We have people coming through the exhibit that opened January 16,
saying they had never seen this piece or that one,” she notes.
“That’s exactly what we want to hear. We know we’ve put historical
items out there that folks haven’t seen before.”
On display will be Turtle saddles, that represent the first organized
association of rodeo contestants. The Turtle Association would later become the
Rodeo Cowboys Association in 1945 and would eventually become the Professional
Rodeo Cowboys Association, in 1975. Visitors
will see saddles used on the great rodeo horse legend Tipperary, born and raised
in the shortpine country of Harding County. They’ll also view one of the
largest historic photograph displays to be brought together from private
collections.
Historic rodeos, that are still known around the country for their
quality performances, began right here in the Black Hills.
“The Black Hills Roundup, Belle Fourche, the Days of ‘76, Deadwood,
and Range Days Rodeo in Rapid City, were all started by the same man, Russ
Madison,” explains Ables. “We are so pleased to have his collection
presented to us by the Madison family. It is priceless in its historic
significance to this area and to the sport of rodeo.”
Plans are to continue this exhibit on an annual basis with this year’s
display centering on the rodeo arena and stock contractors. “The stories told
through photograph’s, video and memorabilia that is all prior to 1960 is
colorful and speaks to the wild ride that the rodeo industry represents. It
doesn’t get any more cowboy than this,” she notes.
Already working on the 2005 exhibit, Ables is excited about what will
come together for pieces that will focus on the early day rodeo cowboy and
cowgirl as they appeared in Black Hills area arena’s. “We have a legacy, right here, that deserves a hard look when it comes
to resources being made available for preservation and public display. The
stories and items are all over the place. This
area deserves a concentrated effort to bring the Black Hills cowboy and rodeo
history together. It’s my hope
this exhibit, and the joint efforts of organizations committed to preserving the
stories of the West, will begin to show others of that need.”
Move over Texas. The story of the Great American Cowboy as told from the Black Hills of
South Dakota and Wyoming, is about to begin. For more information, contact Ables at 605-642-9378, email
info@westernheritagecenter.com
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