Located in Pennington County, South Dakota, Rapid City was established in 1876. Gateway to Mount Rushmore and the Black Hills. The 1972 Rapid Creek flood killed 238 people.
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Founded1876|Population80,000|Peak80,000(2024)|CountyPennington County
Top 10 Most Important Events for Rapid City, South Dakota
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1876Gold Rush: Black Hills gold discovery.
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1941Ellsworth AFB: B-1 bomber base.
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1972Flood: Rapid Creek flood kills 238.
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2010Modern Era: Rapid City continued to develop as part of the region, with new infrastructure and community amenities.
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Complete Historical Timeline
1876Industry
Gold Rush
1941Government
Ellsworth AFB
1972Disaster
Flood
2010Culture
Modern Era
Did You Know?
1
Gateway to Mount Rushmore and the Black Hills.
2
The 1972 Rapid Creek flood killed 238 people.
3
Ellsworth AFB is home to B-1B Lancer bombers.
4
Rapid City is located in Pennington County, South Dakota.
5
Rapid City was founded in 1876.
Famous People from Rapid City, South Dakota
LL
Lawrence Lessig
Teacher, Lawyer · Born Jun 3, 1961 · Age 64
BH
Becky Hammon
Basketball Player, Basketball Coach · Born Mar 11, 1977 · Age 48
TL
Tomi Lahren
Television Presenter, Political Pundit · Born Aug 11, 1992 · Age 33
RL
Randy Lewis
Amateur Wrestler · Born Jun 7, 1959 · Age 66
JC
Jessi Combs
Television Presenter, Racing Automobile Driver · Born Jul 27, 1980 · Died Aug 27, 2019 (age 39)
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