Tuesday, September 22, 2015
Wednesday, July 15, 2015
Thursday, April 30, 2015
John Franklin Fillmore DHS1955 of Whitewood, SD passed away Tuesday, April 28, 2015, at Rapid City Regional Hospital
Sunday, April 12, 2015
Deadwood The Commercial and Social Hub of the Black Hills’ Universe by Ann Haber Stanton
Ann Haber Stanton
South Dakota Jewish Historian
Photo courtesy Ann Stanton
1876 was an extraordinary year in the Black Hills. Discovery of mineral treasure opened the door to a deluge of exploration, immigration, and settlement that would change the landscape forever. Deadwood, at first just a series of mining camps downstream from the mother lode, soon became the commercial and social hub of the Black Hills’ universe.
Not every mining endeavor would fulfill its expectations. This was the case for a small party of gold prospectors led by John Brennan. After months of fruitless toil high in Palmer Gulch, beneath the shadow of Harney Peak, still in the grip of a Dakota winter, a more expansive plan developed. Brennan recognized the need for a central location, a town that would connect thriving Deadwood and the surrounding mining and timber camps with each other and with other cities. Brennan envisioned a “new Denver”- a “gateway” in the foothills, close to clean water and good grass and fertile ground, easily accessible by road and rail. A town could be developed and commerce established.
In February of 1876 Brennan and his party descended to a spot in the foothills, where they pitched camp alongside Rapid Creek, in the shelter of a prominent rocky cliff. The next day another small party joined them. Using Brennan’s compass, Sam Scott, a seasoned land surveyor, surveyed a townsite. William Martin named it Rapid City, “Rapid” for the waterway, and “City”, in anticipation of its importance to the Black Hills and its prospect for prosperity, and a “city” was born.
Here there was no mining, no particular mineral treasure. It was all about “location.” The good grass, ideal for grazing livestock and resting oxen, would earn the town the nickname “Hay Camp”. The level route through Centennial Valley made for easy access to Deadwood and points north. Points east and south were similarly convenient. The rocky cliff became the signpost and Rapid City would indeed become the Gateway to the Black Hills.
Commerce began to flow between the Hills towns. John Brennan became Rapid City’s first mayor, and started one of the first hotels. Sam Scott jumped right into the real estate business. William (Billy) Nuttall, another of the founders, and a young man with a taste for the wilder side of life, headed for Deadwood, where he applied his entrepreneurial skills to the theater business, starting by buying the Bella Union theater and saloon.
Deadwood merchants like grocerymen Hermann and Treber, and Jacob Goldberg, and dealers in liquors and cigars, Harris Franklin and Ben Baer, set up satellite wholesale houses for their popular merchandise in Rapid City. Although Brennan and Scott set down roots, Tom Ferguson, like most of Rapid City’s original founders, left. Some headed for Deadwood, still hoping to find their bonanza in the northern Hills.
Saturday, March 14, 2015
Tuesday, March 3, 2015
Georgia Lubisher DHS1939 , 94 of Spearfish, passed away on Saturday, February 28, 2015 at Rapid City Regional Hospital
Sunday, February 15, 2015
Meet Our International Musical Guest Nina McIntire
February 15 Update
Nina's next engagement on 3-19-2015
If you are in Texas; PLAN TO ATTEND !!
Also see great video and composition created by Nina:
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Original Post ~ December 08 2014
Fans and followers of Nina McIntire describe the ease with which she performs on the piano as 'child's play' could often be taken literally. This talented artist and performer, born and raised in St. Petersburg was playing her first songs on the piano almost before she could walk. This extraordinary musical talent certainly did not go unnoticed, when, at the tender age of four she took up the violin, the instrument which accompanied her during her professional musical studies in Moscow and marked the beginning of a seemingly endless successful musical career.
At the age of 24 she completed her degree in Master of the Fine Arts at the Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Moscow and soon became an accomplished and extremely sought-after violin soloist, giving concerts world-wide, particularly in Japan, Mexico and many parts of Europe. As a member of several prestigious chamber music ensembles she has also made her mark in the music industry.
Her love for the piano has never waned and she has recently been very active on the international music scene as a pianist, presenting her latest project 'Ivory Fantasy'- a fascinating combination of classical music and her own compositions arranged in a revolutionary modern style, integrating a variety of musical genres such as ragtime, jazz, pop and blues. The popularity of this project is already reflected in the extremely successful concerts in Finland, Russia, Germany and the United States.
McIntire has always placed great importance on the effort to reach a wide audience and she hopes that her innovative and original compositions, together with her passion in presentation and joy of performing will spark off an ever-growing enthusiasm for this type of music.
The combination of classical and modern music reveals a unique quality of freshness which gives it a very appealing character - her concerts are increasingly attracting people of the younger generation. The 'ivory enchantress' has succeeded in removing the divide between the traditional, classical genre and modern, popular music, fascinating and inspiring young and old alike.
Nina Playing Benefit Concert for Lead SD Opera House Renovation January 24, 2014
2014 Video Releases from Nina
DickD Favorite
The Holiday Season is practically here! A music CD is always a great gift.
My "New Beginnings" CD with its green-red look might be a very nice present for your friends and loved ones. It is available now to purchase on a limited-time holiday sale at a significantly reduced price at the CD Baby distributor. The physical CD now costs less than the album download.
Select Here => http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/
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