PRESERVATION THURSDAY: RAILROADING IN TERRITORIAL TIMES

DEADWOOD – Deadwood History, Inc. and the Deadwood Historic Preservation Commission will host a presentation by Director of the South Dakota State Railroad Museum Rick Mills at 12:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 23, 2020, at the Homestake Adams Research and Cultural Center (HARCC), 150 Sherman Street, Deadwood. The event is wheelchair accessible. Please feel free to bring your lunch.

Rick Mills will talk about a series of classic railroad images dating back to the beginnings of rail transportation on the High Plains in the 1860s. The introduction of railroading into the region began a turbulent period of boom and bust in which the railroads participated in numerous ways – both good and bad. Images of trains, railroad workers, scenery, and fledgling business interests, as well as some of Mills’ favorite rail images from the South Dakota State Railroad Museum collection will illustrate a fascinating time of development and change in Dakota Territory.

Rick Mills of Hermosa is a fifth generation resident of the Black Hills region in western South Dakota, and a lifelong railroad enthusiast. He currently serves as the Director of the South Dakota State Railroad Museum in Hill City, a position he has held since the museum opened in 2010. Mills wrote and published his first book on railroad history in 1985 while a freshman at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, and has since authored five books on regional railroad history, co-authored and contributed to four other books, produced articles, scripts, and photo essays for history publications and video productions. Mills has been involved with programming for South Dakota Public Broadcasting, the History Channel, and the Discovery Channel, and is a presenter for the South Dakota Humanities Council Speakers Bureau.

Preservation Thursday is co-sponsored by the Deadwood Historic Preservation Commission, Deadwood History, Adams-Mastrovich Family Foundation, A&B Business Solutions, Deadwood Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau, and Saloon No. 10.

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We inspire the global community by preserving and celebrating the cultural heritage of Deadwood and the Black Hills in the context of the American West through exceptional exhibits, innovative educational programs, and access to extensive collections in unique settings.

Adams Museum, Days of ’76 Museum, Historic Adams House, and Homestake Adams Research and Cultural Center (HARCC)

This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer.