Photo Exhibit Dates
Other Events
The Spearfish are has long been seen as a special place. When a newspaper reporter from the Chicago Tribune visited the Spearfish Valley in 1875, he observed,
"everyone has remarked the beauty and fertility of this valley, its excellent and abundant water with its swift current, its quantity of oak and ash, its proximity to the pine-forests of the Hills, its rich luxuriant grass, and the singular grandeur of its scenery."
White settlers platted out the town on May 29, 1876, making 2026 the 150th anniversary of the founding of the town of Spearfish (incorporation would come later in 1888).
The Leland D. Case Library for Western Historical Studies at Black Hills State University presents an exhibit focusing on the first 75 years of Spearfish's history, looking at town development, industry & transportation, education, culture & entertainment, and Spearfish Creek and Canyon. We have curated a collection of 30 images to tell the story of early Spearfish. We hope you enjoy these historic photographs which are being exhibited in various Spearfish locations during 2026!
This guide provides a sneak peek at the exhibit, as well as some supporting information.
Photograph from the Linfred Schuttler Collection.
Photograph from the Lawrence County Extension Office Records.
Photograph by Robert C. Hull. Photograph from the Lura Beatrice Hughes Photograph Albums.
Photograph from the Black Hills State University Archives.
Photograph by Black Hills Studios. Photograph from the Watson Parker Ghost Town Notebooks; permission to use courtesy Fassbender Photographic Collection.
Photograph by Black Hills Studios. Photograph from the Case Library Photo Files; permission to use courtesy Fassbender Photographic Collection.
To view more photographs from Spearfish's history, visit the Digital Library of South Dakota. Images are being regularly added to the online library.
Recommended Reading:
Spearfish by Paul Higbee and Kathleen Aney. Spearfish, SD: Black Hills and Bighorns History Project, 2000.
Local Government in Spearfish, Dakota Territory, 1876-1889 by Don Young. Spearfish, SD: Spearfish Centennial Committee, 1988.
Powering Homestake by Paul Higbee. Spearfish, SD: Spearfish Historic Preservation Commission, 2016.
Lifeblood of the Valley: Watering Spearfish and Its Croplands by Paul Higbee. Spearfish, SD: Spearfish Historic Preservation Commission, 2019.
Several issues of the Black Hills Historian feature articles on Spearfish-related topics.
If you would like to support the next generation of history scholars at BHSU, consider donating to the Case Freshman History Scholarship.
This exhibit was funded by the Leland D. Case Endowment, Black Hills State University Foundation.
It is a project of the advisory board of the Leland D. Case Library for Western Historical Studies. The exhibit committee was coordinated by Donald Keifert, with members David Wolff, Paul Higbee, and Lori Terrill.
If you are interested in hosting this exhibit, please contact Lori.Terrill@BHSU.edu
If you would like to help support the work of the Leland D. Case Library for Western Historical Studies at Black Hills State University, you can become a Friend! Friends memberships include two issues yearly of our newsletter, the Black Hills Historian.
To learn more about the Friends of Case Library, visit: https://libguides.bhsu.edu/Case-Friends
To learn more about the mission and resources available at Case Library, visit: https://libguides.bhsu.edu/About-Archives