NORTHERN HILLS – STURGIS
STURGIS Take the ride Thousands of bikers and vendors will convene this year for the 74th Annual rally–August 4-10th. ifty weeks out of the year Sturgis is a quiet town of about 6,500 at the northeast corner of the Black Hills. When August arrives so do hundreds of thousands of motorcyclists and Sturgis is anything but quiet. What started in 1938 as a dirt track motorcycle race for local riders has evolved into South Dakota's largest tourism event. Riders from around the world converge on Sturgis as do thousands of vendors who set up shop just for the event. This year marks the 74th Annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. The city of WHEN AUGUST Sturgis was ARRIVES SO DO founded in HUNDREDS OF 1876 and was THOUSANDS OF named for MOTORCYCLISTS Major Samuel AND STURGIS IS D. Sturgis, ANYTHING BUT commander QUIET of Fort Meade, a nearby cavalry post. Fort Meade was established to protect the prospectors and pioneers who were flocking to the Black Hills after the discovery of gold. Sturgis was known as a rough and tumble town of saloons and gambling dens established to take money from the soldiers stationed at the fort. Long before the Star Spangled Banner became the National Anthem, it was played regularly for evening retreat and military ceremonies at Fort Meade. The fort became the home for the 7th Cavalry after the massacre at Little Bighorn. A
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The 74th Annual Sturgis Rally runs August 4-10, 2014.
horse named Comanche, the only survivor of the infamous battle, was brought to Ft. Meade where he was treated like royalty for 9 years. Fort Meade was an active military post until the end of World War II and is now a Veterans Care and Rehabilitation Complex. A museum in the former commanding officer's headquarters commemorates the history of the fort. Three miles northeast of Sturgis is Bear Butte, an unusual bear-like geological formation that helped guide early settlers to the Black Hills. Bear Butte, which is now a state park, continues to be an important religious site for Plains Indians. The famous native warriors Red Cloud, Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull all made pilgrimages to the site. Human artifacts dating back 10,000 years have been found near the butte. i find out more at: sturgisareachamber.com 2040 Junction Avenue 605-347-2556
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