CITY HIGHLIGHT
Custer
Custer City Today Ann Morrow
At an elevation of 5,315 feet, Custer City is the highest and oldest community in the Black Hills. The small town of 2,200 people is steeped in rich, “old west” history. Shortly after General Custer’s Expedition of 1874 and the discovery of gold (by Horatio N. Ross) in French Creek, gold-seekers flocked to Dakota Territory, and by mid 1875, there were hundreds of prospectors in the area. The town’s site was platted, buildings were constructed, and streets were laid out at one-hundred feet wide to allow oxen-drawn wagon trains to turn around within the city. The community was referred to as Harney Camp and Stonewall prior to a meeting that took place on August 10, 1875, when the name Custer City was decided upon.
Pollock’s men for use as an Army post and Pollock allowed Captain Jack Crawford to take up residence in the cabin. When Flick returned to Custer, he threw Crawford’s belongings into the street and filed a lawsuit, claiming the cabin was his. He ultimately won the case and took possession of the structure. Today, the Flick Cabin, known as the oldest building in the Black Hills, is located across the street from the 1881 Courthouse Museum at Way Park - in the heart of downtown Custer. Construction on the original courthouse began August 1880, and by January of 1881, county officials took possession of the building and moved into their offices. East and
west additions were constructed in 1915, and the building served as the Custer County Courthouse until 1975, when the new courthouse opened. The Custer County Historical Society requested the old building be turned over and converted into a museum to preserve local history. The museum opened in 1976, and to this day, houses a treasure-trove of Dakota Territory and Custer County history. Custer’s rich past, incredible scenery and close vicinity to attractions like Mount Rushmore, the Mickelson Trail, and Custer State Park, continue to make the small town a popular destination for adventure seekers. ■
In 1876, the city’s first officials were elected, a stagecoach line began operation, and the first community in the Black Hills quickly grew to a population of more than 10,000. That same year saw the second civil lawsuit in Custer. Dr. D.W. Flick had begun constructing a cabin in the area when he had to leave town. It was finished by Captain 14
1881 Courthouse Museum in Custer. Photo by Ann Morrow.
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