Abundant in natural beauty, the Black Hills in the west central United States are steeped in American history. These pine-clad hills were home to Native American tribes for hundreds of years and later became the center of frenzied gold mining. Today they attract millions of visitors from all over the world.

Geography

The Black Hills lie largely within the Black Hills National Forest, which covers nearly 1.25 million acres (0.5 million hectares) of western South Dakota and northeastern Wyoming. Formed by the erosion of ancient rock, the mountainous region is cloaked with dense forests, rounded hilltops, and deep valleys. If seen from a distance, the hills present a dark appearance, which is why they are named the Black Hills. Encircled by the Cheyenne and Belle Fourche rivers, the hills rise approximately 3,000 feet (900 meters) above the surrounding Great Plains. Their summit, Harney Peak, is 7,242 feet (2,207 meters) above sea level and is the highest point in South Dakota.

The Black Hills are heavily wooded with pine trees. The ponderosa pine is the most common variety and is also the chief commercial tree. Lumbering and grazing are the principal activities of the region. The hills support diverse animal life such as bison, antelope, deer, elks, beavers, bobcats, and porcupines.

Prominent landmarks

The Black Hills contain many national monuments, natural formations, and wildlife parks. Mount Rushmore National Memorial is one of the most famous landmarks in the Black Hills. On the northeast side of Mount Rushmore, huge likenesses of presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt have been sculpted, or carved, out of the granite.

The town of Custer, South Dakota, is the present headquarters of the Black Hills National Forest. The nearby Custer State Park and the Wind Cave National Park offer visitors an opportunity to see, from close quarters, the animal and plant life of the Black Hills. The Devil's Tower National Monument is also nearby.

History

The Black Hills were once sacred to the Western Sioux, a Native American tribe. In 1868 the Second Treaty of Fort Laramie gave them rights to the region. In 1874 a military expedition led by George A. Custer led to the discovery of gold in the region. Thousands of miners flocked to the Black Hills. Enraged by this disregard for the treaty, the Native Americans fought with the invaders. This battle is known in history as the Black Hills War of 1876. Although the Native Americans won, they were forced to give up their rights to the land in 1877.

The next few years saw the growth of many mining towns. One of these, the Homestake Mine at Lead, became one of the largest gold mines in the United States at the time. The towns of Lead and Deadwood, preserved through the ages, today provide an invaluable insight into the culture of Native Americans and the American West.