Early Places

Early Places. . Rufus "Pap" Madison's Cabin , As seen in George Mansfield's drawing. The original cabin stands at the Journey Museum., Rapid City High School , Located on school land where Dakota Middle School sits today. The fencing and hay bales in the foreground show that the athletic field was once a pasture., Felix Poznansky's Montana Store , Poznansky's clothing and dry goods establishment continued to operate while being moved to a different location, making room for the new brick building of J.L. Morris Dry Goods, and Behrens Furniture. The building, beautifully restored, now houses the Prairie Edge store., Security Savings Bank, Swander Grocery, Sweeney Hardware , Some of the essentials of a city (a bank, a grocery store, and a hardware store) were solidly in place. The bank/grocery building has been preserved and illustrates some of the best of both the 19th and 21st centuries. In 1879 the Sweeney building, scene of his brisk hardware business, was also the site of the first library. The Sweeney building burned to the ground in 1997., Library Hall , Built in 1881 on land donated by John Brennan. Lida Mitchell, the first librarian, earned $5 a month. The reading room was open 6 hours a week and one book at a time could be checked out. Library Hall also served as the Methodist and Congregational churches, civic center, lecture hall, dance hall, and as a place for funerals., Harney Hotel , John Brennan built the long-lived Harney Hotel. It was one of the city's four stagecoach stops., 1903 City Hall , Minute but elegant in brick and arches, spangled with roses in summer, today old city hall makes a fine office building.