Huron in Beadle County, South Dakota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)

Patsy the steam engine.....

...and the Little Yellow Engine that Could

July 16, 2025

1. Patsy the steam engine..... Marker

Inscription.

Patsy the steam engine...... ...and the Little Yellow Engine that Could. , Patsy the steam engine..... , Patsy is a narrow-gauge steam engine. She did quarry work at the South Dakota Cement Plant in Rapid City for 38 years and prior to that she was used to haul logs and timber at the Homestake Mine in Lead, S.D., The 18-foot engine was hauled to Huron from the cement plant on a lowboy truck. The trip from Rapid City took nine hours., The National Guard dug a hole next to the cement slab and lowered the lowboy in using a 20-ton crane. When Patsy was level with the rails mounted on the foundation, an Army wrecker pulled her into place., Donated by the S.D. Cement Plant, Article in the Huron Daily Plainsman Thursday, August 3, 1961.

Locomotive at Museum: City officials and members of the State Fair Pioneer Museum committee are shown with "Patsy", the narrow gauge locomotive engine when it arrived at the Museum Wednesday afternoon from Rapid City. The National Guard crane and power shovel (left) is digging a hole in which the lowboy was lowered before the engine could be slid onto its cement foundation in front of the Museum. The locomotive was used for 38 years by the South Dakota Cement Plant and before that by the Homestake Mine for logging. From left are Delbert Hofer, driver of the Huron Culvert and Tank Company truck which pulled the lowboy, LeRoy Barton, secretary Chamber of Commerce, Sidney Larson, Mayor Gene Denison, Miss Gertrude Lampe, George Chitty, Vincent Jones, member of State Fair Board. In the cab are Henry Vonderharr, president of State Fair Pioneer Museum committee and Henry Koch who assisted Hofer in bringing the locomotive to Huron. (Plainsman Photo)

, ...and the Little Yellow Engine that Could , This compressed air locomotive was built in 1913 and worked in the Homestake Gold Mine in Lead, S.D., until 1982. It was used to pull ore cars inside the mine., It operated on 1500 PSI compressed air and weighs 14,500 pounds., Donated by the Homestake Mining Company, The yellow locomotive pulled ore cars in the Homestake Mine using compressed air. , Photo courtesy of Homestake Mining Co.

Patsy the steam engine.....
Patsy is a narrow-gauge steam engine. She did quarry work at the South Dakota Cement Plant in Rapid City for 38 years and prior to that she was used to haul logs and timber at the Homestake Mine in Lead, S.D.

The 18-foot engine was hauled to Huron from the cement plant on a lowboy truck. The trip from Rapid City took nine hours.

The National Guard dug a hole next to the cement slab and lowered the lowboy in using a 20-ton crane. When Patsy was level with the rails mounted on the foundation, an Army wrecker pulled her into place.

Donated by the S.D. Cement Plant

Article in the Huron Daily Plainsman Thursday, August 3, 1961.

Locomotive at Museum: City officials and members of the State Fair Pioneer Museum committee are shown with "Patsy", the narrow gauge locomotive engine when it arrived at the Museum Wednesday afternoon from Rapid City. The National Guard crane and power shovel (left) is digging a hole in which the lowboy was lowered before the engine could be slid onto its cement foundation in front of the Museum. The locomotive was used for 38 years by the South Dakota Cement Plant and before that by the Homestake Mine for logging. From left are Delbert Hofer, driver of the Huron Culvert and Tank Company truck which pulled the lowboy, LeRoy Barton, secretary Chamber of Commerce, Sidney Larson, Mayor Gene Denison, Miss Gertrude Lampe, George Chitty, Vincent Jones, member of State Fair Board. In the cab are Henry Vonderharr, president of State Fair Pioneer Museum committee and Henry Koch who assisted Hofer in bringing the locomotive to Huron. (Plainsman Photo)

...and the Little Yellow Engine that Could
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compressed air locomotive was built in 1913 and worked in the Homestake Gold Mine in Lead, S.D., until 1982. It was used to pull ore cars inside the mine.

It operated on 1500 PSI compressed air and weighs 14,500 pounds.

Donated by the Homestake Mining Company

The yellow locomotive pulled ore cars in the Homestake Mine using compressed air.
Photo courtesy of Homestake Mining Co.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Railroads & Streetcars. A significant historical year for this entry is 1913.

Location. 44° 21.784′ N, 98° 13.814′ W. Marker is in Huron, South Dakota, in Beadle County. It is on 3rd Street Southwest east of 4-H Drive, on the right when traveling east. Located next to the Dakotaland Museum. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 930 3rd St SW, Huron SD 57350, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in East River

and specifically in the James River Valley.

It is also in the American Midwest,

in the Lewis & Clark Corridor,

in the Corn Belt,

on the prairies,

and on the Northern Plains.

Globally, it is in

July 16, 2025

2. Patsy the steam engine & Marker

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once Rupert’s Land

and also the Louisiana Purchase.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Civilian Conservation Corps Camp (a few steps from this marker); Dairy Building aka "Dakotaland Museum" (a few steps from this marker); Where Does the West Begin?/ Here the West Begins (within shouting distance of this marker); "French Boxcar" (within shouting distance of this marker); Huron, South Dakota Veterans Memorial (about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line); "The Land Rush" (approx. 0.7 miles away); Beadle County Veterans Memorial (approx. 0.7 miles away); Michael J. Fitzmaurice (approx. 0.7 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Huron.

Patsy the steam engine image. Click for full size.

July 16, 2025

3. Patsy the steam engine

The Little Yellow Engine that Could image. Click for full size.

July 16, 2025

4. The Little Yellow Engine that Could

Credits. This page was last revised on July 20, 2025. It was originally submitted on July 20, 2025. This page has been viewed 104 times since then and 19 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on July 20, 2025.