List of mayors of Rapid City, South Dakota

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Rapid City, South Dakota was founded in 1876 [1] and was run by a village board of trustees until 1882, when John Richard Brennan, a member of the board and cofounder of the city, was chosen as mayor. [2] Two months after the city was incorporated, Fred E. Stearns was elected mayor. [3] The first form of elected government was mayor–council with an elected strong mayor. From 1910 to 1922, a city commission government was used. Later that year, the system of government was changed to council–manager. Rapid City returned to a mayor–council government in 1957. [4] The Rapid City Council chose to extend the mayoral term to four years in 2015, and the change took effect in 2019. [5] Former mayors Edward R. McLaughlin and Jim Shaw agreed with the change. [6] There is no term limit. [5]

List

Name (term)Term BeganTerm EndNotes
John Richard Brennan 18821883(1848–1919) One of four founders of the city in 1876 [7] [8]
Fred E. Stearns18831884 [9] Known as the "cattle king of the foothills" [10]
James Halley II 18841886(1854–1920)
Andrew Jackson Simmons18861887(1834–1920) Born in New York, Simmons joined the California gold fields in 1853. He was speaker of territorial legislature of Nevada and mined at Alder Gulch in Montana in 1860's. He was colleague of Mark Twain. [11] He was appointed Special Agent and titled Major by President Grant to obtain a right of way for railroad on a reservation, negotiating with Sitting Bull and other chiefs. In 1872, he took a part of the tribe members to Washington; Grant gave each an 1871 peace medal. Major Simmons was appointed Indian Agent at Milk River Agency Montana Territory. He arrived in Deadwood in 1878 engaging in mining activities including the Echo near Maitland. In 1882 he purchased 160 acres near the town site of Rapid City and built the Park Hotel. He donated land for the Missouri Valley Railroad.
John F. Schrader18871888(1855–1934) [12]
David H. Clark18881890(1855–1891) [13]
James Moses Woods18901894 [8]
Chauncey Lynch Wood (1)18941896First mayor to serve separate terms [8] (1851–1911) Born in Jones County, Iowa; graduated from law school in 1875 and moved to Rapid City in 1878. Later moved to Seattle, where he died. [14] Admitted to practice law before the United States Department of the Interior in 1901, [15] also served as state's attorney in Pennington County. [16] Was affiliated with the Socialist Party of America during the 1902 United States elections, [17] represented the Democratic Party in the 1910 South Dakota gubernatorial election. [18]
Valentine McGillycuddy 18961898 [8] (1849–1939)
George B. Mansfield18981899
Chauncey Lynch Wood (2)18991900 [8]
Charles Wellington Brown19001902(1859–1912) [19]
Ferdinand N. Emrick19021908Dentist (d. 1930) [20]
Chauncey Lynch Wood (3)19081910 [8]
Robert J. Jackson19101912 [21]
Fred H. Rugg19121914 Progressive Party presidential elector in 1912 [22]
William E. Robinson19141918
John L. Burke19191920
Claude E. Gray19201922 [9]
Harry Wentzy 19221924Died in office [23] [24]
John Abram Boland 19241925(1884–1958)
Charles Tittle 19251926
Arthur Lampert 19261927
Victor Jepson 19271928
Eugene Bangs 19281929
Theodore B. Werner 19291930 [8] (1892–1989)
Winfield Morrill 19301931
Melville Babington 19311932
Fred Merritt 19331934
Charles Leroy Doherty19341936(1889–1979) [25]
Norbert De Kerchove19371938
Robert S. Hill19381943(1883–1970) [26]
Therlo Burrington 19431944
Stanton Neil 19441946
Fred Dusek (1)19461948 [8] (1900–1984) Member of the Rapid City Common Council (1936–1947) [27] [28]
Earl Brockelsby19481949Founded the Black Hills Reptile Gardens [29] [30]
Isaac Chase 19491951
Augustus Haines19511953(1900–1991) [31]
Montford Wasser 19531954
Harry R. Johnson 19541955
Don L'Esperance 19551956(1919–2008)
Henry Jay Baker (1)19561957 [8]
Fred Dusek (2)19571961 [8] Second and third terms. After serving his third term, also ran for the office in 1965 and 1975. [27] [28]
Willis Raff 19611963
Phil Schroeder 19631965introduced poverty reduction initiatives [32] [33]
Henry Jay Baker (2)19651969 [8]
Jack Allmon 19691970
John Barnes 19701971
Donald V. Barnett 19711975Mayor at time of the Black Hills Flood of 1972, also known as the Rapid City Flood, with a death toll of more than 200 [34] [35] [36]
Arthur Lacroix 19751987 [37] [34]
Keith Carlyle 19871991 [38]
Edward R. McLaughlin 19911997(born 1928)
Jim Shaw (1)19972001 [8] (born 1946)
Jerry Munson20012003(1955–2023) [39] member and president of the Rapid City Common Council (1999–2001) [40] owned a fishing boat dealership and outdoor advertising agency [41] [42]
Jim Shaw (2)20032007 [8]
Alan Hanks 20072011(born 1960)
Sam Kooiker 20112015(born 1974)
Steve Allender20152023 [43]
Jason Salamun2023 [44]
References: [45]

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References

  1. ↑ Hasselstrom, Linda M. (1994). Roadside History of South Dakota . Missoula, MT: Mountain Press Publishing Company. p.  331. ISBN   0-87842-262-5.
  2. ↑ "John Richard Brennan". Rapid City Library. Retrieved October 25, 2015.
  3. ↑ "Fred E. Stearns". Rapid City Library. Retrieved October 25, 2015.
  4. ↑ "Types of City Governments and Home Rule (Rapid City)". Black Hills Knowledge Network. April 21, 2014.
  5. 1 2 Holland, Jim (October 6, 2015). "Council approves longer mayoral, council terms". Rapid City Journal. Retrieved November 3, 2015.
  6. ↑ Huntington, Stewart (June 6, 2019). "Former mayors agree: A 4 year term is the way to go". kotatv.com.
  7. ↑ Borst, John C. (1984), The John R Brennan Family Papers at the South Dakota Historical Resource Center (PDF), South Dakota State Historical Society
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 "Rapid City Municipal Election: History, Fast Facts & Recent Results; Rapid City South Dakota".
  9. 1 2 https://www.rcgov.org/index.php?option=com_docman&view=download&alias=21605-a-riding-and-walking-tour-of-the-west-boulevard-historic-district&category_slug=historic-preservation&Itemid=149
  10. ↑ "Rapid City Daily Hugh Lindsay November 29, 1891". Rapid City Journal. November 29, 1891. p. 1 – via newspapers.com.
  11. ↑ "More colleagues of Mark Twain's". Elko Daily Free Press. September 9, 1997. p. 24 – via newspapers.com.
  12. ↑ "John Frederick Schrader obituary". Lead Daily Call. June 16, 1934. p. 1 – via newspapers.com.
  13. ↑ Kessloff, Jean (2012). "The Dead Have Tales to Tell". The Weekly News Historic Rapid City. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
  14. ↑ "Hon. Chauncey L. Wood". Rapid City Journal. January 18, 1911.
  15. ↑ "Chauncey L. Wood and Charles J. Buell of Rapid City, S. were to-day admitted to practice before the interior department as attorneys". The Washburn Leader. June 22, 1901. Retrieved March 18, 2024.
  16. ↑ "Died at age of 83". Sioux City Journal. January 7, 1899. Retrieved March 18, 2024.
  17. ↑ "Full Ticket Is Placed In Nomination". Sioux City Journal. September 25, 1902. Retrieved March 18, 2024.
  18. ↑ "Renewal of Challenge Deadwood". Black Hills Daily Register. November 2, 1910. Retrieved March 18, 2024.
  19. ↑ "Feb 23, 1912, page 1 - The Black Hills Weekly Journal at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com.
  20. ↑ "F. N. Emrick dies in Germantown". January 13, 1930. Retrieved March 18, 2024.
  21. ↑ Farrar, Sally (February 21, 1976). "Jackson left enduring gift: Canyon Lake site". Rapid City Journal. p. 61. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
  22. ↑ Kingsbury, George W. (1915). History of Dakota Territory. Vol. 4. pp. 587–588.
  23. ↑ "Harry Wentzy, Rapid City mayor, killed himself yesterday". The Weekley Pioneer-Times. February 7, 1924. Retrieved March 19, 2024.
  24. ↑ "Suicide Harry Wentzy, mayor of Rapid City". The Black Hills Weekly. February 6, 1924. Retrieved March 19, 2024.
  25. ↑ https://www.newspapers.com/image/351772299/?terms=Charles%20Doherty&match=1
  26. ↑ "Former Mayor Robert S. Hill succumbs Sunday". Rapid City Journal. July 6, 1970. Retrieved March 18, 2024.
  27. 1 2 "Former city mayor Fred Dusek dies at 83". Rapid City Journal. May 23, 1984. Retrieved March 18, 2024.
  28. 1 2 "1984: Deaths". Rapid City Journal. December 30, 1984. Retrieved March 18, 2024.
  29. ↑ "Legacy of Achievement: Hall of Fame Inductee Earl Brockelsby". South Dakota Hall of Fame.
  30. ↑ "Dakota Midday: Sam Hurst's Earl Brockelsby Biography". South Dakota Public Broadcasting. May 11, 2016. Retrieved March 19, 2024.
  31. ↑ https://www.newspapers.com/image/350944407/?terms=Augustus%20Haines%20died&match=1
  32. ↑ "City names poverty director". Rapid City Journal. August 5, 1965. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
  33. ↑ "City receives funds for study of local war against poverty". Rapid City Journal. July 2, 1965. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
  34. 1 2 "Donald Barnett - SD Hall of Fame Programs". sdexcellence.org.
  35. ↑ Times, Anthony Ripley Special to The New York (June 12, 1972). "DEATHS PASS 200 IN DAKOTA FLOOD; SEARCH GOES ON". The New York Times– via NYTimes.com.
  36. ↑ "South Dakota History, volume 47 number 2". South Dakota Historical Society Press. June 9, 2017.
  37. ↑ "Legacy Arthur "Art" LaCroix - SD Hall of Fame Programs". sdexcellence.org.
  38. ↑ "Article clipped from Rapid City Journal". Rapid City Journal. 17 June 1989. p. 1.
  39. ↑ staff, Journal (April 6, 2023). "Former Rapid City mayor dies Thursday at his home". Rapid City Journal.
  40. ↑ "Former Rapid City Mayor Jerry Munson died Thursday". KELO. April 6, 2023. Retrieved March 29, 2024.
  41. ↑ "Former Rapid City Mayor Jerry Munson dies". KEVN. April 6, 2023. Retrieved March 29, 2024.
  42. ↑ "Jerry Munson, former Rapid City Mayor, passes away". KBHB. April 6, 2023. Retrieved March 29, 2024.
  43. ↑ "Steve Allender says goodbye to title of Rapid City mayor". SDPB. July 6, 2023.
  44. ↑ https://listen.sdpb.org/politics/2023-08-19/meet-rapid-citys-new-mayor
  45. ↑ Rippentrop, Kay; Malone, Sandra. "Mayoral History of Rapid City". Black Hills Knowledge Network with mayoral biographies from Rapid City Library. Retrieved October 25, 2015.
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