Pennington County is a county in the U.S. state of South Dakota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 109,222, making it the second-most populous county in South Dakota. Its county seat is Rapid City. The county was created in 1875, and was organized in 1877. It is named for John L. Pennington, fifth Governor of Dakota Territory, who held office in 1875 when the county was formed.
Hill City is the oldest existing city in Pennington County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 872 at the 2020 census. Hill City is located 26 miles (42 km) southwest of Rapid City on U.S. Highway 16 and on U.S. Route 385 that connects Deadwood to Hot Springs. Hill City is known as the "Heart of the Hills", a distinction derived from its proximity to both the geographical center of the Black Hills, and the local tourist destinations.
Rapid City is the second most populous city in South Dakota and the county seat of Pennington County. Named after Rapid Creek, where the settlement developed, it is in western South Dakota, on the Black Hills' eastern slope. The population was 74,703 as of the 2020 Census.
Pactola Lake is the largest and deepest reservoir in the Black Hills, located 15 miles west of Rapid City, South Dakota, United States. Constructed in 1952, the dam and waters are managed by the Bureau of Reclamation, with the surrounding land managed by the US Forest Service as part of Black Hills National Forest, which operates a visitor center located on the south side of the dam. Facilities include campgrounds, hiking trails, picnic areas, and a beach.
Rockerville is a small unincorporated community in Pennington County in the Black Hills of the U.S. state of South Dakota. Originally established as a mining camp, it was named for the "rockers" which were used to separate placer gold from stream gravel.
Sheridan Lake, a reservoir, is located on Spring Creek in Pennington County, South Dakota. Built over the site of Sheridan, the first county seat, it is owned and operated by the United States Forest Service and is one of the recreational areas of the Black Hills National Forest.
Three Forks is an unincorporated community in Pennington County, South Dakota, United States. It lies at the intersection of U.S. Routes 16 and 385, just north of Hill City along Spring Creek. A small general store featuring fuel is open year-round; other businesses are open seasonally, including a campground, a motel, a miniature golf-course, and an ice-cream stand. The campground is the site of an annual Octoberfest event, and the area is heavily patronized during the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in August of each year. In recent years, considerable residential development of the immediate area has swollen its population.
Mogollon, also called the Mogollon Historic District, is a former mining town located in the Mogollon Mountains in Catron County, New Mexico, United States. Located east of Glenwood and Alma, it was founded in the 1880s at the bottom of Silver Creek Canyon to support the gold and silver mines in the surrounding mountains. The "Little Fannie" mine became the most important employer for the town. During the 1890s, Mogollon had a transient population of between 3,000 and 6,000 miners. Because of its isolation, it had a reputation as one of the wildest mining towns in the West. Today Mogollon is listed as Fannie Hill Mill and Company Town Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places.
Johnson Siding is an unincorporated community in Pennington County, South Dakota, United States. The population as of the 2020 census was 614. It is located in the Rimrock Area, approximately 10 miles west of Rapid City. Johnson Siding is surrounded by the Black Hills National Forest. It is the only significant business district in the Rimrock Area, with a gas station/general store, deli, casino, tavern, the Johnson Siding Volunteer Fire Department firehouse, the Rimrock Evangelical Free Church meetinghouse, and a community center. However, most inhabitants work in Rapid City or Deadwood.
Pactola Dam is an embankment dam on Rapid Creek in Pennington County, South Dakota, about 10 miles (16 km) west of Rapid City. The dam was completed in 1956 by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to provide flood control, water supply and recreation. Along with the nearby Deerfield Dam, it is part of the Rapid Valley Unit of the Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program. U.S. Route 385 runs along the crest of the dam. The dam forms Pactola Lake, which at over 1,200 acres (490 ha) is the largest and deepest body of water in the Black Hills.
Bismuth is a ghost town in the Black Hills of Custer County, South Dakota, United States.
Tinton is a ghost town in the Black Hills of Lawrence County, South Dakota, United States. It started out as a gold mining camp and later began to produce tin.
Pactola, also known as Camp Crook, (1875–1950s) is a ghost town in Pennington County, South Dakota, United States. It was an early placer mining town and existed into the early 1950s, when it was submerged under Pactola Lake.
Rochford is an unincorporated community in Pennington County, South Dakota, United States. It is not tracked by the U.S. Census Bureau.
Roubaix, formerly known as Perry or Lewisville, is an unincorporated community in Lawrence County, South Dakota, United States. It is not monitored by the U.S. Census Bureau.
Sheridan, originally called Golden City, was an early mining camp in Pennington County, South Dakota, United States. It was the first county seat of Pennington County, from 1877 to 1878. It is now submerged under Sheridan Lake.
Spokane is a ghost town located in Custer County, South Dakota, United States. It was a mining camp in the Black Hills.
Galena is an unincorporated community in Lawrence County, South Dakota, United States. It is often considered to be a ghost town, even though a few families still live in the area. It is not tracked by the U.S. Census Bureau.
The Rapid City, Black Hills and Western Railroad, also known simply as the Black Hills and Western Railroad and commonly referred to as the Rapid Canyon Line or the Crouch Line, is a defunct standard gauge freight railroad line that operated in the Black Hills in the U.S. state of South Dakota. The railroad became known throughout the area for its crookedness and later became a tourist attraction. It ran from Rapid City to Mystic for a distance of 36.043 miles. The railroad ceased operations in 1947.
Terraville is a ghost town in Lawrence County, South Dakota, United States. It was founded in 1877 as a mining camp and later evolved into a town. It was purchased by the Homestake Mining Company and was destroyed in 1982 to make way for a new mine.
