This online calendar of events emphasizes educational, archaeological, preservation, and history related programs throughout the year across South Dakota. Green entries denote activities at the Cultural Heritage Center in Pierre. Blue entries denote off-site activities sponsored by the SD State Historical Society and/or the Heritage Fund. If you would like to submit an event to be included on the calendar, please complete and submit the following form: Events form, PDF or Events form, Word.

May 2011

Event: EXHIBIT - South Dakota’s First Century of Flight
Description: South Dakota’s First Century of Flightis an exhibition of images, artifacts, aircrafts and stories surrounding South Dakota's aviation history which began in Rapid City in March 1911.
Location: On display in the Marvis T. and Florence Brown Hogen Gallery
Cultural Heritage Center, 900 Governors Dr., Pierre
Date/Time: Exhibit is on display May 7 - September 11, 2011
Admission: Museum gallery admission
Sponsor: South Dakota State Historical Society
Contact: Museum (web), 605-773-3458

Event: NEW DISPLAY - Bottoms Up! Beer in South Dakota
Description: This temporary display looks at the history of beer in South Dakota. The display discusses such topics as South Dakota breweries, prohibition, and even the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. Visit the Museum's Flickr Page for a brief history of beer and to view images of this display.
Location: On display in the entrance to the Museum Galleries, Cultural Heritage Center, 900 Governors Dr., Pierre
Date/Time: Currently on display
Admission: Museum gallery admission
Sponsor: South Dakota State Historical Society
Contact: Museum (web), 605-773-3458

Event: NEW DISPLAY - THIS PLACE MATTERS, Archaeology & Historic Preservation Month 2011. Student Photo Contest Display
Description: The State Historic Preservation Office of the South Dakota State Historical Society sponsored a student photo contest with the theme of “This Place Matters.” Students (grades 6-12) were asked to photograph any South Dakota location that was at least 50 years old.There were 42 total participants and 70 total entries. The winning photographs are currently on display.
Location: On display in the stairwell leading to the Observation Gallery, Cultural Heritage Center, 900 Governors Dr., Pierre
Date/Time: Currently on display
Admission: Museum gallery admission
Sponsor: South Dakota State Historical Society
Contact: Museum (web), 605-773-3458

Event: SD State Archives Open
Description: The State Archives is open every 1st Saturday of the month. Staff will be available to assist with research. The State Archives manages a collection of photographs, films, maps, books, newspapers, state and county records, as well as personal and organizational records.
Location:  Cultural Heritage Center, 900 Governors Dr., Pierre
Date/Time: May 7, 2011; 9 a.m to 4:30 p.m. CT
Admission:  Free
Sponsor: South Dakota State Historical Society
Contact: Archives (e-mail or web), 605-773-3804

Event: Free admittance to the Museum of the SD State Historical Society
Description: Admittance to the museum is free the 1st Sunday of the month. The Museum has 15,000 square feet of exhibition space with exhibits divided into five galleries.
Location: Cultural Heritage Center, 900 Governors Dr., Pierre
Date/Time: May 1, 2011; 1- 4:30 p.m. CT
Admission:  Free
Sponsor: South Dakota State Historical Society
Contact: 605-773-3458

Event: A Son of the Middle Border by Hamlin Garland - History & Heritage Book Club
Description: William Aisenbrey of Aberdeen will lead the discussion of the book which chronicles the author's experiences growing up on farms of the upper Midwest during the the latter pioneer era. The middle border is the area between the settled East and the nearly vanished and uncultivated frontier. Aisenbrey is the facilitator of the Hamlin Garland Memorial Society of Brown County. He will give a brief history of Garland's life, discuss highlights of the book, and answer questions about the novel and Garland's life.
Location:  Cultural Heritage Center, 900 Governors Dr., Pierre
Date/Time: May 10, 2011; 7 p.m. CT
Admission: Free
Sponsor: South Dakota State Historical Society & the South Dakota Heritage Fund
Contact: Dorinda Daniel 605-773-6006, dorinda.daniel@state.sd.us
Additional Comments: The book club meets the 2nd Tuesday of every month at the Cultural Heritage Center. Occasionally the date, time, or location my change for a special program. All books are available for purchase at the Heritage Store located in the Cultural Heritage Center and at the Capitol. The History & Heritage Book Club is open to everyone. People who want to join the discussion by telephone are welcome to do so by making arrangements in advance with Dorinda (see above).

Event: 9th Annual Deadwood Historic Preservation Symposium
Description: Scholars and professionals from around South Dakota and the United States will present on Deadwood's 50 years as a historic landmark.
Location: to be announced, Deadwood, SD
Date: May 13-14, 2011
Registration: Advance registration is required, details to be announced
Sponsor: Deadwood Historic Preservation Commission, Friends of the Case Library at Black Hills State University, Adams Museum & House, Days of '76 Museum
Contact: Kevin at 605-578-2082 or e-mail

Event: Walking Tour of Historic Pierre Street - Archaeology & Historic Preservation Month Activity
Description: Chris Nelson, SD State Historic Preservation Office, and Ken Stewart, SD State Archives, will lead a one-hour tour of historic Pierre Street in downtown Pierre. This is a free tour. Participants should meet in front of the Hughes County Courthouse. Refreshments arranged by the Pierre Historic Preservation Commission will be available at the end of the tour.
Location: Cultural Heritage Center, 900 Governors Dr., Pierre
Date/Time: May 15, 2011; 1 p.m. CT
Admission:  Free
Sponsor: South Dakota State Historical Society & Pierre Historic Preservation Commission
Contact: Cindy Snow (e-mail), 605-773-2907

Event: The Thompson Lumber Building - Preservation Wednesday
Description: Photos and discussion on this historic Vermillion building. The public is encouraged to attend.
Location: Vermillion Public Library, 18 Church St., Vermillion
Date/Time: May 18, 2011; 7 p.m. CT
Admission: Free
Sponsor: Clay County Historic Preservation Commission
Contact: Jim Wilson (e-mail or web), 605-624-4579
Additional Comments: Preservation Wednesdays are held every 3rd Wednesday of the month September through May.

Event: Meeting of the SD State Historical Society Board of Trustees
Location:  Cultural Heritage Center, 900 Governors Dr., Pierre
Date/Time: May 19, 2011; 1 p.m. CT
Contact: 605-773-3458

Event: Cold Weather Effect on WWII Service Men - Minnehaha County Historical Society monthly meeting
Description: Dr. Lynwood Oyos, Professor Emeritus of History at Augustana College, will present the program. Dr. Oyos has been a resident of Sioux Falls for 50 years and has written a number of books. This program is based on a chapter from a book he is writing on the history of the WWII Sioux Falls Army Air Force Base. This free program is open to the public. Bring a friend.
Location: Old Courthouse Museum, 200 W. 6th St., Sioux Falls
Date/Time: May 19, 2011, 7 p.m. CT
Admission: Free
Sponsor: Minnehaha County Historical Society
Contact: Jim Carlson, 605-366-8403

Event: Being Dakota: Territorial Sesquicentennial 1861-2011 - SD State Historical Society History Conference
Description: Join us as we celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the Dakota Territory. Click here for more information.
Location: Ramkota Inn RiverCentre, 920 W. Sioux Ave., Pierre
Date/Time: May 20 & 21, 2011
Registration: Click here for registration details
Sponsor: South Dakota State Historical Society, Museum of the South Dakota State Historical Society
Contact: 605-773-3458

Event: Tours of Historic Valhalla Cabin
Description: Free public tours of Valhalla, an historic cabin in Custer State Park typically used by governors and their guests The cabin was built in the late 1920s by U.S. Senator Peter Norbeck. Tours will last about an hour.
Location: Custer State Park, shuttles leaving from the State Game Lodge
Date/Time: May 20-22, 2011
Admission: Free
Sponsor: Department of Game, Fish & Parks; Office of the Governor
Contact: Craig Pugsley, Custer State Park Visitor Service, 605-255-4515

Event: Preservation Celebration - Archaeology & Historic Preservation Month Activity
Description: Two workshops will be presented in the morning followed by a box lunch and demonstration. There are two walking tours in the afternoon. The public is invited to attend the entire day or any of the individual events.
     9:30 a.m. - Restoring & Working with Woodworking Planes - Will Schweinle
   10:30 a.m. - Inspecting Historic Homes - Steve Howe, Jim Wilson, John Erikson
     Noon - Free lunch while watching John Grayson restore a vintage light fixture
     1:00 p.m. - Walking Tour of USD Campus - Tom Thaden
     2:00 p.m. - Downtown Masonry Tour - Jim Wilson
Location: 15 Court St., downtown Vermillion
Date/Time: May 21, 2011; 9:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. CT
Admission: Free
Sponsor: Clay County Historic Preservation Commission
Contact: Jim Wilson (e-mail or web), 605-624-4579

Event: Grow Main Street - 2011 National Main Streets Conference
Description: With this theme, you will move on from showing and celebrating the Power of Main Street to taking your Main Street to the next level so you can grow your support, your economic strength, and the national movement. This year’s conference will focus on strategies to help you recruit, retain, strengthen, and support your local businesses. It will showcase how being green and open to all can advance these efforts. And, of course, the conference will continue to teach the Main Street Four Point Approach® – from the basics to the new, cutting-edge ideas that are being put into practice in Main Streets across the nation.
Location: Des Moines, IA
Date/Time: May 22-25, 2011
Registration: click here for website
Sponsor: National Trust for Historic Preservation Main Street Center, Main Street Iowa
Contact: click here for website

Event: 50th Anniversary of Deadwood as a National Historic Landmark - Preservation Thursday
Description: Join us a Jay D. Vogt, South Dakota State Historic Preservation Officer, discusses the importance of the 50th anniversary of Deadwood's designation as a National Historic Landmark. The public is encouraged to attend.
Location: Deadwood City Hall, 102 Sherman St., Deadwood
Date/Time: May 26, 2011; Noon MT
Admission: Donations welcomed
Sponsor: Deadwood Historic Preservation Commission; Adam-Mastrovich Family Foundation, Mary Adams Balmat; Rapid City Journal; Black Hills Pioneer; Celebrity Hotel; Chubby Chipmunk Hand-Dipped Chocolates; The Historic Bullock Hotel; Saloon No. 10; TDG Communications

Event: Oahe Chapel Ecumenical Sunday Service, host: St. Peter's Episcopal Church
Description: Hosted by various local churches, ecumenical services are held at the historic Oahe Chapel every Sunday from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend. The Oahe Chapel was established by Rev. Thomas L. Riggs, a Congregationalist minister, and his first wife, Cornelia Margaret “Nina” Foster, to serve as a mission to the Sioux Indians of central South Dakota. The chapel was originally located on the east bank of the Missouri River at Peoria Flats, roughly five miles upriver from its current location. It was moved to its current location in 1964 after construction of the Oahe Dam flooded the original site. The chapel is owned by the South Dakota State Historical Society and managed by the Oahe Chapel Preservation Society, which oversees its maintenance and preservation.
Location: The chapel is located adjacent to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Visitor Center, approximately five miles north of Pierre on SD Highway 1804.
Date/Time: May 29, 2011; 8 a.m. CT
Admission: Free; Open to the public
Sponsor: Oahe Chapel Preservation Society, Pierre-Ft. Ministerial Association
Contact: Cindy Snow, 605-773-2907, cindy.snow@state.sd.us

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