Belle Fourche

Belle Fourche is located on the northern edge of the Black Hills in western South Dakota. It is a small town that serves as a hub for ranchers over a three-state area. Belle Fourche was founded in the late 1800s by Seth Bullock, famous from his days as sheriff in Deadwood. Bullock offered free right-of-way to the railroad when nearby Minnesela was demanding too much money. Early Belle Fourche was very much a cowboy town, even becoming the largest shipping point for cattle. Today Belle Fourche sits at the intersection of three major highways and, since 1959, is the geographic center of the nation.

The images in this book come from the Tri-State Museum in Belle Fourche. The museum is a regional history museum that focuses on the rich cowboy and western history in the area. These photographs were chosen to show the growth of Belle Fourche--from a small cattle-shipping hub to the great community it is today. Jordan Wilms is the director at the Tri-State Museum. Mary Buchholz is a longtime Belle Fourche resident, museum volunteer, and foundation board member.