South Dakota State Mining Museum

Black Hills Mining Museum Adopted: March 14, 2014

Panning for gold.

At the request of Tom Nelson, former Mayor of Lead City, a former State Senator and former Chairman of the Black Hills Mining Museum, Inc., State Representative Timothy Johns crafted and introduced House Bill No. 1192 proposing that the Black Hills Mining Museum in Lead, South Dakota, be designated the state's official state mining museum.

"We don’t have a state mining museum," Johns said. "Given the history of mining in the Black Hills, I think the Black Hills Mining Museum is well worthy of it. We've got a state designation for everything else. I think it's great recognition for the Black Hills area. I think it's important recognition, given that mining has been an intrinsic part of the state's history for a long time. In the 1930s … mining contributed 25 to 50 percent of the state budget. It's only worthy of recognition, considering everything that mining has contributed to the economy."

(Pearson "Black Hills Mining Museum seeks state designation")

Some concern about funding was expressed in the House and the Senate. Should the "official" designation be conferred upon the museum, the concern was that the museum might, at some point, look to the state for funding.

Testimony by Tom Nelson assured legislatures that the museum was seeking this designation strictly for "bragging rights."

"I think the designation would possibly be helpful with grant writing and things like that. But there is no dollars asked for from the federal government or from the state or anything like that… any other entities. It’s purely something for the letterhead and a little bit of bragging rights."

{Nelson, Tom. Statement to the South Dakota House, Local Government Committee.}

Nevertheless, House Bill No. 1192 was amended in the Senate to ensure that the state would not be on the hook for financial support.

AN ACT

ENTITLED, An Act to designate the Black Hills Mining Museum in Lead as the official mining museum of South Dakota.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF SOUTH DAKOTA:

Section 1. That chapter 1-6 be amended by adding thereto a NEW SECTION to read as follows:

The Black Hills Mining Museum in Lead is hereby designated as the official mining museum of South Dakota. No state funds may be provided for the operation or maintenance of the museum.

The Black Hills Mining Museum was designated the official state mining museum when Governor Dennis Daugaard signed the amended House Bill No. 1192 on March 7, 2014.

Sources...

Johns, Timothy. "2014 Session - Bill History House Bill 1192." Legislative Research Council. N.p., 14 Mar. 2014. Web. 6 Aug. 2014. .

Nelson, Tom. Statement to the South Dakota House, Local Government Committee. House Bill No. 1192 [MP3], Hearing, February 2, 2014. Accessed: 08/06/14.

Pearson, Jaci Conrad. "Black Hills Mining Museum seeks state designation." Black Hills Pioneer. N.p., 4 Mar. 2014. Web. 11 Mar. 2014. .

Additional Information

"Mills and mines." (1889)
Part of the great Homestake works, Lead City, Dak.
Library of Congress (Call Number: LOT 3076-17, no. 2004 [P&P])

Black Hills Mining Museum: Official website of the Black Hills Mining Museum in Lead, South Dakota.

State museums: Complete list of official state museums from NETSTATE.COM

More symbols & emblems: Complete list of official South Dakota state symbols from NETSTATE.COM.