President's Walk 10 km Volksmarch in Rapid City, South Dakota - Monday, June 6 to Tuesday, June 7, 2022

Monday, June 6, we had a very short travel day; only 28 miles from Echo Valley RV Campground in Custer, South Dakota, to Rushmore Shadows RV Park in Rapid City, SD via U.S. 395 and U.S. 16. We finished our event at Crazy Horse and had three walks in Rapid City. It's much nicer to be close to what we want to do! 

After we checked in and set up camp at Rushmore Shadows RV Park, we took the pickup into Rapid City to U.S. Bank.  After our chore was done, we headed back to the RV park. 

Tuesday, June 7, we headed to Rapid City to do the President's Walk 10 km Volksmarch. The walk started at the Hotel Alex Johnson and would go past many of the sculptures of U.S. presidents that are scattered around downtown.

Hotel Alex Johnson in downtown 
Rapid City, South Dakota.

Rapid City is nicknamed "The City of Presidents" because of the life-size statues of U.S. presidents. The historical information below is from "The City of Presidents: self-guided artist concepts walking tour" brochure.

The history of how Rapid City became The City of Presidents: It all started when businessman Ron Perdue relocated his business to Rapid City. He noticed the interest in the life-sized seated Lincoln statue outside the Hotel Alex Johnson. This statue was sculpted by Gutzon Borglum, the sculptor who created the presidential images at Mount Rushmore. The public enjoyed interacting with President Lincoln's statue, often having photos taken while sitting on the bench next to the president.

Perdue recognized this as an asset to Rapid City's tourism economy. What if, he thought, statues stood on every street corner of the downtown area.

In early 1999, Perdue and Dallerie Davis, a Black Hills realtor and active member of the artist community, had a conversation about the idea. Dallerie Davis was sure she knew South Dakota artists who would commit to a 10-year timeline of putting up the statues. 

The original artists were John Lopez, Lee Leuning and Sherri Treeby, James Michael Maher, and Edward Hlavka. Rapid City sculptor and musician James Van Nuys was later added to the team.

Each artist extensively researched the lives of each president. The artists and the City of Presidents Board did not want to create static portraits of men in suits standing on street corners. Each statue was to provide insight into the personality and the presidency of its subject...

For all 42 presidents to be created, the cost would be in excess of $2 million. The money was to be raised through private donations. Benefactors came forward and The City of Presidents was born. 

In 2000, the first four United States presidents were placed on the street corners of Rapid City. The intention was, over 10 years, to place 42 presidents in downtown Rapid City, giving an identity to the city as well as artistic and economic development impact.

Rapid City is the only location in the world where all United States presidents can be seen in life-sized bronze statues. [NOTE: There used to be a Presidents Information Center on Main Street downtown with its interior design based on the Oval Office. It is no longer there.]

The Volksmarch: When we exited Hotel Alex Johnson and turned left, the first sculpture we came across was that of "Mitakuye Oyasin (We Are All Related)." I should mention, we parked a few blocks away and had to go back to the truck, which was on the later part of the route, so we modified the order of the walk instructions.

"Mitakuye Oyasin (We Are All
Related," Sculpture by 
Dale C. Lamphere, Original Drawing
by Richard Under Baggage.

When we started walking, we had a threat of rain later in the day. We hoped to finish our walk before the rain arrived. 

Pennington County Court House.

Benjamin Harrison, 23rd president, 
1889-1893. Sculptor: John Lopez.

Benjamin Harrison was inaugurated 48 years to the day after his grandfather, William Henry Harrison. Benjamin was an honest and capable president, but not very sociable. The artist chose to portray Benjamin as he preferred life...alone with the birds or spending time gardening.

Close-up of Benjamin Harrison's 
sculpture shows him feeding the birds.

James K. Polk, 11th president, 1845-1849. 
Sculptors: Lee Leuning & Sherri Treeby.

Polk is presented conducting a cracker-barrel session with local townsmen, often held in taverns and general stores. He is shown in the typical dress of the mid-1800s.

Ulysses S. Grant, 18th president, 
1869-1877. Sculptor: John Lopez.

Grant's noteworthy accomplishments.

Grant is one of our nation's most famous generals.  He has his right hand stretched out on a pedestal that lists his Civil War battle history.

There's a wonderful mural on the 
VFW Post 1273 building.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt, 32nd president,
1933-1945. Sculptor: Edward Hlavka.

The artist chose to depict Roosevelt as he stood and presented himself to the nation during a time when he was suffering from the effects of polio. He is shown delivering his famous "day which will live in infamy" speech.

Herbert Hoover, 31st president, 1929-1933.
Sculptor: James Michael Maher.

Known as "The Great Humanitarian" and "The Great Engineer," Hoover is shown standing on a platform that symbolizes his contributions to people around the world. The base of the statue includes the Hoover Dam which is attributed to Hoover's engineering abilities and a chaff of wheat representing Hoover's organization of shipments of food for starving millions in Europe.

Main Street Square toy store display.

A mural up high on a building.

Main Street Square downtown.

Bob at the base of an art
tower at Main Street Square.

The art tower has animal footprints in it.

John Adams, 2nd president, 
1797-1801. Sculptor: John Lopez.

As our 2nd president, Adams was known for his ability as a great orator. After Madison and Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence, it was Adams who presented it to Congress "with a power of thought and expression that moved us from our seats." As an important contributor to the Continental Congress, Adams is shown delivering an oratory in the formal dress of that time period. 

The back of Hotel Alex Johnson, downtown Rapid City.

"Hunkayapi: trying on the eagle plume,"
by Dale C. Lamphere, 2008.

Downtown Rapid City.

Downtown Rapid City.

Firehouse Brewing Company.

Firehouse Brewing Company.

This weekend is the 50th anniversary
of the 1972 flood, "A night of horror."

John Quincy Adams, 6th president,
1825-1829. Sculptor: John Lopez.

Adams is shown as you might see him if you crossed paths with him at any time. He was not a casual man in any sense of the word and was always in full formal dress with a top hat and cane.

Martin Van Buren, 8th president, 1837-1841.
Sculptor: Edward Hlavka.

Van Buren was always elegantly dressed. His colleagues called him "The Little Magician." He was probably the first of what we now know as a true politician. He was also called "Old Kinderhook" from which we get our saying, "OK," as he was usually perceived as being correct.

John F. Kennedy, 38th president,
1961-1963. Sculptor: John Lopez.

Kennedy is handing his son John-John one of his favorite toys, an air fighter plane. This moment takes place in the White House after the president is winding down following a cabinet meeting.

Theodore Roosevelt, 26th president,
1901-1909. Sculptor: John Lopez.

This statue depicts a young Teddy Roosevelt in his Rough Rider uniform. The Black Hills owes much of its preservation to Roosevelt's conservation efforts during his visits.

James Buchanan, 15th 
president, 1857-1861.
Sculptor: James Michael Maher.

Buchanan was a skilled politician, but no statesman, and often played to both sides of an issue, even though the times required a decisive man. To portray his rather impotent presidency, the artist created him standing with his hands behind his back, perhaps holding papers that suggest some policy or executive order he considered but never implemented.

Abraham Lincoln, 16th president, 
1861-1865. Sculptor: James Michael Maher.

Lincoln is shown holding a telegram informing him of the great number of casualties at the battle of Cold Harbor. Lincoln reflects upon the crushing cost of war and the loss of so many sons of the nation while his own son, Tad, with a boy's innocent fondness for uniforms and the accouterments of the soldier, plays with a toy cannon at his father's feet.

A brightly painted utility box.

Dinosaurs in Rapid City? You bet! They're on top of the hill at Dinosaur Park.

Apatosaurus, often called brontosaurus.

The presidential statues are fun to look at, but more fun to interact with! Below, Bob is on a business call while he becomes the living part of a sculpture.

 

Warren G. Harding, 29th president,
1921-1923. Sculptor: John Lopez.

Often maligned as an ineffective president whose term included the Teapot Dome scandal and corruption within his cabinet, Harding had a public relations problem. A photograph of Harding with his dog, Laddie, was published to make the president look more likable to the public. It is said that a photo of this sculpture is used by the Airedale breeders of the American Kennel Club. 

We are now walking away from downtown into Halley Park which was established in 1915. The Department of Parks & Recreation building was built using local rocks. 

Department of Parks & Recreation building.

In Halley Park, the latest Native American honorees have a bust and inscription of what they are being honored for:

Black Elk, Oglala, Philosophy, 1863-1950.

Oscar Howe, Ihanktowan, Art, 
1915-1983.

Vine Deloria, Ihanktowan, Law, 1933-2005.

We then crossed St. Joseph Street and headed into a lovely neighborhood called West Boulevard Historic District. The homes are all different styles. We thoroughly enjoyed walking in this part of town. There were lots of shade trees, too!

History from the brochure "A Riding and Walking Tour of the West Boulevard Historic District":

In the National Register of Historic Places description of the original District, the 1974 nomination said:

"…The residents of this District were some of the leading citizens of Rapid City. Because the inhabitants were financially successful, their homes reflected their status and the area contained the finest houses in Rapid City. Architectural importance is obvious by the ostentatious appearance. Queen Anne (mostly built before 1900) and Colonial (mostly dating from the early 20th century) styles predominate, with some Italianates, Mediterraneans, Neo-Classicals, and hip cottages.

"These styles, with their fine sense of proportion and rhythm, create a definite impact upon the visitor. That impact is enhanced by the trees that line West Boulevard which add a sense of stability. There is little doubt that this neighborhood was once the home of Rapid City's most prominent citizens."  

711 West Boulevard. This two-story Neoclassical home
is one of the best-preserved structures in the District.
Built in 1908, this period building has a classic porch
with Ionic columns. The siding is clapboard with a
cut stone foundation.

803 West Boulevard. A large, two-story structure
of the Early Queen Anne Style, built in 1888. The
building's walls are mostly common brick with 
shingles at gable end and some horizontal siding.

In addition, the above house has a two-story bay window on the right side, extending into a tower with a conical termination.

This daycare wagon train reminds me
of The Beatle's "Abbey Road" album cover!

I "collect" photos of unique weather
vanes. This one is awesome.

Unique color scheme, but it goes with
the style of this house.

The next three photos are different views of the same house. 

This gorgeous home has been
completely renovated by the current owner.
I talked to him and he told me the chimney
has a white cross on it because this used
to be a hospital. I did not verify this piece of info.

A beautiful Tudor home.

I love this whimsical train weather vane!

A massive Tudor home.

The green hills surrounding Rapid City.

Woodrow Wilson, 28th president, 1913-1921.
 Sculptor: James Michael Maher.

Wilson was the most highly educated of any of the U.S. presidents, holding doctorates in both political science and history. Although Wilson always aspired to a political career, he became a very popular professor and taught law at Princeton University. As his career in academics ended, Wilson was called upon to enter the political arena. The artist chose to depict Wilson surrounded by symbols of his two passions, the academic robes draped over a pedestal and the papers of one serving in the highest post in the land.

Zachary Taylor, 12th president, 1849-1850.
Sculptors: Lee Leuning and Sherri Treeby.

General Taylor, "Old Rough and Ready," was definitely a strong commander. In 40 years of military service to the Union, he would never consider defeat as an option, even when the odds were vastly against him and his troops. When he became president, he governed more as a military general accustomed to giving orders and having them obeyed and less as a political negotiator. Taylor died less than two years into his presidency from eating cherries and milk contaminated with cholera.

William Henry Harrison, 9th president,
1841. Sculptor: John Lopez.

Harrison is shown in military splendor with his flowing cape and holding his general's hat, sitting on a grand pedestal. By achieving the post of major general during the War of 1812, Harrison had earned the credentials to become president. Harrison's inauguration address went on for more than two hours in a pouring rain. One month to the day after his inauguration, Harrison became ill with pneumonia and died.

Harry S. Truman, 33rd president, 1945-1953.
Sculptor: John Michael Maher.

In one of the most famous presidential poses, Truman is shown displaying the morning Chicago Daily Tribune newspaper the day after the 1948 presidential election. The big smile negates the headlines erroneously declaring his opponent the election winner. [Oops!] The sculptor has very accurately recreated this famous photograph in the finest detail. [NOTE: We took this photo from across St. Joseph Street. Look, we're in the photo!]

Moorish-domed Buell Building.

Gerald Ford, 38th president, 1974-1977.
Sculptor: James Michael Maher.

Gerald Ford was a man of strong athletic abilities, having played football for the University of Michigan. Ford graduated in the top five percent of his class. Standing over six feet tall, he is a well-built man with a comfortable demeanor. He is shown here with his golden retriever, Liberty, who frequently shared the Oval Office with the president.

James Garfield, 20th president, 1881.
Sculptor: John Lopez.

Garfield has the sad distinction of being the second president to be assassinated while in office. He served only six months, with four of them on his deathbed. Historians believe he had the ability to be one of our finer presidents, but he never had the opportunity to show his abilities. 

Grover Cleveland, 22nd president, 1885-1889
and 24th president, 1893-1897. Sculptor:
James Michael Maher.

Cleveland's refuge was his library and, as he had few other avocations, the sculptor thought it would be most accurate to portray him with one of his books. He was also a serious man with a reputation as being "ugly honest." This seriousness and integrity were traits the sculptor tried to capture in the president's expression.

Rutherford B. Hayes, 19th president, 1877-1881.
Sculptors: Lee Leuning and Sherri Treeby.

Hayes took a daily constitutional, a brisk walk down the streets of Washington, D.C., without the secret service. He set an energetic pace that matched his disposition. He was a collector of homemade canes and always carried one on his walks. During his presidency, Hayes and the first lady, affectionately known as "Lemonade Lucy," did not allow alcohol to be served at the White House. He was one of the most happily married of the presidents and he was very conscious of matters of health, well-being, and ethics. Although his election was very controversial, he proved himself to be his own man, not influenced by the party politics of the day. The sculptor wanted to show him as a vigorous pedestrian striding down the streets of Rapid City, blending in with the people.

Barack Obama, 44th president, 2009-2017.
Sculptor: James Van Nuys.

Barack's statue, unveiled in July 2019, depicts the president and his daughter Sasha as they walked onto a Chicago stage to deliver his victory speech at Chicago's Grant Park on election night in 2008.

I love this sign. It's so South Dakota!

Dwight D. Eisenhower, 34th president, 1953-1961.
Sculptors: Lee Leuning and Sherri Treeby.

Viewed as one of our most historically important generals, the sculptor chose to portray Eisenhower as the Supreme Allied Commander on the eve of the Normandy Invasion. Note that he stands with one foot on Europe straddling the English Channel, depicting a significant time in the history of the free world.

James Madison, 4th president, 1809-1817.
Sculptors: Lee Leuning and Sherri Treeby.

Known as the "Great Little Madison," Madison was probably the most intellectual of all the presidents. He was a major contributor to writing the Constitution of the United States. He was a man of small stature, standing only 5'2" tall and weighing 100 pounds. He chose to be behind the scenes. He did not have a strong speaking voice, so was not known as a great orator. He is shown here with his finger at a page in a reference book.

John Tyler, 10th president, 1841-1845.
Sculptors: Lee Leuning and Sherri Treeby.

After the death of William Henry Harrison, Tyler became our 10th president. Because Tyler's political policies differed from his predecessor, his opponents came to refer to him as "His Accidency." As a young man, Tyler dreamed of and studied to become an accomplished concert violinist but, when he had to make a decision for his future, pursued law instead. Tyler's living family members requested that the artist depict the president with his beloved violin.

Thomas Jefferson, 3rd president,1801-1809,
Sculptor: Edward Hlavka.

Our third president was the most gifted writer of his time. He is shown here during the most important segment of our American history, the writing of the Declaration of Independence. 

Jimmy Carter, 39th president,
1977-1981. Sculptor: John Lopez.

Carter is portrayed as a man of the people, not one who enjoys a lot of pomp and circumstance. This statue captures a familiar image of Carter as he walks down Pennsylvania Avenue in a very stylish polyester suit. To accentuate his casual demeanor, his jacket is off and his tie is flying in the wind. He was known for walking up to people, shaking their hand and saying, "I'm Jimmy Carter and I want to be your president."

I didn't include all the statues because this blog is long enough. You'll need to make a pilgrimage to Rapid City and see them all for yourselves. It's worth it. You'll learn a lot and have fun taking creative photos with past presidents.

The threat of rain finally caught up with us! When it started, we were looking for lunch and decided it would be a good time to eat. Murphy's Pub was just across the street, so we hurried in. We had a decent lunch and were able to wait out the storm before we headed back out. The streets weren't even wet, so it must have just sprinkled a bit.

The interior of Murphy's Pub. 

My walking accouterments: sun hat, umbrella,
sunglasses, and a water bottle holder with water.

Wait, what? This isn't a president.
This is my good friend and fellow
blogger, Linda Williams from Portland, OR.

As we were walking down the main street of downtown Rapid City, I thought I heard someone yelling my name. I turned around and Linda Williams was chasing after us. She was in a restaurant and had seen us walk by. I was able to introduce her to Bob. Wow! Small world. If I had been keeping up with her blog while we were traveling, I would have known she was in town. She grew up here. I believe she said she was visiting her sister.

We finished the walk and went back to the truck. We could see a storm brewing as we drove back to the RV park.

It was a dark and stormy afternoon!

When we got back to Rushmore Shadows RV Park, the sky got dark and a strong wind kicked up. We had an afternoon downpour complete with thunderstorms and wind that lasted about 45 minutes. When that ended, I went to the laundry room and took care of that chore before they closed it for the night.

This is enough blog for one day. I promise tomorrow's blog will be shorter!!