Fort Meade was the home of the famous Seventh Cavalry after its ignominious defeat in the Battle of the Little Bighorn. Troops from Fort Meade played a pivotal role in the events that led to the tragedy at Wounded Knee in 1890. It was the scene of imprisonment of Ute Indians who made the mistake of interpreting their new citizenship status as freedom from government control. The fort survived the mechanization of the horse cavalry, aided the record-breaking Stratosphere Balloon flight of 1935, and became a training site for the nation’s first airborne troops. Fort Meade existed for sixty-six years, from 1878 to 1944. Robert Lee examines the strategic importance of its location on the northern edge of the Black Hills and the role it played in the settlement of the region, as well as the role played by the citizens of Sturgis in keeping it alive. One of the chief delights of Fort Meade and the Black Hills is a gallery of characters including the unfortunate Major Marcus Reno, the beautiful and fatal Ella Sturgis, and the cigar-smoking Poker Alice Tubbs. They, and events scaled to their larger-than-life size, are part of this long overdue story of Fort Meade.

The gold rush of 1876 brought many miners to the Black Hills. After the defeat of Lt. Col. George Custer at the Battle of Little Big Horn in June 1876, miners, concerned about attacks from the Lakota, requested protection from the US Army. However, it was not until 1878 that a military fort, Fort Meade, was established in the area for the protection of the settlers in the Black Hills. Fort Meade is located near Bear Butte and present-day Sturgis, South Dakota. From the home of the 7th Cavalry to hosting Civilian Conservation Corps camp during the Depression to housing German prisoners of war during World War II, Fort Meade kept the peace on the Northern Great Plains for 66 years. Fort Meade then transitioned into a Veterans Administration hospital and a regional training institute for the South Dakota National Guard.

Fort Meade was the home of the famous Seventh Cavalry after its ignominious defeat in the Battle of the Little Bighorn. Troops from Fort Meade played a pivotal role in the events that led to the tragedy at Wounded Knee in 1890. It was the scene of imprisonment of Ute Indians who made the mistake of interpreting their new citizenship status as freedom from government control. The fort survived the mechanization of the horse cavalry, aided the record-breaking Stratosphere Balloon flight of 1935, and became a training site for the nation's first airborne troops. Fort Meade existed for sixty-six years, from 1878 to 1944. Robert Lee examines the strategic importance of its location on the northern edge of the Black Hills and the role it played in the settlement of the region, as well as the role played by the citizens of Sturgis in keeping it alive. One of the chief delights of Fort Meade and the Black Hills is a gallery of characters including the unfortunate Major Marcus Reno, the beautiful and fatal Ella Sturgis, and the cigar-smoking Poker Alice Tubbs. They, and events scaled to their larger-than-life size, are part of this long overdue story of Fort Meade.

The original edition of Exploring the Black Hills and Badlands provided the only detailed coverage of the 115-mile Centennial Trail, and now the revised version includes all of the results of the major relocation project in the Northern Black Hills. Also featured is the just-completed 110-mile George S. Mickelson rails-to-trails conversion, and a section focusing on family hikes and other information useful to family groups.

Your Travel Destination. Your Home. Your Home-To-Be. South Dakota’s Black Hills & Badlands Ghost towns and modern towns. Trendy eateries and rustic bars. Cowboys and artists. Rodeos, skiing, hiking, and biking. Breathtaking landscapes in a place of welcoming smiles. • A personal, practical perspective for travelers and residents alike • Comprehensive listings of attractions, restaurants, and accommodations • How to live & thrive in the area—from recreation to relocation • Countless details on shopping, arts & entertainment, and children’s activities

By examining the three exemplary Wyoming forts of Laramie, Bridger, and D. A. Russell, the author explains how widely varying architectural designs, rather than standardized plans, were used to construct western American forts.