Dinosaur Park
Overlooking Rapid City, five dinosaur sculptures have been watching over Rapid city for more than 90 years. Dinosaur Park is one of the original tourist attractions in the Black Hills area, standing along the very ridge where remains of dinosaurs had been found many years ago.
While Dinosaur Park is an old and simple attraction in Rapid City, it is certainly one of the most iconic tourism pieces the Black Hills of South Dakota has to offer. The classic design of the dinosaurs is symbolic of the early age of paleontology beliefs and ideas. Forged from the Depression-era, the statues were born in some of the hardest times in this nation’s history. These dinosaurs provide tourists a fun location to relax and play with an incredible view of Rapid City in the Black Hills of South Dakota.
Meet the Dinosaurs
Towering over Rapid City, the statues depict an Apatosaurus, Triceratops, Stegosaurus, Tyrannosaurus Rex, and a Brontosaurus. Created in 1936, these creatures were sculpted to appear as it was believed dinosaurs looked like as they lived. While modern images differ, the cartoonish, green-painted statues are still a satisfying sight for tourists. This park has a unique trait to it; this it is one of few dino-displays that encourages kids to touch and climb on all the dinosaurs.
A Hill with a View
As one stands in Dinosaur Park, an incredible view can be found beyond the statues. Upon the ridge, one has a 100-mile view. The busy city life of Rapid City can be seen below, the beautiful Black Hills can be seen to the west and north, and the South Dakota Badlands can be seen in the far east. Tourists that continue down Skyline Drive will find themselves surrounded by remarkable sights upon the ridge.
Construction of the Park
Dinosaur Park was established by the Rapid City Chamber of Commerce as a Depression-era project to produce jobs and profit from the growing number of tourists to the nearby Mount Rushmore. Emmit A. Sullivan is the credited sculpture. Sullivan is also known for creating the Christ of the Ozarks and the dinosaurs at Dinosaur World in Arkansas. The dinos are fashioned of a concrete surface over a framework of iron pipes. They are painted a bright green with white bellies. The largest beast at Dinosaur Park is the Brontosaurs, which is 80 feet long and 28 feet high.
Overlooking Rapid City, five dinosaur sculptures have been watching over Rapid city for more than 90 years. Dinosaur Park is one of the original tourist attractions in the Black Hills area, standing along the very ridge where remains of dinosaurs had been found many years ago.
While Dinosaur Park is an old and simple attraction in Rapid City, it is certainly one of the most iconic tourism pieces the Black Hills of South Dakota has to offer. The classic design of the dinosaurs is symbolic of the early age of paleontology beliefs and ideas. Forged from the Depression-era, the statues were born in some of the hardest times in this nation’s history. These dinosaurs provide tourists a fun location to relax and play with an incredible view of Rapid City in the Black Hills of South Dakota.
Meet the Dinosaurs
Towering over Rapid City, the statues depict an Apatosaurus, Triceratops, Stegosaurus, Tyrannosaurus Rex, and a Brontosaurus. Created in 1936, these creatures were sculpted to appear as it was believed dinosaurs looked like as they lived. While modern images differ, the cartoonish, green-painted statues are still a satisfying sight for tourists. This park has a unique trait to it; this it is one of few dino-displays that encourages kids to touch and climb on all the dinosaurs.
A Hill with a View
As one stands in Dinosaur Park, an incredible view can be found beyond the statues. Upon the ridge, one has a 100-mile view. The busy city life of Rapid City can be seen below, the beautiful Black Hills can be seen to the west and north, and the South Dakota Badlands can be seen in the far east. Tourists that continue down Skyline Drive will find themselves surrounded by remarkable sights upon the ridge.
Construction of the Park
Dinosaur Park was established by the Rapid City Chamber of Commerce as a Depression-era project to produce jobs and profit from the growing number of tourists to the nearby Mount Rushmore. Emmit A. Sullivan is the credited sculpture. Sullivan is also known for creating the Christ of the Ozarks and the dinosaurs at Dinosaur World in Arkansas. The dinos are fashioned of a concrete surface over a framework of iron pipes. They are painted a bright green with white bellies. The largest beast at Dinosaur Park is the Brontosaurs, which is 80 feet long and 28 feet high.