The Story Behind One of Rapid City’s Most Monumental Attractions

Believe it or not, Rapid City wasn’t always known as the City of Presidents, and Downtown Rapid City was not the must-see destination it is today. The corners where statues now stand were empty, Art Alley was a blank canvas, and the heart of it all, Main Street Square, was a parking lot. But when a local man noticed people interacting with a temporarily placed statue of President Lincoln outside the Hotel Alex Johnson, an idea sparked. This man was Don Perdue, and he came up with the idea to put a life-sized statue of every U.S. President on the sidewalks of Downtown Rapid City.
 

This project didn't happen overnight. It took a lot of convincing, a lot of fundraising, and hours of research before it started. In 1999, Perdue proposed the idea to the city as a way to honor the legacy of the American Presidency. The project was approved and in 2000 the first four presidents were unveiled: George Washington, John Adams, Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush. The City of Presidents was born, and it jump-started big growth for Downtown Rapid City. Over the years, a group of local artists have worked to create another 40 statues.

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And the trail’s momentum hasn’t slowed since those early days. The statues quickly gained popularity with locals and visitors alike. Locals started incorporating them when giving directions—“If you pass George Washington, you’ve gone too far.” Tourists loved walking through town, finding their favorites, and snapping photos. Soon, Downtown Rapid City became a must-stop destination. When the artists caught up to the current president in office, it was decided that future statues would not be commissioned until a president had left office.

The process behind creating each statue can take a fair amount of time, and here’s why. Each statue is privately funded, so the first step is to secure funding or a sponsor for the statue. Then, one of the local artists is selected and they have to research the president - they learn their passions, hobbies or achievements during their presidency, as well as their mannerisms or well known characteristics they can try and incorporate. This information helps to decide on the pose, facial expression, clothing, and all the amazingly tiny details found on each statue. After they have their concept the sculpting work can begin. It can take up to nine months for one statue to be created!

Fun fact: all the statues match the height and weight of the president except one. William Howard Taft's statue was trimmed down from the presidents’ actual weight to make the statue more affordable.
 

Fast forward to today, and the City of Presidents is one of the top activities to do in Rapid City. Great for all ages and budgets, it makes learning the American Presidents not just something you read about, but something you can reach out and touch. The added fun of the scavenger hunt, found on the back of the City of Presidents brochure, can be completed and turned in for a presidential prize at the Rapid City Visitor Center or the Visit Rapid City office.
 

The newest feature to hit the streets for the City of Presidents is an audio tour! Free to listen, the audio tour allows you to get to know them as people, not just presidents. Listen to their stories by dialing in or scan the QR code found in the brochure to read along. The audio will even point out those tiny details the artist added that you might otherwise overlook!

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