September 11, 2021
1881 CUSTER COUNTY COURTHOUSE MUSEUM
411 Mt Rushmore Rd, Custer, SD 57730
“The 1881 Courthouse Museum is an American historical museum located in Custer, South Dakota. The museum is housed in the original Custer County Courthouse which served as a center for government in Custer County and the Dakota Territory from 1881 to 1973.” - Wikipedia
As I travel I am finding these small, county or local, museums to be hidden gems, and this museum housed in the former county courthouse was no exception. There were three floors and an outdoor area full of exhibits covering almost every aspect of life in the Black Hills area.
I spent a lot of time in the room devoted to General Armstrong Custer, who brought a large exploratory caravan to the area in 1874, setting up camp for five days just west of the town of Custer. The group mapped out the area that is now Custer State Park and discovered gold in the French Creek which flows through the area. What I really found fascinating was the caravan included a photographer who took pictures of the people and area. One display had side-by-side photos from 1874 and today. The town of Custer was established when homesteaders came to the area looking for gold. An interesting tidbit of info: the residents voted between Custer (in honor of the General) and Stonewall (in honor of the Confederate General) for the name of town…Custer won.
Other interesting displays included tools used in the early development of the area, including tools to make water pipes out of logs, something I had not seen before; a Frontier Justice display, with stories of infamous characters from the area; a log cabin used by stagecoach travelers; and antique vehicles.
The Dakota Territory Courtroom, which served the justice system in Custer County for 94 years is preserved on the third floor, along with a school house display and a ranch room.
Along Mt. Rushmore Road, which runs in front of the museum, the city of Custer has several decorated bison.
"Champagne Supper" - taken July 31, 1874. The person sitting in the front right seat is Lt. Col. Fred Grant, the son of then-President Ulysses Grant.
This picture, believed to have been taken in 1874, shows Custer (in the center) being given direction by his chief scout, Bloody Knife.
Gold mining equipment. The mining claim would have been found inside the cigarette tin nailed to the post on the right.
Tools for making water pipes, used in directing water for gold mining.
An 1800s parlor.
The county jail
Amongst a display of uniforms from most wars the U.S. has participated in, was this uniform which distinctly notes this is a real uniform from the time and not a reproduction.
The territorial courtroom
The 12 Mile Ranch and Stagecoach Stop.
I found the fireplace inside the log cabin of the stagecoach stop to be pretty fancy considering the other accomodations.
An early stagecoach
My favorite decorated bison on the street of Custer.