Rapid City

City in western South Dakota, USA, on Rapid Creek; population (1996) 57,600. Situated on the northeastern edge of the Black Hills, the USA's main source of gold, it is a mining and tourist centre, and a distribution point for timber, livestock, and grain. Wood products, processed foods, cement, and electronic goods are manufactured. Mount Rushmore and the Black Hills Petrified Forest lie nearby. Rapid City was founded during a gold-rush in 1876. The Rapid River devastated the town in 1993 when it flooded.

The South Dakota School of Mines and Technology 1885 is located in the city, and Ellsworth Airforce Base on the outskirts. Sites of interest include the Sioux Indian Museum and the Museum of Geology.