Old Photo Reflects City's Growth
An EF2 tornado hit Rapid City on Father's Day, June 18, 1967, damaging the Town n' Country Motel and also causing damage in the Robbinsdale area. Much has changed in the area in the past 50 years.
(Rapid City-Pennington County Emergency Management Photo)
50 YEARS OF GROWTH!
50-year old storm damage photo shows how much area has grown:
Fifty years ago this weekend, on June 18, 1967, Rapid City was hit by an EF2 tornado that heavily damaged the Best Western Town n' Country Motel and parts of the Robbinsdale area.
Pictured is a 1967 photo taken shortly after the event. The Town n' Country Motel is now the Travel Lodge. In 1967, Rapid City was around 40,000 in population (today it is 73,000). In 1967, as reflected in the black and white photo, there is no Rapid City Regional Hospital, no Valley View Apartments Building, no Super 8 Motel, no medical campus and not as much residential development.
Points of interest still remaining in both photos is Our Lady of Perpetual Help Cathedral, St. Elizabeth Seton School, McDonalds and the gas station at the intersection of Cleveland and Mount Rushmore Road. The building in front of the damaged hotel was a restaurant and is today a building containing various tenants including Subway.