South Dakota State Jewelry

Black Hills Gold

Adopted on March 3, 1988.

South Dakota designated "Black Hills gold" its official jewelry on March 3, 1988, a reminder that, by law, only jewelry manufactured in the Black Hills can be sold under the name "Black Hills gold." (Gold is also mentioned in South Dakota's state song.).

Black Hills gold, the state jewelry, is created and manufactured exclusively in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Each design incorporates the traditional motif of grapes and leaves in tri-color combinations of green, rose and yellow gold.

South Dakota
1-6-16.2.   State jewelry. It having been judicially determined that the name "Black Hills gold" can only be utilized for jewelry manufactured in the Black Hills of South Dakota, Black Hills gold is hereby designated as the official jewelry of the State of South Dakota.

Peace of the prairies was no more when gold was discovered in South Dakota's Black Hills in 1874. A treaty with the Sioux Indians was broken as an influx of prospectors poured into the Sioux's sacred Paha Sapa, as they called the Black Hills, causing disturbances in the region while creating opportunities and radically transforming the region. The northern plains Indians were driven to war and to their demise.

The 1875 Battle of Little Bighorn was decisive for the region's future, despite the defeat of General George A. Custer. American Indians were forced to cede the Black Hills and accept reduction in their reservation's area. The conflict cleared the way for further development. The last serious Indian-white conflict occurred in 1890; afterwards, barriers to settlement attenuated.

Early History Timeline

• 1874 - Gold discovered in the Black Hills on French Creek near the present city of Custer by Ross and McKay, two miners attached to General Custer's Military Expedition.
• 1876 - On April 9, Manuel Brothers, Moses and Fred, together with Hank Harney, discovered a ledge, an out-cropping of ore termed a "lead" (pronounced "leed"), in what is now the Open Cut. They named their claim "Homestake" and the mining camp which soon leaped to life took the name of Lead City.
• 1877 - Homestake claim and another totaling 10 acres were purchased from the Manuels by a group of mining men, who on November 5, incorporated Homestake Mining Company.
• 1878 - On July 12, 80 stamps weighing 750 pounds apiece started dropping in a new mill. The stamps had been hauled 300 miles by ox team from Sidney, Nebraska, nearest railroad point.
  1879
  • January 22, Governing Committee of New York Stock Exchange accepted Homestake stock on the open market.
  • First hoist placed in operation at B&M Shaft No. 1.
• 1880 - First railroad in the Black Hills was the Black Hills & Ft. Pierre, started by Homestake to bring cord wood fuel to the mills, shops and hoists, and timbers to the mine. Sold to Burlington Railroad in 1902. The line no longer exists.
  • Homestake Hospital founded Black Hills Medical Center.
  • First National Bank of the Black Hills founded in Lead primarily to serve Homestake and its employees.
• 1889 - November 2, South Dakota admitted to the Union.