On January 22, 1943, the temperature in Spearfish changed from -4 degrees Fahrenheit to 45 degrees in two minutes, making it the world record holder for fastest temperature change. Later in the day, after the town heated up a bit more, the temperature dropped back to -4 degrees, causing windows to crack.
Sculptor Gutzon Borglum began drilling into the 6,200-foot Mount Rushmore in 1927. Creation of the Shrine to Democracy took 14 years and cost a mere $1 million, though it's now deemed priceless.
The site of a rich gold strike in 1875, Deadwood retains its mining town atmosphere. While Deadwood is one of the most highly publicized mining towns of the trans-Mississippi West, much of its fame rests on the famous or infamous characters that passed through.
The Flaming Fountain on South Dakota State Capitol Lake is fed by an artesian well with natural gas content so high that it can be lit. The fountain glows perpetually as a memorial to all veterans.