The seven prehistoric creatures at Dinosaur Park have stood above the Rapid City skyline since 1936, but even the meat-eating Tyrannosaurus rex hasn’t caused a lick of trouble.
Rapid Citians are accustomed to them, but one grouchy tourist showed up, took a look, and grumbled,”They’re fakes!” Thank goodness for that, because if they were real, we’d have to build a very tall fence.
Kids are delighted by these sturdy concrete and steel fakes, which were designed by Emmett Sullivan as a Works Progress Administration (WPA) project. Nobody cares if you climb on the back of the stegosaurus or balance on the tail of the Apatosaurus.
The Rapid City dinosaurs were concrete gray until 1960, when they were painted green with white bellies. Last Saturday, Circulation Director Jana Lane visited Dinosaur Park and saw the 75-year-old beasts get a touch-up courtesy of volunteers from South Canyon Baptist Church of Rapid City. Photos by Jana Lane.
