Wall is a very progressive community, made possible by the large sales tax base. The small town of Wall is located 50 miles west of Rapid City, SD on Interstate 90. With a current population of just over 800, our major industries are agriculture and tourism, of which we are very proud. Nearly all of the streets are paved with curb and gutter. Wall boasts of state of the art facilities, outstanding customer service providers, an excellent health services clinic, and a variety of community organizations. The City and Chamber of Commerce offices are located in the Wall Community Center. The Community Center provides a grand hall and meeting rooms for conferences, seminars, and dances and is where American Legion Post #246 holds its meetings.
City services include a 3500′ hard surface runway at the airport; a community library; park with a playground, swimming pool, a walking/bicycling path; tennis/volleyball courts, picnic shelters; and various other amenities. Both the fire department and ambulance services have first class equipment and many dedicated volunteers. Providing our children with a quality education is a top priority for parents in Wall. The K-12 school facility opened for classes in the fall of 2005 with four class days per week. There are two locally owned utility cooperatives serving Wall and the surrounding area. West River Electric Association provides the community with electrical service. Golden West Telecommunications provides state of the art telephone service, cable television, and high speed internet service. Wall services include 4 churches, a post office, nine-hole golf course, meat processing plant, grocery store, hardware store, laundromat, flower shop, funeral home, weekly newspaper, rodeo grounds, trap shooting range, financial services, and some short-term housing options. The Community of Wall is a major trade center for farmers and ranchers in the area. Wall is blessed with the production of abundant agricultural products such as wheat, hay, and beef. Various businesses, Interstate 90, and DM&E Railroad all help to support the agricultural industry.
History
Wall was established in the summer of 1907 as a railroad station on the Chicago & Northwestern railroad with the first through-train in July. The mixed grass prairie found here supports a wide variety of plants and animals that have adapted well to their harsh surroundings. The upper prairie plateau varies from the great grassy flats to gentle grassy hills. The prairie valley below, lying along the floodplain of the White River, is a sod-covered expanse dotted with scattered buttes. There is the wall standing between the two, a rugged strip a half mile to three miles wide and over nine miles long with a succession of tinted spires, ridges, and twisted gullies. The name of the town of Wall, South Dakota is derived from the wall. On August 9, 1960, Wall became headquarters for a Strategic Air Command Radio Beacon Site. In 1961 it became one of the centers for a Minuteman Complex which had 150 launching pads for intercontinental missiles. The National Park Service established Minuteman Missile National Historic Site in 1999. It is the only preserved, on-site location of a Delta-09, launch facility (missile silo), and Delta-01, launch control facility in the U.S. The story of the Minuteman weapons system and its role in enhancing America’s strategic commitment to world peace during the Cold War is told through site tours.
Recreation / Community Activities
Wall has museums, motels, camp grounds, B&Bs, restaurants, auto/gas services, gift shops, attractions and activities to support our tourism industry. Wall is the home of the world famous Wall Drug Store, the #1 Roadside Attraction in America. Established in 1931, it has grown into a half block of shops and is a must-see for families traveling Interstate 90. Their $3 million art collection and 5cent coffee will create a memorable dining experience. In the backyard there is gold panning and a water park with lights and music for the kids. The Pharmacy Museum and Travelers Chapel offer a place to peacefully catch your breath. In June, July, and August 20,000 visitors experience Wall Drug Store every day. To think they started it all by offering travelers a glass of free ice water.
Wall¦Window to the West¦ is located 8 miles north of the Pinnacles Entrance Station; watching over the intriguing buttes of Badlands National Park to reveal the areas unique prairie vistas. Unbelievable formations and desolate scenery dominate the park’s 244,000 acres. The 64,144 acres of the Badlands Wilderness Area is accessible by Sage Creek Road (dirt) and supports a small herd of buffalo. Hiking trails range from 1/4 of a mile to 10 miles and from easy to strenuous.
Buffalo Gap National Grasslands surrounds Badlands National Park and is comprised of over 591,000 acres, managed by the Forest Service, for multiple uses while protecting its renewable resources of water, forage, and wildlife. Livestock grazing, hunting, fishing, hiking, primitive camping, and rock hounding are permissible on the grasslands. Fossils and cultural artifacts are a rare, non-renewable resource and it is illegal to collect them on public land. The National Grassland Visitor Center was built in 1994 and is the only one in the United States. It focuses on providing information on all of the 20 National Grasslands in existence. The Wall Ranger District headquarters is located adjacent to the Visitor Center.
Contact Information
- Wall Badlands Area Chamber of Commerce, PO Box 527, Wall, SD 57790-0527
- Phone: 605-279-2665 or 888-852-9255
- Website: wall-badlands.com
Source: City of Wall
