Hot Springs became a town in 1877 after a treaty was made with the Sioux nation. The first white man to discover the warm mineral springs from which it's name is derived, was a miner who staked his claim by writing on a tree: "this is my spring". The "Minnekahta" [meaning warm water] had served the Indians and their ailments long before. News of this town with the healing waters spread far and fast. Then the territory of Dakota, needing a home for it's Civil War veterans, turned naturally to this area where much was offered for it's disabled and aging men. The first large public building erected was the South Dakota Soldiers home. In 1907, the present VA center was completed, and today many veterans are still treated there. From the first years of Hot Springs history, it was evident that medical skill could supplement the work of the mineral waters. The fame of the baths drew many, and doctors and sanitariums sprang up all over the town. Hot Springs thrived for over 35 years as a famous health resort, and many people today still enjoy a visit to the "Minnekahta" in the southern Black Hills.

Many of the buildings in Hot Springs are built of cut sandstone from the Evans Quarry. Each stone was painstakingly cut by hand. The heart and soul of these stonecutters is preserved in the stone buildings that give Hot Springs the unique historic look for which it is famous. The downtown area is listed on the National Register of Historic Districts. Visitors to Hot Springs enjoy not only the mineral baths, but the Mammoth Site, which is the world's largest find of Colombian mammoth bones, and one of the world's greatest fossil treasures. Visitors are able to learn paleontological techniques and more. Hot Springs has the #1 nine-hole golf course in North America, picked by Golf Digest. The Wild Horse Sanctuary is home to 400 mustangs. Tourists can explore canyons and prairie in this beautiful area. Cold Brook Lake and Angostura Reservoir and Recreation Area offer water sports. Wind Cave National Park offers spectacular views with many species of wildlife as well as Wind Cave; one of the world's longest caves carved in limestone.

For more information, contact the Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce @ 800-325-6991, or www.hotsprings-sd.com.