South Dakota Bicentennial Commission Collection

Dr. Everett Follette of Spearfish donated this collection and served on the South Dakota Bicentennial Commission starting from May 1, 1972. The South Dakota Bicentennial Commission (SDBC) was formed in 1970. The SDBC stirred interest in the United States Bicentennial by a community designation program, visits of wagon trains and the American Freedom Train (40,000 people visited the train in Sioux Falls), and having a special Bicentennial Program at Mount Rushmore during the Summer of 1976. The Rushmore program lasted 111 days and honored each state and territory for two days. The SDBC helped disperse federal Bicentennial project funds to communities and projects in the state. National Bicentennial Administrator John Warner visited the state in 1975 and met with state and local Bicentennial Program people and citizens.