The gift was a free book to be read and passed forward to someone else, a not-for-profit service by bookcrossing.com.
The writing on the ziplocked bag says:
Thank you for finding me!
I’m a special book, traveling around the world and making new friends.
Please take me home with you, and look inside my cover to see how to Read and Release me at
bookcrossing.com
Outside the entrance of the Rapid City Public Library on Quincy Street is the statue of an elderly woman reading a book to children.
A gift was left on the statue.
Another statue erected in the memory of the Sioux and the Plains Indians. It is located across the street from the other one, at the Main and the SW corner of 6th Street.
The plaque on the granite stand of the statue features the Lakota phrase ‘Mitakuye Oyasin’ (We are all related), which connotes the Lakota belief that we are all related to one another and to everything that surrounds us.
A closer look at the tied hands of the Sioux and the Plains Indians.
It does not make sense at first sight as to why the plaque is located ‘behind’ the statue. But reading it makes it clear that the back of the statue is, in fact, the front:
THE SIOUX AND THE PLAINS INDIANS WERE MOVED FROM THEIR HOMELANDS AND PLACED ON RESERVATION. THOUGH THEIR “HANDS ARE TIED,” THE DREAM OF THEIR HOMELAND REMAINS.
On the other side of the 5th Street (as seen on the left hand side) is the statue of John Adams, the second president of the United States.
Not all statues in Downtown Rapid City are of the presidents of the United States.
In the photo below is a statue erected in the memory of the Sioux and the Plains Indians. It is located at Main and the NW corner of 6th Street.
The sculptor is Glenna Goodacre.
The statue of George H.W. Bush, the 41st president of the United States, located at Main and the SE corner of 6th Street at Downtown Rapid City.
The engraving on the stand of the statue says:
GEORGE HERBERT WALKER BUSH
BORN JUNE 12, 1924
FORTY-FIRST PRESIDENT OF THE
UNITED STATES
1989-1993A Gift Of
DONALD AND JOAN PERDUE
Under Rapid City’s ongoing project City of Presidents, bronze statues of past 40 U.S. presidents will be erected in the street corners of Downtown Rapid City in a 10-year period – that is, four statues each year.
The statue of Ronald Reagan, the 40th president of the United States, located at St. Joseph and the NE corner of 6th Street at Downtown Rapid City.
The engraving on the stand of the statue says:
RONALD REAGAN
BORN 1911
FORTIETH PRESIDENT
OF THE
UNITED STATES
1981-1989A GIFT OF
CHUCK AND BARBARA LIEN
Under Rapid City’s ongoing project City of Presidents, bronze statues of past 40 U.S. presidents will be erected in the street corners of Downtown Rapid City in a 10-year period – that is, four statues each year.
The statue of Jimmy Carter, the 39th president of the United States, located at St. Joseph and the SW corner of 6th Street at Downtown Rapid City.
The engraving on the stand of the statue says:
Jimmy Carter
Born 1924Thirty-Ninth President of the United States
1977-1981A gift to The City of Presidents from
Ray Godfrey
Donald R. Herrmann
Jim and Nelia Meier
Donald and Joan Perdue
Anonymous
Under Rapid City’s ongoing project City of Presidents, bronze statues of past 40 U.S. presidents will be erected in the street corners of Downtown Rapid City in a 10-year period – that is, four statues each year.
The statue of Gerald R. Ford, the 38th president of the United States, located at St. Joseph and the SW corner of 7th Street at Downtown Rapid City.
The engraving on the stand of the statue says:
BORN 1913
GERALD R. FORD
38TH PRESIDENT
1974-1977
A GIFT TO THE CITY OF PRESIDENTS
DODGE TOWN, NC: THE RYPKEMA FAMILY
Under Rapid City’s ongoing project City of Presidents, bronze statues of past 40 U.S. presidents will be erected in the street corners of Downtown Rapid City in a 10-year period – that is, four statues each year.
The statue of Richard Nixon, the 37th president of the United States, located at St. Joseph and the SW corner of 5th Street at Downtown Rapid City.
The engraving on the stand of the statue says:
Born: Jan. 9, 1913 Died: April 22, 1994
RICHARD M. NIXON
37th U.S. President 1969 – 1974
A GIFT TO THE CITY OF
PRESIDENTS FROM
MR. AND MRS. ARTHR J. LUDWICK
AND
DR. AND MRS. EDWARD L. SELJESKOG
Under Rapid City’s ongoing project City of Presidents, bronze statues of past 40 U.S. presidents will be erected in the street corners of Downtown Rapid City in a 10-year period – that is, four statues each year.
The statue of Lyndon Johnson, the 36th president of the United States, located at Main and the SW corner of 7th Street at Downtown Rapid City.
The engraving on the stand of the statue says:
1908 – 1973
LYNDON B. JOHNSON
36th President
1963 – 1969
Under Rapid City’s ongoing project City of Presidents, bronze statues of past 40 U.S. presidents will be erected in the street corners of Downtown Rapid City in a 10-year period – that is, four statues each year.
The statue of John F. Kennedy, the 35th president of the United States, located at Main and the NW corner of 8th Street at Downtown Rapid City.
The plaque on the stand of the statue says:
Born 1917 Died 1963
JOHN F. KENNEDY
35th President of the United States 1961-1963
&
A Gift to the City of Presidents
From
PANDJU MERALI & FAMILY
John Lopez, Sculptor
Under Rapid City’s ongoing project City of Presidents, bronze statues of past 40 U.S. presidents will be erected in the street corners of Downtown Rapid City in a 10-year period – that is, four statues each year.
The statue of Dwight Eisenhower, the 34th president of the United States, located at St. Joseph and the NW corner of 5th Street at Downtown Rapid City.
The plaque on the stand of the statue says:
Born 1890 Died 1969
DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER
34th President of the United States
1953-1961
A Gift to the City of Presidents
from
Mr. & Mrs. Arthur J. Ludwick
Sculptors Lee Leuning and Sherri Treeby
Under Rapid City’s ongoing project City of Presidents, bronze statues of past 40 U.S. presidents will be erected in the street corners of Downtown Rapid City in a 10-year period – that is, four statues each year.
Another view of the statue of Harry S. Truman, the 33th president of the United States, located at St. Joseph and the NE corner of Mt. Rushmore Road at Downtown Rapid City.
In the photo, Harry Truman is displaying the Chicago Daily Tribune newspaper, which erroneously declares his opponent the winner of the presidental election of 1948.
Under Rapid City’s ongoing project City of Presidents, bronze statues of past 40 U.S. presidents will be erected in the street corners of Downtown Rapid City in a 10-year period – that is, four statues each year.
The statue of Harry S. Truman, the 33th president of the United States, located at St. Joseph and the NE corner of Mt. Rushmore Road at Downtown Rapid City.
The plaque on the stand of the statue says:
Born 1884 Died 1972
HARRY S. TRUMAN
33th President of the United States 1945-1953A Gift to the City of Presidents
from
TOM AND SHARON WARNERJames Michael Maher, Sculptor
Under Rapid City’s ongoing project City of Presidents, bronze statues of past 40 U.S. presidents will be erected in the street corners of Downtown Rapid City in a 10-year period – that is, four statues each year.
Another view of the statue of Franklin D. Roosevelt, the 32nd president of the United States, located at Main and the NE corner of 5th Street at Downtown Rapid City.
The text in the photo before the statue of Franklin D. Roosevelt is his address to the U.S. Congress after the occurrence of Pearl Harbor.
Under Rapid City’s ongoing project City of Presidents, bronze statues of past 40 U.S. presidents will be erected in the street corners of Downtown Rapid City in a 10-year period – that is, four statues each year.
Another view of the statue of Franklin D. Roosevelt, the 32nd president of the United States, located at Main and the NE corner of 5th Street at Downtown Rapid City.
Under Rapid City’s ongoing project City of Presidents, bronze statues of past 40 U.S. presidents will be erected in the street corners of Downtown Rapid City in a 10-year period – that is, four statues each year.
Another view of the statue of Franklin D. Roosevelt, the 32nd president of the United States, located at Main and the NE corner of 5th Street at Downtown Rapid City.
Under Rapid City’s ongoing project City of Presidents, bronze statues of past 40 U.S. presidents will be erected in the street corners of Downtown Rapid City in a 10-year period – that is, four statues each year.
The statue of Franklin D. Roosevelt, the 32nd president of the United States, located at Main and the NE corner of 5th Street at Downtown Rapid City.
Under Rapid City’s ongoing project City of Presidents, bronze statues of past 40 U.S. presidents will be erected in the street corners of Downtown Rapid City in a 10-year period – that is, four statues each year.
