BLACK HAWK, S.D.– Residents of Black Hawk are, again, making a push to incorporate their community as a city– and not get annexed by someone else. “Make Black Hawk a City” Committee Member and long-time resident Jesse Lewis explains more.

Why it matters

“Everybody kind of liked where could they move to get to the country years ago, and they were kind of like how we live in Black Hawk,” Lewis explained. Black Hawk is an unincorporated place in Meade County just a few miles west of Rapid City. The first time residents petitioned to become a city was in 1987 and then again in 2005, where they came just five votes shy of the minimum number of votes from the public. Lewis further explains that this new push is more about protecting the community as it stands more than anything. “That is because of outside forces coming in from different directions. It would change the way Black Hawk is and most of us do not want that.”

Third time is the charm?

“We want a seat at the table. Like we were saying, we want to have a voice in what we’re saying. And right now, like the one gal said, we are just sitting at the kiddie table with no input,” he said. According to Lewis, a vision of Black hawk as a city is already taking shape. He explains it so far as having a minimalist local government consisting of three city council members and a mayor to govern the community, but still stick to the way things are as many people do not want additional government input.

However, if the vote again misses its mark, residents fear surrounding areas they say have already impeded on the community will expand even further, such as taking away more local businesses. Currently, Black Hawk has only about 60 businesses in the area.

What is next?

For a good part of the year, Black hawk residents have gathered at the volunteer fire department to discuss the matter, and on April 19, the biggest concern was and remains geeting enough people to sign a petition that would alert Meade County of their inquiry and eventually let the community make an official vote. “We need 25% of all the registered voters inside the city– the proposed city limits on the map,” he said. “And we’re guessing that to be roughly 500 signatures. But they have to be a registered voter from renters, landowners, or whatever. Registered with Meade county.”