Dinosaur Park, Sculpture garden and tourist attraction in Rapid City, United States.
Dinosaur Park is a sculpture garden with seven large concrete dinosaurs positioned on a hilltop in Rapid City. From this location, visitors can see the Black Hills and the city spread out below.
In 1935 the Rapid City Chamber of Commerce planned the park, and it was dedicated on May 22, 1936, with paleontologist Barnum Brown advising and Emmet Sullivan as chief sculptor. Works Progress Administration crews of up to 25 workers built it, finishing in 1938 at a cost of $25,000 after a dispute over the T. rex teeth led Sullivan to leave in 1937.
The park's nickname, "Dam Eye-Sore Park," came from Rapid City residents unhappy that city money went to tourist attractions instead of local problems. The sculptures also preserve 1930s paleontology: the T. rex has three fingers instead of two, and the Edmontosaurus is labeled with the outdated name Trachodon.
The park is open daily from sunrise to sunset at no cost, with parking available at the base of the concrete stairs. Visitors should expect uneven terrain and wear comfortable shoes.
The T. rex originally had finger claws and teeth that have since been lost or damaged; vintage postcards show them as part of the sculpture. The Stegosaurus once had a shorter tail with four tail spikes, later removed and the tail lengthened. Rapid City residents unhappy with 1930s city spending nicknamed the site "Dam Eye-Sore Park".
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