1. In 1875, the Rapid City Journal published its first issue, becoming the first newspaper in the Black Hills region of South Dakota.

2. On December 4, 1876, the Custer Expedition discovered gold in the Black Hills, sparking the Black Hills Gold Rush.

3. In 1922, South Dakota State University played its first-ever football game on this day against South Dakota Mines. The Jackrabbits won 23-6.

4. In 1936, the Rapid City Flood killed 238 people and caused millions of dollars in damage. The flood occurred after heavy rainfall caused Rapid Creek to swell and overflow its banks.

5. On December 4, 2009, the Crazy Horse Memorial in the Black Hills unveiled a new sculpture, Thunderhead Mountain, which depicts the Oglala Lakota leader Crazy Horse riding a horse with his arm outstretched in a gesture of leadership. The sculpture is still under construction and will eventually be larger than Mount Rushmore.