The “Miracle on the Missouri” will be the topic of a free program tonight (July 8) at the Cultural Heritage Center in Pierre.
Pickstown and the Fort Randall Dam were nicknamed “Miracle on the Missouri” because construction of the town and dam were essentially completed in 10 years.
Bill Lampman of Pickstown will tell about the history of the town, the dam and the Pickstown and Fort Randall Museum at 7pm CDT/6pm MDT. People may attend the program in person or virtually via Zoom. People may register for either venue at sdhsf.org.
In addition, Pierre historian Ken Stewart will share his memories of what Pickstown was like during its heyday. People are welcome to share their own memories of Pickstown as well.
The Fort Randall Dam was one of six mainstem dams built on the Missouri River as part of the Pick-Sloan Plan authorized by Congress in 1944. Pickstown was designed by the US Army Corps of Engineers to provide housing for those who would build and maintain Fort Randall Dam. It was designed to have everything a town of 5,000 would need, including a school, hospital, hotel, beauty parlor, barber shop, movie theater, bowling alley, churches and more.
The Corps started the town in 1946 and it was finished in 1949. The first contract on the dam was awarded in September 1947 and the dam was completed in 1956. The dam was the largest construction project undertaken at that time in South Dakota.
The book “The Building of Pickstown and Fort Randall Dam” is sold in the Heritage Stores at the Cultural Heritage Center and at the Capitol.
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