Fort Meade, South Dakota

Fort Meade is located just east of Sturgis, South Dakota off Highway 34. It was formally known as Camp
Sturgis and was active from 1878 to 1944. It is currently home to a Veterans Hospital, SD National guards, and Fort Meade National Cemetery. Originally the fort was established to protect illegal white settlements in the Black Hills, including the gold mining area around Deadwood. Fort Meade was designated a National Historic District on May 22, 1973 and today functions as a public museum. There is a recreational area on site, and part of the Centennial Trail runs through it.