We invite you to come learn about the legacy of our unique American Western heritage and experience it for yourself.

The High Plains are rich with history. It is a region that was at the unique intersection of nearly every cultural and economic circumstance that shaped the American West. The center was founded to preserve this past, inform the present and interact with our visitors through our extensive collections, archives and live events.

Opened in September 1989 in Spearfish, SD, the center provides more than 20,000 square feet of presentation space honoring Western legends and pioneers whose rugged individualism created the distinctive landscape and economies of this five state region.