The City is proud to present the “Citizen of the Month” for June, 2004, to three young individuals who took a challenge from a teacher and made it a gift to the community.

Dr. Scott Kenner, head of the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology Civil Engineering Department offered a challenge to some students to restore and install the old historic horse fountain at the corner of 7th & Main. A small group of students took on the project to avoid writing a semester paper and in the end, spent over a year and a half, restoring the ornate fountain.

The horse fountain, was donated as a gift to the city in about 1899, went by the wayside with the advent of automobiles and spent the last several years in the city’s beautiful formal gardens at Sioux Park. The fountain was intended to water horses in additions to dogs and cats. The Rapid City Historic Preservation Commission was helpful in guiding the process as well as the Beautification Committee who helped with the initial stages of the idea.

Three civil engineering students, Amanda Kost, Kari Kilian and Rachel Steilow along with Dr. Kenner worked all phases, from the mechanical design to replacing the bronze heads and commemorative plaque.

Amanda Kost is a May, 2004 graduate of the School of Mines & Technology in civil and environmental engineering. She has been active in the Society of Women Engineers, American Society of Civil Engineers, Tau Beta Pi, Civil Engineering Student Advisory Committee. She is currently planning to attend graduate school majoring in Civil Engineering with an emphasis in structural engineering.

Kari Kilian graduated from the School of Mines & Technology in May, 2004 with B.S. in civil and environmental engineering. She has been active in American Society of Civil Engineers as well as this historic fountain project.

Rachel Steilow graduated from School of Mines & Technology in May, 2004 with a B.S. in civil engineering, working on her M.S. in technology management and currently doing research in friction stir welding for the AMP Center at the School. Monies from Rachel’s grandmother’s memorial helped fund the restoration as well as financial assistance from Modern Woodmen of America, and Cretex Concrete Products West donated labor and materials for the concrete base.

Both Rachel and Kari paddled the SDSM&T concrete canoe at Regionals, and in April, for the woman’s distance race and took first place.

The efforts of the students as well as Dr. Kenner are recognized with this award. The citizens of Rapid City are now able to get a glimpse of history in its rightful spot, restored to the beauty and charm of years gone by.