Museum on track to bring Christmas spirit to the heart of the hills

The 15th annual Trees and Trains exhibit is just around the corner. The annual South Dakota State Railroad Museum(SDSRM) fundraiser gives Hill City and area community members and visitors an opportunity to stroll through a Christmas wonderland filled with nostalgia of days gone past, train memorabilia, model trains, Christmas trees, and, of course, an opportunity to  visit with Santa.

Museum director Rick Mills said there are over 20 trees on display this year, including many new participants.

“The South Dakota Odd Fellows heard good things about being in Hill City and having a tree here. We’ve got several new businesses,” including JQ Clothing and Downtown Deli, Mills said.

Mills thinks Heart of the Hills Antiques and the 1880 Train are the longest-running businesses that have had a tree on exhibit. Mills’  favorite tree ever was created by Marybeth Johnson and her husband Charlie.

“It was a purple and silver tree. And it was absolutely gorgeous,” Mills said.

Mills said individuals often create trees for the exhibit that they put their heart and soul into.

“It’s so cool to see that,” he said.

According to Mills the Trees and Trains event will look a little bit different but it will still have the holiday spirit viewers have come to expect. A museum donor from Florida sponsored a new Lionel Train display for the museum this year.

“It’s gonna be a really neat new exhibit,” Mills said. 

The museum will once again be open after the Hill City Olde Tyme Christmas parade Nov 29.  It will offer half price admission that evening from 5-7:30 p.m. Otherwise admission is $9 per person and a $20 family rate, but is free to anyone getting a picture with Santa.

People who just want to stroll in to get a photo with Santa will pay $10 for one photo, $15 for two and $25 for three. Photos are handed out the very same day they are taken so there is virtually no wait time.

The exhibit schedule coincides with The 1880 Train schedule, Saturday Nov. 30  from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., then weekends from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.  through December. The exhibit is also open Dec 23-24.

SDSRM does not receive any money from Hill City and  relies on admissions, donations and memberships to stay on track. Those funds, along with this fundraiser,  help support the museum’s operating capital for the year and sustain the programs Mills brings statewide.

“It takes money  and it takes more money now than it ever has before because everything has gone up,” said Mills.

Mills said memberships, which are $45 for adults and $100 for a family, are critical, and that along with free admission to the museum members now receive a newsletter twice a year. SDSRM is a 501(c)3 and all donations to it are tax deductible.

SDSRM works with alot of groups around the state and represents all the different railroads that have operated in the state. The museum works with other museums “to help them identify and preserve railroad history,” Mills said.

SDSRM is also a  depository for other organizations. The Hill City museum is a treasure trove of history that tells a great story about people, transportation and the State of South Dakota.

The SDSRM board and volunteers spend the winter months working on new exhibits and programming for visitors who come mostly during the traditional tourist season. Mills is working on updating the museum website and creating more content.

The Trees and Trains exhibit attracts repeat visitors each year. Mills loves to see the multigenerational families strolling through the exhibit, having fun and learning. 

“We have folks that come over from Wyoming and the Panhandle of Nebraska and they say ‘we have been here every year for the last seven or eight years or whatever. We just love coming to Hill City and we just love coming, riding the train and we like getting our photos taken with Santa so we have  a yearly progression. We like the whole atmosphere.’”

Mills said that’s what the SDSRM strives for.

“I love seeing families do what families used to  do. Spend time together.  This is an opportunity for  that to happen,” he said.

SDSRM will host a  Dec. 15 Christmas concert featuring carols, train stories and history. It’s something Mills has always wanted to do.

“We love being  a part of the community,” said Mills,  who encourages everyone to come to all the SDSRM Christmas events including the 2024 Trees and Trains exhibit.