County of marker: Harding County
Location of marker: Canam Hwy (US-85/SD-20), Centennial Park, Buffalo
Marker erected: July 3, 2009
Marker erected by: Harding County Chamber of Commerce
Marker text:
The Centennial Park was built in the summer of 2009, the design of Randy Lyons, native son of Buffalo, SD. The park honors the past one hundred years of this county. The Centennial Park was created to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of Harding County. The various historical boards are dedicated to the history and heritage of Harding County and the people who settled here and remained.
The land for the park was donated by Deb Brown-Licking of Preferred Home health.
The statue of Tipperary, sculpted by Tony Chytka of Belle Fourche, SD, depicts the rich history of rodeo. Tipperary, which stand on a rock donated from the Gordon Helms family of Reva, SD, was one of the greatest bucking horses of all time, reputedly bucking off 91 cowboys while having only two qualified rides on him.
The farmers and ranchers who homesteaded the area are remembered with the windmill, so important to their livelihood, donated by Dennis Brengle, Buffalo rancher.
The painted buffalo, purchased by the Harding County Chamber, Parfrey Pumping, and the Town of Buffalo, exemplifies the heritage of this rough country. This design portrays the Bison Society as a circle of bison protecting the herd within a tipi. The Lakota Warrior Society is shown around the tipi, protecting the family and tribe. On the other side is a depiction honoring veterans/warriors and the buffalo culture. The buffalo is the design of Corbin Conroy of Custer, SD. Paints Himself Red stands guard on a rock given by the Doug Doll family.
The pumping unit, donated by the William D. and Kathline Townsend family of Osage, Wyoming, represents the important oil industry of today's Harding County. Harding County has the largest oil field in South Dakota. Over 110 active oil wells exist in the county, along with many natural gas wells.
The wolf, donated by Wally & Linda Stephens, represents the prairie wolves and the buffalo wolves which roamed this area. The most famous wolf was Old Three Toes, which killed thousands of dollars worth of livestock before he was trapped. He stands on a rock donated by the Gordon Helms family.
The decorative gate welcomes visitors to the park. The panels were designed by HCHS art instructor Laura Johnson and cut by Lyle Parfrey of Brush Creek Trading, who was raised in Buffalo. Another Harding County man, Corey Stevenson of Bowman, ND, built the gate and mounted it.
The fence is partially constructed of the wood from the original Gilbert Ranch, just south of Buffalo. F.M. Gilbert was one of the founding fathers of Buffalo, county seat of Harding County. The remainder of the wood was donated by the Camp Crook Softball Association.
Many of the numerous rocks were donated by the Tim Brown family and Deb Brown-Licking. They help depict the rugged country which shaped the people and culture of Harding County.
The park is landscaped with rolling prairie, typical of the land of Harding County. The sod and grasses are natural to the area, such as the buffalo grass, the short grass, the blue stem and the yucca. Many of the trees are also natural in the area, such as the chokecherry and the buffalo berry.