History of Sturgis

So because this week is Sturgis Bike Rally we decided to look around for information on how long the rally has been going and what its origins were. We found a good explanation that answered a lot of the questions so we decided to share it with you guys. Enjoy! Information is from http://www.allblackhills.com/sturgis_south_dakota/bike_rally_history.php.com/sturgis_south_dakota/bike_rally_history.php

In 1936 J. Clarence "Pappy" Hoel bought part of Indian Motorcycles. Pappy is now considered the founder and father of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. This same year a local motorcycle club called the Jackpine Gypsies was formed. The club produced the racers of the first event and today is home to motor-cross and hill climb events. The first rally, known as the Black Hills Motor Classic, took place in 1938 with only nine racers and a small group of spectators from biker clubs in Mitchell, Sioux Falls, Minnesota, and Colorado. This first year most visitors camped in Pappy's backyard and at Sturgis City Park.

The first year made Pappy and the Jackpine Gypsies realize the potential the event had for the future. The rally was a fun family event and could bring the community of Sturgis, South Dakota much business and tourism. Over the years, history has watched Sturgis welcome more and more spectators, riders, and vendors into its community during a few days in August. It wasn't until 1963 that the rally turned into a multi-day event. Around this time the Jackpine Gypsies also began events like the hill climb and motor-cross. In 1965 the rally became a five day event and in 1975 it became seven days long. Sturgis also began blocking off Main Street so that bikers had a place to park their bikes and not have to worry about traffic. The first vendors, only nine of them, were welcomed to sell goods in 1979. And by 1968, there were 117 vendors lining the streets of Sturgis. In 1989, founder Pappy Hoel died at age 85. But the rally lived on, with over 600,000 visitors and participants in 2000. In 2002, the city realized the need for a department that would be in charge of organizing and marketing the annual event. In 2003, the Black Hills Motor Classic officially became the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. 2005 marked the 65th anniversary for this famous bike week.

Since the 1940s, Sturgis has not only seen a change and increase in the spectators, but the motorcycles have also changed over the years. When the rally began there were really only two types of motorcycles that were ridden, Harley Davidson and Indian. These older bikes were huge compared to today's models. As bikes have changed, so have the types of events at the rally. You can still enter longer races and tours, but newer riders enjoy short-track races and hill climbs. Learn even more about historic rally days in Sturgis by attending the event.