Spearfish National Fish Hatchery

In 1892, US Fish Commission scientist Barton Warren Evermann was on assignment to South Dakota from Washington, DC. His charge: survey fisheries and locate a site for a federal hatchery. The foray took him to the Black Hills and springs of Ames Canyon that poured into Spearfish Creek. The site was ideal. By 1899, Spearfish National Fish Hatchery started raising trout for the Black Hills and points beyond, and its effects on fishing were profound. In time, the mission changed, and so did the hatchery’s name. Today’s D.C. Booth Historic National Fish Hatchery and Archives–named to honor the hatchery’s first superintendent–is a treasure trove of information related to fisheries conservation. The facility’s historic and commanding hatchery building is iconic in the community and a one-of-a-kind museum.