Actor Dennis Quaid Launching New Project with South Dakota City

You certainly know the work of Golden Globe-nominated actor Dennis Quaid, who has been a mainstay on the silver screen for nearly 50 years, starring in films like Breaking Away (1979), The Right Stuff (1983), The Big Easy (1986), Great Balls of Fire! (1989), DragonHeart (1996), The Parent Trap (1998), The Rookie (2002), The Day After Tomorrow (2004), and Far from Heaven (2002).

These days, the 70-year-old has branched out to include online educational programming on his resume.

The project is called Viewpoint and Quaid is its host. The series is billed as an exploration of 'significant societal, economic, and cultural topics.'

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Later this year, Viewpoint is focusing its attention on a South Dakota city.

The series is partnering with Belle Fourche for an in-depth look at the city's 'unique amenities, rich history, and impressive economic development.' The segment, which will be recorded late this year, will explore Belle Fourche's historical significance and how the city has evolved over the years.

Belle Fourche ('beautiful fork' in French) is located at the confluence of Redwater River and Hay Creek in Western South Dakota. The city is the seat of Butte County.

Beaver trappers worked the area rivers until the mid-19th century giving way to farmers and ranchers during the gold rush of 1876. Eventually, a stagecoach line and later railroad line were established in the city, which was incorporated in 1884 - five years before South Dakota became a state.

Since 1918, Belle Fourche has hosted the Black Hills Roundup, one of the oldest continuously held outdoor rodeos in the country.

In 1959, the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey officially designated a point 20 miles north of Belle Fourche as the geographic center of the United States.