Governor Noem Wants Fireworks to Return to Mount Rushmore in 2024

July 4th, 2023 is barely in the books and already the focus has turned to Independence Day 2024 in South Dakota.

Wednesday (July 5), Governor Kristi Noem and the South Dakota Department of Tourism submitted an application to the National Park Service for a special use permit for a 2024 fireworks celebration at Mount Rushmore.

A number of factors have kept fireworks away from the national memorial 14 times in the last 15 years.

Get our free mobile app

In a press release announcing the special use permit application, the governor said:

'There is truly no better place to celebrate America’s Birthday than Mount Rushmore. The Biden Administration has consistently denied us the ability to celebrate our nation’s Freedom with fireworks. We will keep fighting to host fireworks at Mount Rushmore and celebrate our Freedoms.'

Fire concerns, Native American Tribal protests, and more recently COVID have led to the fireworks ban at Mount Rushmore every year except one since 2009.

The lone exception was July of 2020, after the governor received a Memorandum Agreement from the Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior to include fireworks for the Independence Day celebration, which included an appearance from then-President Donald Trump.

In 2022, Noem went as far as suing the Department of the Interior and National Park Service to overturn the fireworks ban at Mount Rushmore. That request was denied by a Federal Judge and that denial was later upheld by the Eighth Circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals.

10 Smallest Towns in South Dakota

South Dakota is loaded with small towns in every corner of the state. But where are the smallest towns in the Mount Rushmore state? According to the latest census data, here are the ten smallest towns in all of South Dakota.

Most Expensive South Dakota Related Things on eBay

In South Dakota, we've always prided ourselves on having one of the most reasonable cost of living rates in America.

But that doesn't mean that you can't spend a pretty penny when it comes to Mount Rushmore-related items.

All you've got to do is head to eBay where, in and among the 98,751 search results for South Dakota, you'll find some things that will set you back plenty.

7 Sucky Foods We Eat In South Dakota

If you live in South Dakota you may have chocked down some of these awful foods. I'd have to be on the verge of starvation before I'd ever try them...again.