24 Aug - Birthday Lunch with Cousin Dean Cooper and his wife Donna

24 Aug

We made arrangements to go out to eat today with my cousin Dean Cooper and his wife Donna to celebrate my birthday. Donna had recommended the Firehouse Brewing Company in downtown Rapid City as they had been there before. We had planned to see the downtown area also because of the revitalization there. On the street corners they have statues of US Presidents and a lot of other interesting things to see down there.

As parking can be quite a challenge in the downtown area, we drove our truck to Dean and Donna's and then they drove their car downtown. We walked a couple blocks and quickly found the Firehouse Brewing Company. Housed in the original Rapid City firehouse, a structure built in 1915, it is listed on the National Historic Register.

The bar is adorned with authentic South Dakota firefighting memorabilia from the days of Rapid City’s first fire brigades – including the original fire pole, ladders, patches and more. Rapid City’s early fire department consisted of three hose companies organized in 1881, and a hook-and-ladder company. The department became formally organized in 1907, and in 1915 this fine new fire hall was built. They boast being South Dakota's first brew pub, founded 25 years ago. It opened in 1991 and has been serving great beer and food ever since.

We headed inside and the interior decor was amazing, complete with an Iowa fire license plate hanging on the wall.  

We were seated upstairs where the fire department living quarters and offices were located back in the day.  Downstairs is the bar area and some additional seating.

Ed, Doreen Dean and Donna.

From our second floor table, looking down to the bar

Fire displays everywhere.

We enjoyed a great lunch and talked with Dean and Donna for a while before heading out to tour the downtown area a bit.  

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As we walked back to their car we walked past Main Street Square where they have bands and other performances.

Shooting fountain

Amphitheater

Doreen and George HW Bush

Doreen and I returned to the Famcamp and I dove into a project involving our bed.  We bought a new mattress and it it too tall to fit as the slides are retracted, so I needed to trim the bed base off about five inches.  Well, like most projects it took a bit longer than expected, but it turned out nice.

Tomorrow we will head down to Custer State Park and tour it.