SDSRM pays tribute to former curator Rick Mills

The South Dakota State Railroad Museum (SDSRM) has unveiled a new exhibit dedicated to the memory of longtime curator Rick Mills, lovingly nicknamed, “Mr. Railroad.” 

Mills, a railroad aficionado, prolific author and community pillar had a passion for preserving South Dakota’s railroading legacy and helped shape the museum into what it is today.

“If you had a question, needed a photo or just wanted to chat about railroading in South Dakota, there was only one person to go to: Rick W. Mills,” wrote  Steve Glischinski for trains.com. 

Mills’ journey with the museum began around 2004 when it was opened as a modest display housed inside a former Pullman sleeper car at the Black Hill Central Railroad property.  Seeing the potential for something greater, Mills advocated for a larger and more permanent home for South Dakota’s railroading history. His vision was realized in 2010 with the opening of a custom-built facility designed to resemble a historic engine house. The same year, Mills was officially named curator—fulfilling his lifelong dream.

Mills was passionate, loved South Dakota’s railroads and spent a lifetime learning their history, according to interim director James Willmus. 

“He also spent many years preserving artifacts that told the story of not just the railroads, but the people and places which were connected by those twin ribbons of steel,” Willmus wrote.

According to Willmus, Mills was instrumental in procuring exhibits such as the museum’s iconic caboose, now the centerpiece of the collection. Donated by Jeanne Bauder of Huron, the caboose retains its original features including an icebox, sink, wood-burning stove and toilet. Visitors are welcome to walk through the rail car and explore a tangible piece of railroading history and the time-period in which it operated.

Mills was paramount in developing the museum into an institution dedicated to the preservation and education of the state’s railroading history. He saw the importance in keeping history alive, saying, “museums like this connect us to everything we know—and to what we have yet to learn—reminding us of times, places and things, and of innovations that have shaped our past and present, and will shape our future.”

Mills’ knowledge and influence extended far beyond the museum walls. A prolific author, he wrote seven books on regional railroading, co-authored or contributed to several other books, historical publications, photo essays and made many television appearances. 

During a guided tour of the museum, Willmus highlighted the care and thought that Mills poured into every exhibit and his influence will still be felt throughout. Willmus is committed to carrying forward with projects and ideas that he and Mills had in the works, including a 3D-printed replica of the iconic red caboose—the center piece of the museum.

“This one was a project I had been working on with Rick for quite a while. This is a 3D printed model of our caboose,” said Willmus, holding the small-scale replica. With a few tweaks, he’s hoping to have them for sale at the museum at some point this year.

It’s evident that Willmus shares Mills’ deep enthusiasm for trains and railroad history—a passion rooted in his own family. 

“My grandparents are from St. Paul, Minnesota, so my grandfather used to ride the street cars all over the city. That’s how they got around,” he said. 

The new tribute exhibit captures Mills’ spirit through a thoughtful display of personal memorabilia: a conductor’s hat that he fondly wore, his museum ID badge, a model engine and caboose and two of his most popular published books, “Black Hills Railroading” and “Railroading In The Land of Infinite Variety.” 

A large, framed photo of a train winding through the landscape, believed to have been taken by Mills, anchors the exhibit, accompanied by a striking bronze Chicago Northwestern emblem. Hanging nearby is another photo, taken by Mills, one of many he took as a hobby photographer, and a short dedication written by Willmus, to accompany the display. A large banner donated by the Hill City Area Chamber of Commerce also hangs, thanking Mills for his dedicated service.

A small but powerful tribute to a man whose endless work ensured South Dakota’s railroading history will never be forgotten.