Needles Highway near Sylvan Lake, Custer State Park, Black Hills, South Dakota, circa 1940

Subjects: Mountains & Hills National & State Parks
Card type: Linen
Date: c. 1930 (White Border)

Back of Needles Highway near Sylvan Lake, Custer State Park, Black Hills, South Dakota, circa 1940, c. 1930 linen postcard — Back

About this postcard

The view looks along the Needles Highway as it threads between towering granite spires and pinnacles, with a pale road curving through the rock formations and scattered pines on the slopes. The Needles Highway, completed in 1922 as part of Custer State Park in the Black Hills of South Dakota, was engineered by Peter Norbeck and is famous for its narrow tunnels and needle-like granite formations. Sylvan Lake, a reservoir created in 1891, lies nearby and became a centerpiece of the park.

Postcard Details

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PublisherBlack Hills Novelty Co.

ALONG THE NEEDLES HIGHWAY, NEAR SYLVAN LAKE, CUSTER STATE PARK, BLACK HILLS, S. D. --- Among the many notable places in the Custer State Park, every mile of which reveals some new delight, is the Needles Road, whose granite pinnacles, strange rock formations, and gradual spiraling ascent offer a unique and memorable experience. At each successive level, new vistas of haunting beauty are unfolded, until at the apex, the superb panorama of the entire Black Hills Region is unrolled. 18990 PUBLISHED BY BLACK HILLS NOVELTY CO., RAPID CITY, S. D. — NATURAL COLOR POST CARD MADE IN U.S.A. BY E. C. KROPP CO., MILWAUKEE, WIS. — (GEL) Post Card PLACE STAMP HERE

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Postcard record

Publisher	Black Hills Novelty Co.
Condition	Very good
Place depicted	Custer State Park, SD
Place mentioned	Sylvan Lake, SD
Place mentioned	Black Hills, SD
Publisher	Black Hills Novelty Co., Rapid City, SD
Notes	White border; visible linen (crosshatch) texture typical of the 1930s-40s. No postmark or handwriting; unused printed back. Divided-back "Post Card" with stamp box marked E/C/K/Co (E.C. Kropp). Linen-textured natural-color card with white border on front; imprint number 18990. Light age toning, no damage.

Cite this card

Needles Highway near Sylvan Lake, Custer State Park, Black Hills, South Dakota, circa 1940, postcard, c. 1930. PostalPast Collection. https://postalpast.com/postcard/needles-highway-near-sylvan-lake-custer-state-park-black-hil. Accessed October 25, 2026.