RAPID CITY, S.D. — South Dakota Hall of Fame photographer William “Bill” Groethe has been photographing the history of the Great Plains region for more than 85 years.
He is best known for photographing the last survivors of the Battle of Little Bighorn, as well as the construction of Mount Rushmore and the Black Elk Lakota Moons. The City of Rapid City, along with the State of South Dakota, have even designated September 2nd, 2009, as William M. Groethe Day in honor of his outstanding work.
2020 has brought changes for Bill and his business, including the closing of First Photo, his shop in Rapid City. With shop closing, Bill was staying home more, leading to increased physical weakness and more frequent falling in August.
After three consecutive falls, Groethe, having just recently celebrated his 97th birthday, has been experiencing some health issues requiring in-home nursing care. His family has set up a GoFundMe account to try and raise the funds to cover at least three months of Bill’s medical assistance.
The community, unsurprisingly, has answered their call for help, having donated close to $1,500 in just two days.
“Any amount raised will be utilized for keeping Bill safe, happy, and healthy. We want to make sure that he is receiving the care he needs so that he can keep getting stronger,” his family says. “Bill has been through a lot in his life, and has had a lot of various types of hardships that he has survived. He always says ‘I’ve had a lifetime of turning negatives into positives.’”
Click here to view the GoFundMe for Bill.
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