Hill City Sawmill Closure | South Dakota

It is unfortunate that in today’s industry, mills are an endangered species. When Rushmore Forest Products announced its closure in April of this year, it furloughed 100 employees in the process, and put the livelihood of the entire town in question.

Although the South Dakota-based mill had been a staple in the town of Hill City for 53 years, the Forest Service’s limit on production brought that way of life to a halt.

Unfortunately, this is a scene that will continue to happen around the US, as reduced forest management continues to negatively affect forest restoration. Watch this heart-wrenching, first-hand look at the employees and families behind this mill, and learn what this closure means for the entire community.