Location: The ranch is located in Pennington County, just SE of Rapid City, SD. Address 14903 Lower Spring Creek Rd. Hermosa, SD 57744 

Directions: 14903 Lower Spring Creek Rd, Hermosa, SD 57744; From Rapid City take US Hwy 79 south approx. 6 mi. to Lower Spring Creek Rd, turn East, travel approximately 7 miles to the Ranch sign, then South ½ mi to the HQ. 

The ranch enjoys easy access off Lower Spring Creek Rd. (asphalt)

Regional flight service is available within a 45-minute drive at Rapid City, SD. Rapid City is the second largest city in South Dakota and offers all types of shopping, fine and casual dining, medical facilities and industry. 

Today the Black Hills offers an inviting mix of recreational and cultural experiences and the area continues to be a destination of choice for tourists and retirees alike. As populations increase in the region, this property will be more conveniently-located than ever. 

Hermosa is the eastern gateway to the Black Hills. The Council Oak Tree, the largest Burr Oak in South Dakota, has stood on the eastern slopes of the Black Hills by Battle Creek for over 400 years. Gold discovery in the sacred valleys of Paha Sapa in the 1870s drew miners, homesteaders, and businessmen to the region. Hermosa was founded on June 14th, 1886, near Battle Creek. Named by Pete Folsom, the chief engineer of the Pioneer Townsite Company, ‘Hermosa’ means ‘beautiful’ in Spanish, reflecting the area’s natural allure. 

Hunting, fishing, boating, camping, golfing, and outdoor recreational opportunities abound in the Southern Black Hills area. Within a short drive, you can explore Custer State Park, one of the nation’s premier state parks. Known for its bison herds and wildlife, it has even been named as one of the World’s Top Ten Wildlife Destinations. Also nearby are the Mammoth Site of Hot Springs, Moccasin Springs Natural Mineral Spa, Evans Plunge Mineral Springs, Angostura Recreation Area, J.H. Keith Cascade Falls Picnic Area, Moccasin Springs and more! 

If you’re looking for a spacious lifestyle with wide open spaces, plenty of room to breathe and the beautiful Black Hills landscape, this area is the perfect blend of serene privacy with amenities within reach. 

The property is comprised of 2,599.43 +/- acres being offered in seven individual tracts ranging in size from 80 to 1,013 acres and as two separate units.

The ranch is comprised of Creek bottom meadows, steep ridges and open grasslands.

Water is provided by rural water pipeline, shallow private wells and Spring Creek. 

The ranch improvements include the ranch house, barn, shop, corrals and is fenced and cross-fenced.

The ranch has been leased out to a neighboring ranch family and the property sells subject to the remaining term on the existing Lease. (expires December31, 2029)

Generous populations of both Mule Deer and Whitetail can regularly be seen on the property along with the usual small game and game bird species such as pheasants and sharptailed grouse.

Power is provided by Black Hills Electric Cooperative.

The ranch is currently leased to a local ranch family and sells subject to the remaining term on the existing Lease. (expires December 31, 2029)

Tract 1; 315.27 +/- Ac, Tract 1 is the HQ unit. Situated in a secluded setting on Spring Creek, including the ranch improvements, shallow well and roughly 1 mile of Spring Creek as it winds its way through the property! Additionally, 86.66 are mapped hay-meadow and Rural water (Hermosa Water Users Assoc.) is piped to the ranch house, corrals, and stock tanks.  

TRACT 2; 1,013.40 +/- Ac. Tract 2 features exceptional grassland, steep ridges, remarkable views, wildlife and pipeline water (HWUA). The tract is fenced and cross-fenced and joins Tracts 1 and 2. There shall be an easement placed on Tract 2 for the benefit of South Dakota School of Mines’ students for small scale fossil exploration. 

TRACT 3; 710.76 +/- Ac. Tract 3 features productive grasslands, pipeline water and is fenced and cross-fenced 

TRACT 4; 320 Ac. Tract 4 is situated on Spring Creek with several prominent ox bows as the Creek meanders through the Tract and features a beautiful, productive hay meadow consisting of 256.45 mapped acres.  

TRACT 5; 80+/- Ac. Tract 5 is a beautiful Spring Creek valley Tract with the Creek flowing along and through the property and direct access to Lower Spring Creek Rdmakes this Tract truly a rare find! 

TRACT 6; 80+/- Ac. A beautiful Tract situated in the Spring Creek valley with direct access to Lower Spring Creek Rd! 

TRACT 7; 80+/- Ac. A beautiful Tract situated in the Spring Creek valley with direct access to Lower Spring Creek Rd! 

UNIT A: 2,359.43 +/- Acres – Combination of Tracts 1-4

UNIT B: 240.0 +/- Acres – Combination of Tracts 5-7

The Property will be offered in 7 individual Tracts and as 2 Separate Units, selling in the manner realizing the greater return for the Seller. All bids will be made on a per acre basis. Property sells subject to Seller confirmation. Possession shall be granted at closing, subject to the rights of the tenant shall be granted at closing.

At the conclusion of the auction, successful bidders shall enter into a purchase agreement and deposit 10% nonrefundable earnest money with the balance due in certified funds upon closing, on or before November 17, 2026.

Property will be sold without buyer contingency of any kind. Have financial arrangements secured prior to bidding. 

 Property shall be sold by legal description only. No warrantees or representation is made regarding actual acreage. Buyer and Seller acknowledge that existing fences may or may not be placed on actual boundaries. All information has been derived from sources deemed reliable; however, neither Seller nor the Auctioneers/Brokers are making any guarantees or warranties, actual or implied.

Property selling “As-is where is”. Inspect to the extent deemed necessary both on and off premises and use your own judgement when bidding. Announcements made at auction take precedence over any prior printed or oral representations.

Neither Seller nor Hewitt Land Company, Inc., are responsible for accidents.

The bidder acknowledges that if a bid is submitted during the auction, the bid may become the high bid and therefore obligate the bidder to purchase the tract(s) or parcel(s) at the bid price.  

The minimum bid increase will be at the discretion of the Auctioneer. Bids will be recognized in the order received. 

Hewitt Land Company reserves the right to reject any and all bids for any reason. It also reserves the right to cancel an auction or remove any item or lot from this auction prior to the close of bidding. All decisions of Hewitt Land Company are final. 

The winning bidder will be required to complete, sign and return the real estate contract without modifications following the auction. 

Both the winning bidder and Seller shall hold harmless Hewitt Land Company for any liabilities or expenses resulting from either Bidder’s or Seller’s failure to fulfill any obligations set forth in these Terms and Conditions. 

Possession: Possession will be granted at closing, subject to reservations and the rights of the tenant under the existing lease.

Title: Merchantable title shall be conveyed by Warranty Deed, subject to easements, restrictions, covenants and/or reservations of record. An Owners policy of title insurance shall be provided at the time of closing, with the cost divided equally between Purchaser and Seller. A preliminary title policy will be available for your inspection prior to the auction. All mineral interests currently held by Seller (if any) shall transfer with title.

Taxes: The 2025 taxes shall be paid by the Seller. The 2026 taxes shall be prorated to the day of Closing.

Representation: Hewitt Land Company Represents the Sellers in this Transaction. Broker Participation is invited, (form and deadline required).

Owner: South Dakota Mines; Center for Alumni Advancement and Relations, Marc D. Vaillancourt CEO

Online & Phone Bids: Registrations for online bidders, phone bidders, and Buyer’s Agents must be completed no later than 10 a.m. on 9/22/2026

This offering consists of 2,599.43 +/- Deeded acres and will be offered in 7  Tracts and as Two Units, selling in the manner realizing the greatest return to the Seller. Property sells subject to Seller confirmation. All bids will be made on a per acre basis. The acreages have been determined based on the information obtained from the Pennington County Assessor’s offices and other sources deemed reliable, such as GPS mapping software.  

THE PROPERTY SELLS BY LEGAL DESCRIPTION ONLY; ACREAGE FIGURES ARE ESTIMATED BASED ON INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THIRD PARTIES AND ARE NOT GUARANTEED. DISCREPANCIES IN ACTUAL ACREAGES SHALL HAVE NO BEARING ON FINAL SALE PRICE.   

 The following method will be used today to discover who will become the new owner(s) of the Kenneth Brown Ranch Estate Property:  

1. Bidding will be opened on the TRACTS selling choice of TRACTS until bid price is established on each TRACT with a HOLD placed on each high bid.  

2. Bidding will be opened on the TWO SEPARATE UNITS with a HOLD placed on the high bid price.  

3. The process will be repeated, offering the opportunity to bid on Tracts, and the Entire Unit, provided there continue to be raises in the overall bid price from one manner to the other.  

 4. At the point there is a failure to initially obtain a raise from one manner over the other, the auctioneer will offer the HOLD Bidder the opportunity to keep that manner in play. At the point there fails to be a raise from one manner over the other, the property will not be offered in that manner again. The Auctioneer reserves the right to set the minimum acceptable bid amounts or raises.  

5. At such point it is determined in which manner the property will sell, the bidding will be opened and the point bidding ceases, the clerk will place SOLD in the HOLD/SOLD column for each tract or unit and the auction will be over.  

 In addition to live bidding, phone and internet bidding are also available and may be used during this auction. All bids must be recognized by the auctioneer, either directly or through a ringman, to be considered valid.  

In the event of a tie bid between two parties on the floor, the bidder recognized by the auctioneer will be given priority.  

In the event of a tie bid between a phone or internet bidder and a bidder on the floor, the bid on the floor will be given priority. Neither the Seller nor Hewitt Land Company, Inc. shall bear any responsibility for internet connections.  

Hewitt Land Company, Inc, its Auctioneer and all its Associates represent the Seller in this transaction.