1. Homestake Mine Fire: On July 2, 1912, a devastating underground fire broke out in the Homestake Mine in Lead, South Dakota. The fire caused extensive damage and claimed the lives of ten miners.

2. Statehood Day: South Dakota celebrates Statehood Day on July 2 to commemorate the day in 1889 when President Benjamin Harrison signed the proclamation admitting South Dakota as the 40th state in the Union.

3. Mount Rushmore: On July 2, 1923, sculptor Gutzon Borglum began work on Mount Rushmore, the iconic monument featuring the faces of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. The project took 14 years to complete and is now one of South Dakota's most popular tourist attractions.

4. The Great Flood of 1952: In the summer of 1952, heavy rains caused a devastating flood in Rapid City, South Dakota. On July 2, the Rapid Creek overflowed its banks, creating a wall of water that swept through the city and claimed the lives of 238 people.

5. Wounded Knee Massacre: One of the darkest moments in South Dakota's history occurred on December 29, 1890, during the Wounded Knee Massacre. However, a turning point in the tragedy occurred on July 2, 1990, when the U.S. Congress passed a resolution formally apologizing to the Lakota Sioux for the massacre.