he Trail of Governors expanded to a total of 25 statues by the close of the year 2019. The life-size bronze statues of Govs. Samuel H. Elrod, Archie Gubbrud and Dennis Daugaard were added to the trail during the summer season. TAn unveiling ceremony for these latest statues was held in the Capitol Rotunda on Flag Day, June 14, with a large crowd. It was a special celebration with newly elected Gov. Kristi Noem at the podium along with Gov. Dennis Daugaard who left the Governor’s Office a few months earlier. The Trail of Governors Foundation continues to raise funds and commission artists for the statues. The foundation does not have an office, a phone or staff. What it does have are volunteer board members, loyal advisory members, and a close working relationship with the South Dakota Community Foundation. The SDCF oversees the trail foundation’s funds. Fundraising challenges have become more significant as governors nearer to the beginning of statehood are commissioned without any or many family or staff members still living. The foundation nears the point at which all former governors are cast in bronze, and that target is by fall of 2021. Thereafter, only governors leaving the office will be the focus of the foundation’s efforts to raise funds for each statue and organize an unveiling ceremony. The trail is a feat considering its humble beginnings, from a sidewalk conversation between two foundation board members, Leroy Foster and Rick Jensen. That friendly chat led to a trail funded by private donors contributing almost two million dollars. A new event was added to the unveiling weekend in 2018, and that is the Run with the Govs 4K run that takes place the Saturday morning following the Friday unveiling. Those participating in the run along the trail route grew from the inaugural event to 2019’s event, and the group organizing this event has hopes that the participant numbers will continue to grow. FOUNDATION’S 2019 ANNUAL REPORT As more governor statues are added to the trail, more South Dakota history lessons are shared with South Dakotans and visitors. Each statue reveals some details about that specific governor, from the era during which GovernorM. Michael Dennis Rounds Daugaard - 31st – Governor 32nd Governor of South of Dakota South Dakota they lived to their values and lifestyle. 2019 Trail of Governors Annual Report Gov. Samuel H. Elrod – 5th, 1905-1907 Elrod was raised on a farm and received a law degree in In- diana before seeking his future in Dakota Territory. Elrod was pulled to Dakota by his good friend and our territory’s last and our state’s first governor, Arthur Mellette. Elrod was a fiscally conservative leader, and a stalwart Republican. His accomplishments as governor were topped by reforming the state’s prison system, ramping up railroad regulation, and launching the building of the state’s Capitol. When he left office, the state was debt-free. He was a lawyer in Watertown and Clark before becoming governor, and a farmer in the Clark area after leaving office. While Mellette adopted Water- town as his home town, his good friend Elrod adopted nearby Clark as his. His first memorable visit to Clark came about when he substituted for Gov. Mellette by giving a Fourth of July speech, and the visit inspired him to open a law office there. Elrod and many of his descendants are buried at Clark. Elrod’s statue by artist James Van Nuys shows the governor in his early 1900s business suit, holding a book with a small table at his side. His statue stands next to the historic St. Charles building along Capitol Avenue. Samuel H. Elrod- 5th Governor of South Dakota A vision to create a lasting legacy of South Dakota’s governors. 2019 Trail of Governors Annual Report Gov. Archie Gubbrud, 22nd, 1961-1965 A tried and true South Dakotan, Gubbrud was born in Lin- coln County and his family homesteaded there along with their extended family from Norway. He began his political ca- reer in 1934 as Norway Township Clerk and spent many years in public service on behalf of the people of South Dakota. As a young man Gubbrud attended rural schools in Lincoln County and graduated from Augustana Academy at Canton where he played sports and sang in the choir. He was also self-educated, not obtaining a secondary education. He had a variety of interests such as farming and soil conservation, for which he received many awards. During his time as governor Gubbrud was known for his integrity, composure and ability to inspire confidence. He stated in his augural address in 1961, “I simply am asking for good government for the best people anywhere that I know.” Gov. Gubbrud’s statue along upper Pierre Street was created by Lee Leuning and Sherri Treeby. The governor’s bronze stands next to a model of a 1960s-era Minuteman Missile like those the U.S. Air Force installed in western South Dakota during the Cold War. Archie Gubbrud - 22nd Governor of South Dakota A vision to create a lasting legacy of South Dakota’s governors. 2019 Trail of Governors Annual Report Gov. Dennis Daugaard, 32nd, 2011-2019 Daugaard served as governor during eight years of challenges in South Dakota, including the Great Recession, an outcry for increased teacher salaries, and severe flooding along the Mis- souri River that dissects the state. As a fiscally conservative yet determined leader, Daugaard was up to the challenges. The governor cut spending to reduce the state’s budget, increased teacher salaries via a one-half cent sales tax increase, and led the way reforming juvenile and adult criminal justice systems. Daugaard grew up on a farm near Dell Rapids, raised by two deaf parents in a fiscally conservative fashion. He went on to become an attorney, working at a law office in Chicago before returning to his home state to work in banking and in leader- ship positions for the Children’s Home Society. His political career began when he was elected as a legislator, and contin- ued as he became lieutenant governor and then governor. Daugaard’s statue on Washington Avenue and along the shore of Capitol Lake shows him leaning against a shovel, as though he just planted a tree. A closer look at James Michael Maher’s sculpture shows the governor pinching a penny and giving the deaf sign, “I love you.” Dennis Daugaard - 32nd Governor of South Dakota A vision to create a lasting legacy of South Dakota’s governors. 2019 Trail of Governors Annual Report Trail Visitation Donor Opportunities Consisting of sculptures located outdoors on publicly accessible rights-of-way, the 1st Governor Arthur Mellette, 1889-1893 – fully funded; unveiled in 2012 Trail of Governors is an attraction that requires no admission. Access to the trail is 2nd Governor Charles Sheldon, 1893-1897 – donor opportunities; scheduled unrestricted and available every hour of the day, each day of the year, making it for 2020 difficult to quantify the number of visitors to the trail. Utilizing data available 3rd Governor Andrew E. Lee, 1897-1901 – donor opportunities; scheduled for 2021 from a variety of sources, the foundation board determined that there were 30,000 4th Governor Charles Herreid, 1901-1905 – fully funded; unveiled in 2015 visitors to the trail in 2018 and more than 32,000 visitors in 2019. These numbers 5th Governor Samuel H. Elrod, 1905-1907 – ½ funded; donor opportunities; include school groups, those attending annual trail events, those interested South unveiled in 2019 Dakota history and politics, as well as those with an appreciation of the arts. 6th Governor Coe Crawford, 1907-1909 – donor opportunities; scheduled for 2020 Plans for 2020 7th Governor Robert Vessey, 1909-1913 – fully funded; unveiled in 2014 Statues commissioned to be unveiled and erected in 2020 are Govs. Sheldon, 8th Governor Frank Byrne, 1913-1917 – ¼ funded; donor opportunities; Crawford and Gunderson. Artist James Michael Maher has been commissioned scheduled for 2021 to work on Sheldon, Lee Luening and Sherri Treeby are creating Crawford, and 9th Governor Peter Norbeck, 1917-1921 – fully funded; unveiled in 2014 James Van Nuys is sculpting Gunderson. The unveiling ceremony is planned for the 10th Governor William H. McMaster, 1921-1925 – fully funded; unveiled in 2018 morning of June 12, at the Capitol Rotunda. Plaque-named donors are being sought 11th Governor Carl Gunderson, 1925-1927 – donor opportunities; scheduled for all three statues. for 2020 12th Governor William J. Bulow, 1927-1931 – ¼ funded; donor opportunities; Funds Raised scheduled for 2021 The Trail of Governors has raised $1,974,540 since its launch and through the year 13th Governor Warren Green, 1931-1933– fully funded; unveiled in 2016 2019, along with $29,284 in endowment funds. The foundation must raise $400,000 14th Governor Tom Berry, 1933-1937 – fully funded; unveiled in 2017 to finish funding the 31 statues honoring the state’s former governors. Donors 15th Governor Leslie Jensen, 1937-1939 – fully funded; unveiled in 2017 from throughout South Dakota and the United States have contributed to the 16th Governor Harlan Bushfield, 1939-1943 – fully funded; unveiled in 2012 funds raised thus far, celebrating our leaders while showcasing the state’s artists 17th Governor Merrell Q. Sharpe, 1943-1947 – fully funded; unveiled in 2018 and rich history. 18th Governor George T. Mickelson, 1947-1951 – fully funded; unveiled in 2015 A full statue sponsorship is $72,000 and naming rights on each statue’s plaque 19th Governor Sigurd Anderson, 1951-1955 – fully funded; unveiled in 2017 begin with a one-quarter investment of $18,000. All donations to the trail are 20th Governor Joe Foss, 1955-1959 – fully funded; unveiled in 2017 tax-deductible.