Best Places to Buy a Craftsman House

The Neighborhood
Founded in 1876 by gold miners, Rapid City quickly established itself as the "Gateway to the Black Hills," drawing tourists long before the faces of Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and Roosevelt were carved into the granite of Mount Rushmore 20 miles outside of town. Today, tourism remains the city's biggest industry, though many residents work in manufacturing (cement, chipboard, and farm equipment) or at Ellsworth Air Force Base. The city's two historic districts include the city center, with its Italianate, Renaissance, and Classical Revival storefronts, and West Boulevard, a haven for a mixed bag of residents that includes lots of retirees.

The Houses
Three building periods spanning 1875 to 1949 produced an eclectic mix of styles, including Queen Anne, Colonial Revival, Craftsman, Prairie, and Art Deco.

The Prices
A renovated 4,000-square-foot Craftsman built in 1917 was recently on the market for $335,000. If you're handy, Victorian-era fixer-uppers can be had for as low as $138,000.

Why Buy Now?
Housing prices here have dropped within the last year, although values in the West Boulevard Historical District tend to hold steadier than those in the rest of Rapid City.

Among the best for:
Fixer-Uppers, Retirees, The Midwest

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