PIERRE — Award-winning historian and author Patricia Limerick will be the featured speaker at the South Dakota State Historical Society’s 2025 Annual History Conference. The event will take place May 7-9 at three separate locations in Deadwood.

Limerick is a professor of history of the American West at the University of Colorado Boulder. Through her work, she demonstrates the benefits of applying historical perspective to contemporary dilemmas and conflicts. Limerick is also known as an energetic, funny, and engaging public speaker. Limerick will speak at the Friday afternoon luncheon.

“Historical Mysteries: In Search of the Buried Past,” is the theme of this year’s conference. The event will bring in speakers from across the U.S. to share stories about South Dakota’s historical mysteries.

“It’s always fun to celebrate what people are doing in our state to advance more and better history,” said Ben Jones, the state historian and director of the South Dakota State Historical Society. “We invite anyone who is passionate about history to attend this event. This year’s sessions-featuring mysteries solved and unsolved-will address some of the states most intriguing stories and myths.”

Registration is open now and can be found here. The early bird discount is available until April 7. Attendees can purchase a full registration, which includes both lunches, the Thursday night reception, and all presentations, or they can choose which day and events they would like to attend. Each presentation and the awards luncheon will be available as a recording after the conference for members of the South Dakota State Historical Society.