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The claps of thunder went quiet Thursday when Theodore Roosevelt began to speak in commemoration of the 90th anniversary of the dedication of Friendship Tower near Deadwood.

The event, staged by the U.S. Forest Service and attended by a couple dozen onlookers, was held at Mount Roosevelt. The tower and mountain were dedicated to Roosevelt on July 4, 1919, about six months after his death.

The project was spearheaded by Roosevelt’s friend and pillar of Deadwood and Black Hills history Seth Bullock. Although Bullock was near death himself in 1919, he shepherded the project to completion. The Society of Black Hills Pioneers built a rough-hewn stone and mortar tower that overlooks the northern plains of South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana and North Dakota.

“It’s solid, simple and rooted in the ground,” said Roosevelt re-enactor Joe Wiegand upon seeing the tower. “Just like the people who live in this great land.”

Wiegand spoke about the importance of the preservation of public lands and Roosevelt’s motivation to create vast areas of national parks across the United States.

David Soma portrayed Bullock and said that the two men were linked by their common interests. As Bullock, Soma said that Roosevelt considered Bullock and his cowboy friends “aces of men.”

A looping trail leads from a roadside parking lot through lush forest and active songbird habitat to the tower. The area opens up to sweeping vistas of Black Hills peaks named after U.S. Cavalry notables Harney, Custer and Terry. There are other scenics of Spearfish valley, Bear Butte and the Belle Fourche River valley. Visitors used to be able to climb a spiral staircase inside the tower, but unsafe conditions have forced the blocking of the entrance.

The city of Deadwood Historic Preservation Commission pledged $25,000 for the restoration of the tower about five years ago. Historic Preservation officer Kevin Kuchenbecker said on Thursday that he would like to see a restoration project completed so the tower could be re-opened in its original glory for its 100th birthday.

“Projects like this are important to our history and our heritage,” he said.