Dick Fort is an environmental activist who has been called the caretaker of Spearfish Canyon. He’s also a painter, sculptor composer, teacher, cross-country skier, fly fisherman, World War Two code breaker and winemaker. He was born in Mitchell in 1922 and was a professor of humanities at Chicago City college for 28 years. He is well known for his efforts to protect the beauty of the Black Hills as the founder of ACTion for the Environment.
Fort is the subject of the new film, Fort: A Spearfish Canyon Rhapsody. In the movie, Fort is interviewed by author, activist and Rumi scholar Andrew Harvey in both Spearfish Canyon and Fort's geodesic home. His paintings are also animated in the score features arrangements of his compositions.
Fort: A Spearfish Canyon Rhapsody premieres Saturday at the Dahl Arts Center in Rapid City at 7 pm. It also airs on SDPB1 Television on November 6 at 8:30 pm, Central; 7:30 pm, Mountain; and November 9 at 1:30 pm, Central; 12:30, Mountain.
Dick Fort joined Dakota Midday and discussed the film and his life as an environmentalist and artist. Film producer Michael Goodroad also joined the conversation.