Peter Norback (1870-1936) received the Pugsley Silver Medal for his services in the establishment of Custer State Park in the Black Hills. He was a prominent senator from South Dakota who fought vigorously for the establishment of national and state parks, forests and wildlife refugees and for the presentation of the heritage of nature contained within them. From 1909 until his death in 1936, Norbeck occupied all of South Dakota's highest political offices and he was never defeated for the public office. Although Norbeck was a rough and tukble well driller and politician he had an artistic nature and love of natural beauty and caused him to achieve national prominence in the field of park and conservation legislation. In 1905, Norbeck had 25 artisan well rigs in operation in South Dakota and had expanded into several adjacent states. During his lifetime , his company drilled over 12,000 wells.
He was elected as a lieutenant governor and his widespread popularity resulted in his subsequent election a the state governor from 1917-1921. In 1913, he was influential in getting 61,440 acres of land in Custer County designated for a state game preserve. The eight by twelve mile area was ideal for a park and game preserve. In 1920, the legislature proposed changing the name from Custer State Park to Norbeck Park in recognition of his effort, but Norbeck rejected the proposal because it stands in the way of getting further work done. In 1935, Norbeck suffered from painful cancer of the tongue and jaw and died in December 1936.