SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                         Washington, D. C. 20549



                                 Form 8-K



                              CURRENT REPORT


                     Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
                    THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934


                  Date of Report:  September 20, 1996





                          BLACK HILLS CORPORATION



State of South Dakota       File Number 1-7978       IRS Number 46-0111677





                               625 Ninth Street
                        Rapid City, South Dakota  57709



                 Registrant's telephone number (605) 348-1700


Item 5. OTHER EVENTS


       WYODAK RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT CROP., A SUBSIDIARY OF BLACK
       HILLS CORPORATION, AGREES TO PURCHASE CLOVIS POINT MINE
       PROPERTIES


       Black Hills Corporation ("Company") announced today that its subsidiary,
       Wyodak  Resources  Development  Corp.  ("Wyodak Resources"), has entered
       into  an  agreement  to purchase a portion  of  the  Clovis  Point  Mine
       properties from Kerr-McGee  Coal  Corporation,  subject to the Bureau of
       Land Management's approval of a logical mining unit  which  will include
       the new reserves.  The Clovis Point Mine properties are located adjacent
       to  Wyodak Resources' current reserves in Campbell County, Wyoming,  and
       consist  of  State  of  Wyoming  and  federal  leased  coal reserves and
       facilities that will allow unit train loadout capabilities.

       Wyodak Resources' current long-term coal contracts result  in sufficient
       annual  production that upon approval of the logical mining unit  Wyodak
       Resources  will  be  able  to increase its federal and state leased coal
       reserves from approximately 173 million tons to 300 million tons.

       The purchase price for the acquisition  consists  of  Wyodak  Resources'
       obligation  to  assume  the  responsibility  for  the reclamation of  an
       existing  Clovis  Point  open  pit  and  to  pay  Kerr-McGee  overriding
       royalties  if  and  when  coal is produced from the acquired  properties
       without any obligation of Wyodak Resources to mine the coal.

       Daniel P. Landguth, Chairman,  President  and Chief Executive Officer of
       the Company, said, "While the acquisition may give us some opportunities
       in the short run, we do not anticipate that this acquisition will result
       in increased coal sales until the market for  coal  improves.   However,
       the  acquisition, along with our long-term coal contracts, presented  us
       an opportunity  without  any  substantial  payment  of  capital  to hold
       increased  reserves  and,  with  unit train loadout capabilities, to  be
       better able to acquire additional  sales  when  market conditions allow.
       The combined reserves will allow the Company to operate more efficiently
       by  having  a  more contiguous mine plan and by utilizing  the  existing
       Clovis Point open pit when Wyodak Resources operations move north of the
       interstate."

       Wyodak Resources  will  incur holding costs from this transaction in the
       $250,000 to $500,000 range, annually.


     Pursuant to the requirements  of  the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
Registrant has duly caused this report to  be  signed  on  its  behalf  by  the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                            BLACK HILLS CORPORATION



                            By /S/ ROXANN R. BASHAM
                            Roxann R. Basham, Corporate
                            Secretary/Treasurer


Dated:  September 20, 1996