Monday, June 1, 2020
On Monday morning, I headed south along I-90 and encountered the Dignity Statue near Chamberlain, South Dakota. The Dignity Statue is located at a rest area off the interstate, situated on a bluff overlooking the Missouri River. It is a gorgeous work of art formed of stainless steel and standing more than 50 feet high. It presents a native American woman in plains-style clothing receiving a quilt of stars. The designer is Dale Claude Lamphere. This is a remarkable artwork, standing in the middle of nowhere in a beautifully manicured setting alongside the interstate. When you first see it, you’re almost certain to blurt out something like: “Wow! Look at that!” It’s just such a beautiful thing and so unexpected in that place. Well worth the pause in any journey along I-90 in my opinion.
Traveling further along I-90, I began to see old barns, ranches, and farm buildings that had been abandoned over the years. Those who know me well understand that this is a kind of magnet for me personally. Photographing old buildings -especially barns – and vintage farm equipment is what one of my photography instructors last year referred to as my “schtick.” I just love it. Anyway, I began to see several of these, and so I did what I love to do. As a result of my propensity to focus on the journey rather than the destination, this particular trip probably just about doubled in duration from what it absolutely required, and what most folks would take to complete it. That’s OK with me; it’s the reason so many of my sojourns are solo. The upshot is that I am including a couple of photos at this point of old buildings I discovered near Philip, South Dakota. (Much more like this comes later, I’m afraid, so brace yourself!)
The next stop I made was completely unplanned, at the Prairie Homestead at 21070 SD Highway 240 in Philip, South Dakota. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. The place is a fascinating depiction of homesteader life in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The land was surveyed and settled by homesteaders between 1900 and 1913. It had previously been part of an Indian reservation, but became available as a result of a treaty in 1890 and the subsequent Homesteader Act. Edgar Irwin Brown, after arriving from Iowa, staked a claim and then lived on his claim there for 18 months and plowed at least 5 acres for crops during that time. As a result, he was entitled to pay 50 cents per acre (totaling $80). He did so and lived there until his death on April 2, 1920. Today the place is an outdoor museum of sorts, and I found it fascinating. The house is made of sod, dug into a shallow hillside in the back. The farm implements in the out-buildings are almost all wooden and many are hand hewn. There is also a root cellar, an old horse-drawn buggy, a hay wagon, some early farm implements, and of course an old out-house. The furnishings, clothing, and other household items are directly out of the time period and entirely authentic. In the out-buildings, you’ll see grinding wheels, a tack shop, animal stalls, hand tools, gardening equipment, and a block-and-tackle or two. An amazing place if a bit spooky. Truly a walk back in time. There is a visitor center, the requisite gift shop, and plenty of parking. I got a kick out of the prairie dogs that infest the ground around the buildings; they are quite communicative! If you get out that way and observe these little creatures, watch their tails as they chirp. It could be just my imagination, but it sure seemed to me as though they were almost beating the rhythm of their “conversation” with their tails! This takes a couple of hours to explore the site thoroughly, and I recommend it; they have done a very credible job here.
My next stop on Monday was Badlands National Park, another suggestion from “Off the Beaten Path.” Like a few of the other stops on this trip, I was here once before – over 50 years ago. I recall marveling in those days at the endless miles of striped mountains, barren and sweltering in the summer heat, and wondering how – and why – anyone would live out there. I’m awfully glad I returned as an adult. It’s a somewhat different place than the one I recall. The roads are better, the facilities and walkways in the park are much improved, and it was less desolate than I recalled. Some of that is perspective, of course. I was 13 years old the last time I visited, and since then I have lived in places like Phoenix, Iraq and Afghanistan. So, words like “desolate” exist in a much broader context for me these days. Badlands National Park strikes me as a smaller version of the Grand Canyon. The park itself is very well maintained now, and signage is helpful. For those of us who want to see it without committing a full week to it, the primary 30-mile scenic loop is perfect. With 64,000 acres, the park has far more badland than I have lifetime remaining to explore it! If you are more focused on this area though, the park offers guided nature walks, lectures, and stargazing events. I strongly recommend the park to those who have never seen it. It is a great and classic example of the stark beauty of our American west. It’s located on Highway 240, and the White River Visitor’s Center is at the southern end of the park. The park supports camping.
From Badlands National Park, I resumed the westward trek toward Wall, South Dakota, and the famous Wall Drug Store. It’s almost adjacent to the Badlands National Park, so it was a short haul. The Wall Drug Store has always been most memorable to me not for its own merits, but because of the incredible number of billboards announcing its existence along more than 600 miles of interstate highway. It was purchased by Ted Hustead in 1931, and became famous when Hustead’s wife Dorothy conceived of the idea to offer free ice water to parched travelers. Since Wall is only about 60 miles east of Mount Rushmore, and since there were few airconditioned automobiles in those days, it was a hit. Since then, it has grown into a wild west themed shopping center which, at its peak, boasted over 2 million visitors annually. It is a tourist trap of gift shops and gimmicks of massive proportions. I am no connoisseur, but based on my experience, it also serves some barely acceptable food at exorbitant prices. The best thing about the dining rooms, in my opinion, is the vast collection of more than 300 original western-themed oil paintings there.
I continued along I-90 toward Rapid City, and encountered another string of irresistible abandoned ranch and farm buildings. Honestly, if I had an unlimited amount of time to explore, I’d still be out there! Anyway, I’m including photos of a few of the ones I saw here. One place in particular, visible in the distance on the north side of I-90, must have been a beautiful spread in its prime.
Arriving in Rapid City, I checked into a hotel for the night and headed for Mount Rushmore. I had hoped to see an impressive presentation that evening. It’s a long, winding drive up into the mountains to get to the park. There are a few restaurants at the park entrance, mostly bar-and-grill affairs with limited menus. So, I recommend eating in Rapid City before heading up toward the park. I’d heard from family members about a light show and ceremony presented each evening, and so I arrived early to get a good position for photos. I have to admit, though, I was disappointed. First of all, no one could reach the main viewing area because of construction (turns out they were building out the area for the upcoming 4th of July event featuring President Trump and other dignitaries.) The lights illuminating the faces of the presidents were surprisingly dim. Then the program began. Ranger Rick (can’t recall the gentleman’s surname) announced that we would all sing the national anthem (an event in which I am always happy to participate.) Then he played a 10-minute recording of his own voice, speaking in (somewhat melodramatic tones) about the historical importance of the park, the monument, and the individuals depicted. It was all pretty underwhelming, and it lasted something like 30 minutes end-to-end. I’m sure the entire Rushmore-at-night experience is a little better when the main viewing area isn’t closed off, but I’d still have trouble recommending it. The drive back down from the park to Rapid City is also extremely dark and somewhat treacherous at night. So, if you’re doing that drive please be very cautious.