South Dakota Road Trip Vacation In The 1950s With Family Photos
Many pictures were taken and may be exposed to life once more from a scrapbook / scrapbook assembled by my Dad following your trip was finished. It is a family treasure plus a wonderful remembrance of this particular vacation trip. My youngest brother and youngest cousin stayed in your own home in Oconomowoc with my grandparents who volunteered to hold and entertain them throughout this vacation trip which our two families had chose to take. Dad and my Uncle Russ drove their cars in tandem and kept within sight of 1 another. So if a stop was necessary as you go along, hand signals and car lights would have been flashed to talk between the two families inside automobiles.Mother and my Aunt Marge were accountable for the food preparation therefore we enjoyed many picnics as you go along. The notes jotted down by my Dad and taken in the scrapbook will henceforth take quotes. The original Corn Palace was constructed in 1892 and was built of wood entirely covered with corn. Not only is this Corn Palace an important tourist attraction just for this part in the country, however the half block square building houses conventions, basketball games, stage shows and plenty of other events throughout every season. After Mount Rushmore we stopped in the small area of Keystone.
The girls enjoyed searching for Indian costume jewelry. The kids got a major bang from having their pictures taken having an Indian before his Tepee. He gave the youngsters a real line regarding how he fought white soldiers and took over as the primary of the tribe from Chief Crazy Horse. From Keystone we attended Rushmore Cave and took the tour from the cave which took an hour. Huge cave trapped in natural state.
We next stopped for the Cosmos, a spot that defies the Laws of Gravity. After the Cosmos there was lunch. Then on throughout the Black Hills National Forest. Rockerville Gold Town. The town is preserved in the Gold Rush Days. Also experienced a tent theatre. Next stop was the Reptile Gardens. Snakes of all types. Watched them milk a rattlesnake.
They why don't we pet a tame South American Boa. Held up with a hailstorm once we wanted to leave. In parts on the Black Hills they'd hail stones the length of baseballs. Wouldn't have believed it as we hadn't seen them ourselves. Next on Skyline Drive to your Petrified Forest as well as Dinosaur Park that has been on top of a hill overlooking Rapid City, South Dakota.
Left the cabins at 8 A.M. 85A. Almost too beautiful to spell out! Pigtail curves, beautiful bridges, tunnels through rock formations. A lot of hill climbing. At about 9:30 A.M. Custer State Park seeking buffalo. Had to stop along road as a result of little burros from the road. They were very tame. They ate cookies away from our hands and after that would come over on the car and stick their heads in to the windows in search of more hand-outs.
Next stopped at Last Frontier Game Lodge. Took in regards to 1 hour horse back ride back in to the hills. Left there and stopped at campsite for lunch. Beautiful spot. River running through it with solid rock walls on opposite side on the river. Water so clear you can drink it.
All pine and birch trees. Next we drove up for the top of Mount Coolidge. Continued on through Custer State Park. Saw three separate herds of buffalo. Drove on into Wind Cave National Park. Saw one lone deer thus far. Saw more buffalo then stopped at Prairie Dog Town. Lots of little prairie dogs - cute little fellows. We then come upon a spot where these folks were feeding the buffalo.
They were all in the road additionally, on both sides. We got some real good pictures here. Two from the big bulls experienced a fight the previous day. We then drove through Hot Springs. From there we took a back path to circle back in Hill City. Stopped at Roses Hitching Post Tavern inside the small city of Pringle.
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