Thread:61Storm/@comment-29709319-20190401001525/@comment-29709319-20190426083141

National Themes For April 26th: National Audubon Day, National Dissertation Day, National Richter Scale Day, National Kids and Pets Day, National Pretzel Day, National Help a Horse Day, National Arbor Day, National Hairball Awareness Day, and 🌲National South Dakota Day.

🎨National Audubon Day! This day is set aside to honor the birth of John James Audubon (April 26, 1785 – January 27, 1851). Audubon was a French-American ornithologist, naturalist, and painter noted for his extensive studies of American birds and his detailed illustrations of the birds in their natural habitats. Audubon’s greatest work was The Birds of America which is considered one of the finest ornithological works ever completed. His work in this book contains more than 700 North American bird species with 435 hand-colored, life-size prints of 497 bird species.

📚National Dissertation Day was created as a reminder to continue educating students to maintain their focus and complete the pinnacle of their education. The first doctoral degree was awarded in Paris in the mid-12th century. The doctorate of philosophy was conceived in Germany some 500 years later and is the direct precursor to the modern Ph.D. Today, there are multiple research-based doctoral degrees awarded in the U.S. Many of those degrees are specific to a discipline of study. For example, the D.B.A (business), Ed.D. (education), D.N.P. (nursing), and Psy.D. (psychology) are all quite popular among professionals in industry, business, and private practice as opposed to traditional academia. The one thing these degree programs all have in common is the doctoral dissertation. Born of the master-apprentice relationship of the medieval trade guilds, the dissertation is the masterpiece of the doctoral process. To graduate, every doctoral student has to complete an independent research project and write a dissertation – a book-length paper detailing every aspect of the project. Each year in the U.S., over 50,000 people earn their doctoral degrees, successfully completing the grueling dissertation process. However, only about 50% of those who enroll in doctoral programs ever graduate. That leaves another 50,000 students each year who withdraw from their doctoral programs without finishing their dissertations. Tuition for most doctoral programs across the country exceeds $20,000 per year and can be significantly higher. Students spend 5-7 years pursuing their doctoral degrees, and often much more. And, the money spent on tuition pales in comparison to the costs associated with postponing the increased earning potential enjoyed by doctoral graduates. Individuals with their doctoral degrees typically earn at least $20,000 more per year than those with their master’s degree. Dr. Russell Strickland, founder of Dissertation Done, LLC, created National Dissertation Day as a way to highlight the importance of adopting a professional, even mercenary, approach to completing one’s dissertation. With each year in the dissertation process costing a student $40,000 or more in real dollars, it’s hard to rationalize delaying graduation for 2, 3, or more years by wasting time on the dissertation.

⚖️National Richter Scale Day honors the birth of the Richter Scale inventor, Charles F. Richter (April 26, 1900 – September 30, 1985). Richter was an American seismologist and physicist most famous as the inventor of the Richter magnitude scale, which quantified the size of earthquakes. While working at the California Institute of Technology Richter first used the scale in 1935. After the Richter Scale was published in 1935, it immediately became the standard measure of earthquake intensity. The United States Geological Service records show that the biggest earthquake since 1900, was in Chile in May 1960. Measuring 9.5 on the Richter Scale it is known as the Great Chilean Earthquake.

👫🐶National Kids and Pets Day is both a day to celebrate the bonds children and pets can share and a day remember safety where our pets and children are concerned. There are many benefits of having a pet in a child’s life. From fostering natural nurturing abilities to developing responsibilities, pets have a lifelong impact on a child’s development. It is also important to remember that small children as well as the pets may not know their limitations and should not be left alone with each other. They should always be supervised to prevent injury to both the child and the animal. Colleen Paige, Celebrity Family and Pet Lifestyle Expert, founded National Kids and Pets Day in 2005.

🍁National Pretzel Day! There are a few different accounts of the origin of the pretzel. Most people agree that it does have a Christian background, and they were developed by the monks. According to The History of Science and Technology, in 610 AD, “an Italian monk invents pretzels as a reward to children who learn their prayers. He calls the strips of baked dough, folded to resemble arms crossing the chest, pretiola (little rewards).” Another source puts the invention in a monastery in southern France. The looped pretzel may also be related to a Greek Ring bread from the communion bread used in monasteries a thousand years ago. In the Catholic Church, pretzels had a religious significance for both ingredients and shape. The loops in pretzel may have served a practical purpose: bakers could hang them on sticks, projecting upwards from a central column, as shown in Job Berckheyde’s (1681) painting. The Pennsylvania Dutch immigrants introduced pretzels to North America in the 19th century. At this time, many handmade pretzel bakeries populated central Pennsylvania, and their popularity quickly spread. It was in the 20th century that soft pretzels were very popular in areas such as Philadelphia, Chicago and New York. Today, the average Philadelphian consumes about twelve times as many pretzels as the national average. Pennsylvania is the center of American pretzel production for both hard and soft pretzels, producing 80% of the nation’s pretzels. The annual United States pretzel industry is worth over $550 million. The average American consumes about 1.5 pounds of pretzels per year. Philadelphia opened a privately run “Pretzel Museum” in 1993. Hard pretzels originated in the United States in 1850. National Pretzel Day began in 2003 when Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell declared April 26 “National Pretzel Day” to acknowledge the importance of the pretzel to the state’s history and economy.

🐎National Help a Horse Day! Equine rescues and sanctuaries across the country hold events celebrating the horse. The events are designed to raise awareness and advocate for abused and neglected horses across the country. American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals founded National Help a Horse Day to bring awareness and promote intervention of abandoned, neglected and abused horses across the country.

🌳National Arbor Day is a holiday in which individuals and groups are encouraged to plant and care for trees. Trees provide vital protection for the Earth’s topsoil from erosion, oxygen, and homes for wildlife. They also are a renewable resource that provides a variety of materials for building, fuel and office supplies. Trees beautify our environment, provide shade on a sunny day and improve our quality of life. National Arbor Day celebrates all these things and aims for American generations to come to enjoy all the benefits trees have to offer. On April 10, 1872, journalist and newspaper editor J.Sterling Morton established Arbor Day in the state of Nebraska with hopes that it would spread across the country. This first Arbor Day challenged the people of Nebraska who were pioneers and missed the trees and forests of the east. The challenge was to plant as many trees as they possibly could. The citizens of Nebraska answered the challenge by planting more than 1 million trees that first Arbor Day.

🐈National Hairball Awareness Day! This day is listed as one of the Pet Health Awareness Events of the American Veterinary Medical Association. The formation of hairballs is a common feline condition that is brought on by self-grooming and the associated ingestion of hair.

🇺🇸South Dakota is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux Native American tribes, who compose a large portion of the population and historically dominated the territory. South Dakota is the seventeenth largest by area, but the fifth smallest by population of the 50 United States. It became a state on November 2, 1889. Pierre is the state capital and Sioux Falls is its largest city. Nickname: The Mount Rushmore State, Motto: Under God the People Rule, State song: "Hail, South Dakota!". Living insignia; Bird: 🕊Ring-necked pheasant, Fish: 🐟Walleye, Flower: 🌸American Pasque flower, Grass: 🌾Western wheat grass, Insect: 🐝Western honeybee, Mammal: 🐺Coyote, Tree:🌲Black Hills Spruce, Inanimate insignia; Beverage: 🥛Milk, Dance: 💃Square dance, Fossil: Triceratops, Gemstone: Fairburn agate, Rock: Rose quartz, Dessert: Kuchen. Black Elk Peak with an elevation of 7,242 ft (2,207 m), is the state's highest point, while the shoreline of Big Stone Lake is the lowest, with an elevation of 966 ft (294 m). The Missouri River is the largest and longest river in the state. The state is bisected by the Missouri River, dividing South Dakota into two geographically and socially distinct halves, known to residents as "East River" and "West River". The design on the reverse side of the U.S. commemorative South Dakota quarter is Mt. Rushmore, a pheasant, wheat head, and the year of statehood. Climate: South Dakota has a continental climate with four distinct seasons, ranging from cold, dry winters to hot and semi-humid summers. During the summers, the state's average high temperature is often close to 90°F (32°C), although it cools to near 60°F (16°C) at night. It is not unusual for South Dakota to have severe hot, dry spells in the summer with the temperature climbing above 100°F (38°C) several times a year. Winters are cold with January high temperatures averaging below freezing and low temperatures averaging below 10°F (-12°C) in most of the state. The highest recorded temperature is 120°F (49°C) at Usta on July 15, 2006 and the lowest recorded temperature is -58°F (-50°C) at McIntosh on February 17, 1936. Average annual precipitation in South Dakota ranges from around 15 inches (380 mm) to around 25 inches (640 mm), although a small area centered on Lead in the Black Hills has the highest precipitation at nearly 30 inches (760 mm) per year. South Dakota summers bring frequent, sometimes severe, thunderstorms with high winds, thunder, and hail. The state's eastern part is often considered part of Tornado Alley, and South Dakota experiences an average of 30 tornadoes each year. Severe blizzards and ice storms occur often during winter. History: By 1500, the Arikara (or Ree) had settled in much of the Missouri River valley. European contact with the area began in 1743, when the LaVérendrye brothers explored the region. The LaVérendrye group buried a plate claiming the region for France as part of greater Louisiana. In 1762 the entire region became part of the Spanish Louisiana until 1802. By the early 19th century, the Sioux had largely replaced the Arikara as the dominant group in the area. In 1803, the United States purchased the Louisiana Territory, from Napoleon Bonaparte, and President Thomas Jefferson organized a group referred to as the "Lewis and Clark Expedition" to explore the region. In 1817, an American fur trading post was set up at present-day Fort Pierre. In 1855, the U.S. Army bought Fort Pierre but abandoned it in 1857 in favor of Fort Randall. Settlement by Americans and Europeans was by this time increasing rapidly, and in 1858 the Yankton Sioux signed the 1858 Treaty, ceding most of present-day eastern South Dakota to the United States. In 1874, gold was discovered in the Black Hills during a military expedition led by George A. Custer and miners and explorers began illegally entering land promised to the Lakota. The Sioux declined to grant mining rights or land in the Black Hills, and war broke out after the U.S. failed to stop white miners and settlers from entering the region. Eventually the US defeated the Sioux and broke up the Great Sioux Reservation into five reservations. (In 1980, the US Supreme Court and Congress ordered payment to the Lakota for the illegal seizure of the Black Hills. The case remains unsettled, as the Lakota refuse to accept the money and instead insist on the return of the land.) President Benjamin Harrison signed proclamations formally admitting South Dakota and North Dakota to the union on November 2, 1889. Harrison had the papers shuffled to obscure which one was signed first. On December 29, 1890, the Wounded Knee Massacre occurred on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. Commonly cited as the last major armed conflict between the United States and the Lakota Sioux Nation. During the 1930s, a lack of rainfall, extremely high temperatures and inappropriate cultivation techniques produced what was known as the Dust Bowl in South Dakota and several other plains states. The experiences of the Dust Bowl, coupled with local bank foreclosures and the general economic effects of the Great Depression, resulted in many South Dakotans leaving the state. Economic stability returned with the U.S. entry into World War II in 1941. In recent decades, South Dakota has been transformed from a state dominated by agriculture to one with a more diversified economy. South Dakota was the first state to eliminate caps on interest rates. The five most valuable agricultural products in South Dakota are cattle, corn (maize), soybeans, wheat, and hogs. Agriculture-related industries such as meat packing and ethanol production also have a considerable economic impact on the state. South Dakota is the sixth leading ethanol-producing state in the nation. There are 703 public schools in 168 school districts, giving South Dakota the highest number of schools per capita in the United States. South Dakota State University (SDSU), in Brookings, is the state's largest university. The University of South Dakota (USD), in Vermillion, is the state's oldest university, and has South Dakota's only law school and medical school. South Dakota also has several private universities, the largest of which is Augustana College in Sioux Falls. Because of its low population, South Dakota does not host any major league professional sports franchises. Fishing and hunting are popular outdoor activities in South Dakota. Other sports, such as cycling and running, are also popular in the state. In 1991, the state opened the George S. Mickelson Trail, a 109-mile (175 km) rail trail in the Black Hills. Besides being used by cyclists, the trail is also the site of a portion of the annual Mount Rushmore marathon; the marathon's entire course is at an elevation of over 4,000 feet (1,200 m) Other events in the state include the Tour de Kota, a 478-mile (769 km), six-day cycling event that covers much of eastern and central South Dakota, and the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, which draws hundreds of thousands of participants from around the United States. 1️⃣The National Music Museum is a musical instrument museum in Vermillion, South Dakota. It was founded in 1973 on the campus of the University of South Dakota. The NMM is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums and is recognized as "A Landmark of American Music" by the National Music Council. The NMM's renowned collections, which include more than 15,000 American, European, and non-Western instruments from all cultures and historical periods, are among the world's most inclusive. The quality and scope of the NMM has earned it international recognition. The NMM is housed in a building (originally the University's library, built in 1910), where over 1,000 representative instruments are exhibited in nine galleries. The Arne B. Larson Concert Hall has superb acoustics and provides a perfect setting for performing and recording music played on original instruments of various historical periods and cultural milieu. There is a specialized library, extensive study-storage areas, and a laboratory for the conservation and restoration of the instruments. It also has rich holdings of related objects and archival materials, such as the unequaled Salabue-Fiorini-De Wit-Hermann-Witten-Rawlins Collection of 650 violin makers' labels. The American musical instrument manufacturers archives is the largest of its kind. Scholars from around the world make frequent use of the NMM's collections and facilities. Collection: ✨The NMM is the only place in the world where one can find two 18th-century grand pianos with the specific type of action conceived by the piano's inventor. The one built in 1767 is the earliest signed and dated piano by a maker native to Portugal; the other one built in 1781, is the earliest extant French grand piano. ✨Other extraordinary keyboards include a Neapolitan virginal, three 17th-century Flemish harpsichords (two by Andreas Ruckers), 17th- and 18th-century English, German, Portuguese, and French harpsichords, and German and Swedish clavichords. ✨A group of 500 instruments made in the late-19th-, early-20th centuries by the C.G. Conn Company of Elkhart, Indiana, is a resource unparalleled anywhere for historical research about a major American industry and the American bandmovement. ✨The NMM's holdings by 17th- and 18th-century Nürnberg makers of wind instruments, including members of the Denner, Ehe, Haas, Oberlender, and Steinmetz families, as well as Ernst Busch, Paul Hainlein, Johann Benedikt Gahn, Johann Carl Kodisch, Leonhard Maussiel, Michael Nagel, and Paulus Schmidt, are unique outside of Germany. ✨The NMM's holdings of 17th- and 18th-century Dutch woodwind instruments by such makers as Richard Haka, Hendrik Richters, Philip Borkens, and Abraham van Aardenberg is unique outside of the Netherlands. ✨The Witten-Rawlins Collection of early Italian stringed instruments crafted by Andrea Guarneri, Antonio Stradivari, three generations of the Amati family, and others by far surpasses any in Italy. Included are two 17th-century Cremonesestringed instruments preserved in unaltered condition. Additionally, the NMM preserves one of four Stradivari guitars to be seen in a museum setting, and one of only two Stradivari mandolins known to survive. ✨The 1994 addition of the John Powers Saxophone Collection and the Cecil Leeson Saxophone Collection and Archives make the NMM the preeminent center for studying the history of the saxophone. ✨The 1996 addition of the Rosario Mazzeo and the Bill Maynard Clarinet Collections make the NMM the preeminent center for studying the clarinet. ✨The 1999 addition of the Joe & Joella Utley Collection and the establishment of the Utley Institute for Brass Studies makes the NMM the preeminent center for studying the history of brass instruments. ✨The Alan Bates Harmonica Collection and Archives received as a gift in 2000, is second in size and importance only to the Harmonika Museum in Trossingen, Germany. ✨The 2005 gift of the D'Angelico, D'Aquisto, Gudelsky Workshop was the focus of a major exhibition, "Great American Guitars" (by D'Angelico, D'Aquisto, Fender, Gibson, Martin, and Stromberg-Voisinet). ✨In April 2007, the Museum outbid New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art at a Christie's auction in acquiring a rare English cittern dating from the late 16th century, "This instrument is extremely rare, probably the only English cittern from the Renaissance known to survive," Museum Director Andre Larson said. 2️⃣The South Dakota Air and Space Museum is located in Box Elder, South Dakota, just outside the main gate of Ellsworth AFB. It is part of the museum system of the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. The South Dakota Air and Space Museum serves to educate and entertain the public. Not only does it give information about the history of U.S. Air Force aviation, it promotes South Dakota aviation history. During the summer months, visitors can take a base bus tour for a nominal fee. This includes touring a Minuteman missile Training Launch Facility as well as seeing a number of sites on the base. Exhibits include ✈the B-1B Lancer and the B-29 Superfortress. ✈The museum contains a number of interior and exterior exhibits including: ✈Over 30 static display aircraft ranging from World War II to current active-duty bombers including the B-1B Lancer. ✈4 different missiles, including a LGM-30 Minuteman Intercontinental Ballistic Missile, and a brand-new Titan I ICBM static display that opened in 2017. ✈The museum's four indoor galleries showcase AEROSPACE TECHNOLOGY, COLD WAR history, Aviation PIONEERS and Ellsworth Air Force Base history. ✈The South Dakota Aviation Hall of Fame. ✈A Minuteman Missile crew Mission Procedures Trainer exhibit. ✈An F-106 interactive aircraft cockpit. ✈An F-16 interactive aircraft cockpit. ✈A B-1B bomber cockpit and Offensive/Defensive System Operators Simulator exhibit. ✈A comprehensive space gallery that showcases the history of U.S. space flight and rocketry, from the Titan through to the Saturn V. ✈An exhibit describing the Stratobowl Balloon Launches from South Dakota in the 1930s. 3️⃣South Dakota State Capitol building has four memorials on their grounds. The Fighting Stallions Memorial is a sculpture built to honor the eight South Dakota residents, including Governor George S. Mickelson, who died in an airplane crash on April 19, 1993. The Flaming Fountain Memorial is a fountain with a perpetually burning natural gas flame. It was installed to honor South Dakotan veterans. The monument is dedicated to the South Dakotans who have fought for their country in time of war. A daytime view shows the fountain, stone memorial, and waterfall, along with the recently installed "eagle" statue honoring the members of the great Sioux Nation who fought in our country's modern wars. The Law Enforcement Officer Memorial pays tribute to police officers who have died in the line of duty. Six bronze figures on a peninsula in the Capitol Lake comprise the World War II Memorial; each represents one of the branches of service in which South Dakota residents served during World War II. From the first floor, a marble staircase leads upstairs. In front of the staircase, display cases house the First Lady Gown Collection. Miniature replicas have been made of the gown worn by each first lady to the state inaugural ball. These replicas are worn by dolls in the display case. Along with the doll, a picture of each governor's family and other mementos are also displaye. 4️⃣Jewel Cave National Monument contains Jewel Cave, currently the third longest cave in the world, with 200.3 miles (322.4 kilometers) of mapped passageways. It is located in the Black Hills of South Dakota. President Theodore Roosevelt proclaimed Jewel Cave a National Monument on February 7, 1908. The National Park Service assumed management of the monument in 1933 and began offering tours in 1939. The Park Service sunk a 300 feet (91 m) elevator shaft to a previously remote cave area, and built concrete walks and metal stairs and platforms along a one-half-mile loop. The "Scenic Tour" was opened in 1972. Jewel Cave is a "breathing cave," which means air enters or exits the cave with changes in atmospheric pressure from day to night or due to changes in the weather. During cave development and afterwards, speleothems and speleogens formed, including the "jewels" or spar. Other examples include stalactites, stalagmites, flowstone, cave popcorn, boxworks, helictites, scintillites, conulites, coralloids, cave pearls, rimstone, rafts, rims, vents, and frostwork. The gypsum formations include needles, beards, cotton, hair, flowers, and spiders. Finally, Jewel Cave contains a very rare formation called a hydromagnesite balloon. Those are created when gas of an unknown source inflates a pasty substance formed by the precipitation of the magnesium carbonate hydroxide mineral. Jewel Cave is open year round. The Park Service offers three tours: the scenic tour, a half-mile loop through a paved and lighted central portion of the cave accessible by elevator; the historic tour, a candlelight tour through the earliest-discovered part of the cave; and a wild caving tour, through an undeveloped part of the cave near the scenic loop. There are 3 surface trails varying in length and difficulty. 5️⃣Sylvan Lake is a lake located in Custer State Park, in the Black Hills of South Dakota, United States. It was created in 1881 when Theodore Reder built a dam (the Sylvan Lake Water Dam) across Sunday Gulch Creek. The lake area offers picnic places, rock climbing, small rental boats, swimming, and hiking trails. It is also popular as a starting point for excursions to Black Elk Peak and The Needles. A hotel was operated on the shore of the lake in the early 20th century. The lake was featured in Disney's 2007 film National Treasure: Book of Secrets. The film made the lake appear to be located directly behind Mount Rushmore when in reality it is actually five miles southwest of Mount Rushmore. 6️⃣Black Elk Peak is the highest natural point in South Dakota. It lies in the Black Elk Wilderness area in the Black Hills National Forest. The peak lies 3.7 mi (6.0 km) west-southwest of Mount Rushmore. At 7,242 feet (2,207 m), it has been described by the Board on Geographical Names as the highest summit in the United States east of the Rocky Mountains. The U.S. Board on Geographic Names, which has jurisdiction in federal lands, officially changed the mountain's name from "Harney Peak" to "Black Elk Peak" on August 11, 2016, honoring Black Elk, the noted Lakota Sioux medicine man for whom the Wilderness Area is named. The summit can be reached from Sylvan Lake, Mount Rushmore, or Horse Thief Lake. From the trailhead at Sylvan Lake in Custer State Park, to the summit and back is about 7 miles (11 km). This is the shortest, least strenuous, and most popular route. No permit is required for use of the first portion of the trail. However, the United States Forest Service requires hikers to obtain a permit at a self-service kiosk located at the entrance to the Black Elk Wilderness area en route to the summit. An old stone tower, once used as a fire lookout tower, is located at the summit. 7️⃣Needles of the Black Hills are a region of eroded granite pillars, towers, and spires within Custer State Park. Popular with rock climbers and tourists alike, the Needles are accessed from the Needles Highway, which is a part of Sylvan Lake Road. The Cathedral Spires and Limber Pine Natural Area, a 637-acre portion of the Needles containing six ridges of pillars as well as a disjunct stand of limber pine, was designated a National Natural Landmark in 1976. The Needles were the original site proposed for the Mount Rushmore carvings. The location was rejected due to the poor quality of the granite and the fact that they were too thin to support the sculptures. Needles Highway National Scenic Byway was completed in 1922. The road lies within the 71,000 acre Custer State Park, just 30 miles south of Rapid City, and is an impressive 14 mile stretch that includes sharp turns, narrow tunnels, granite spires and world class views. Needles Highway is one of three scenic routes along Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway. Needles Eye Tunnel, just 8’ 4” wide, is one of three tunnels found on Needles Highway and is certainly the most famous. It’s name comes from the remarkable granite spire located near the tunnel entrance. Looking similar to the eye of a sewing needle, the sleek opening was created by rain and wind, freezing and thawing over time. The other tunnels include Hood Tunnel and Iron Creek Tunnel. Needles Highway is open April through October. Due to the narrowness of the road, the byway is closed during winter months. 8️⃣Butterfly House & Aquarium: The Cove at the BH&A displays hundreds of different species of fishes and corals in over 20,000 gallons of aquariums. Their saltwater exhibits are home to marine life from the Indo-Pacific region as well as the Caribbean. They have a Pop-Up Dome Aquarium where you can experience a 360-degree view of a coral reef. Inside the Cove you can see: soft corals and reef-building corals, Clownfish, Anemones, Seastars and Sea Urchins, Tangs, Eels, Seahorses, Jellyfish, Stingray, And many more. Learn what it takes to bring the ocean to the prairie on a VIP tour behind-the-scenes including a special animal encounter, process a butterfly shipment with their Biologist, or take an educational tour with an educator. To keep the butterfly house full of tropical beauties, they work with butterfly farmers around the world. Each week, they receive hundreds of butterfly chrysalides and moth cocoons and wait as they undergo their metamorphic magic. By taking part in this experience, guests are helping us purchase more pupae from farms and; therefore, helping us save the rainforest! Call ahead to schedule a tour. Getting Ready for Your Tour: Wearing non-slip shoes is recommended (flip-flops, crocs and heels not suggested). Dress comfortably with layers, the butterfly containment area is kept warm year round (80-85 degrees). Plan to arrive no more than 5 minutes before your tour. Check in at our main facility entrance. Stay late your admission is good for a full day of exploration. When booking a tour, please notify staff member of any guests with special needs. Feed The Butterflies: This unique interactive experiences gives you the opportunity to learn how butterflies eat, view them up close, all while helping the BH&A keep them happy and healthy! Purchase your nectar feeding experience for $3 at the admissions counter. The Dakota’s Only Stingray Touch Pool! Reach out to touch a stingray, and experience hands-on learning with these incredible ocean animals. Their touch pool creates the perfect opportunity to get to know marine life in this landlocked state. *Note from BH&A: During peak seasons, group visits, or exhibit maintenance--for the health of the animals -- the stingray may be unavailable for touching. Thank you for your assistance in keeping our animals healthy! Pacific Tide Pool: Tide pools are found along the sea shore, and are home to special invertebrates that can survive this ever-changing environment. Their Pacific Tide Pool features animals that are found in tide pools along the coast from southern California to Alaska. The Pacific Tide Pool Features: Sea Cucumbers, Hairy Triton Snails, Leather Sea Stars, Purple Sea Urchins, Green Sea Urchins, Green Anemones, Fish-eating Anemones, Sunburst Anemones, And more! The Butterfly House is home to over 800 butterflies from around the world. They begin their journeys at butterfly farms and once they form their chrysalises, they travel to their new home a 3,600 square-foot indoor tropical garden with BH&A. You could see a butterfly emerge from where the chrysalises hang on the Emergence Window. They keep the Butterfly House temperature at 80 to 85 degrees, year-round! The Discovery Den's fun atmosphere invites parents to explore and learn with their child. With interactive exhibits, children and parents can play while learning about nature’s wonders. The Discovery Den's three main educational exhibits consist of the Moon Jellyfish Life Cycle viewing area, an interactive Butterfly Life Cycle exhibit, and their newest exhibit called the South Dakota Seas. This display features an 18-foot, life-size replica of an extinct Giant Colossal Sea Turtle. 9️⃣Buffalo Roundup in Custer State Park. Watch cowboys and cowgirls as they roundup and drive the herd of approximately 1,300 buffalo. Not only is the roundup a spectacular sight to see, it is also a critical management tool in maintaining a strong and healthy herd. The Buffalo Roundup will begin at 9:30 a.m. MT with the parking lots opening at 6:15 a.m. Be sure to get there early if you want to pick your spot. Guests must stay in the viewing areas until the herd is safely in the corrals, generally around noon. PBreakfast is available at 6:15 a.m. in both viewing areas. Lunch is served at the corrals once the buffalo are rounded up. There is a fee for both meals. Testing, branding and sorting of the buffalo begins at 1 p.m. and lasts until approximately 3 p.m. Crews will work the remainder of the herd in October. There are twenty riding positions open to the general public but the requirements are strict. You have to apply and be excepted in advance. You have to supply your own horse and equipment. And the horse must be a experience working horse use to all kinds of terrain. 🔟Wind Cave National Park is an American national park located 10 miles (16 km) north of Hot Springs, South Dakota. Established in 1903 by President Theodore Roosevelt, it was the seventh national park and the first cave to be designated a national park anywhere in the world. The cave is notable for its calcite formations known as boxwork, as well as its frostwork. Approximately 95 percent of the world's discovered boxwork formations are found in Wind Cave. The cave is recognized as the densest cave system in the world, with the greatest passage volume per cubic mile. Wind Cave is one of the longest caves in the world with 149.01 miles (239.81 km) of explored cave passageways, as of 2018. Above ground, the park includes the largest remaining natural mixed-grass prairie in the United States. The first documented discovery of the cave was in 1881, when the brothers Tom and Jesse Bingham heard wind rushing out from a 10-inch (25 cm) by 14-inch (36 cm) hole in the ground. The cave passages in the park are said to "breathe" as air continually moves into or out of them, equalizing the atmospheric pressure of the cave and the outside air. When the air pressure is higher outside the cave than inside it, air flows into the cave, raising the cave's pressure to match the outside pressure. When the air pressure inside the cave is higher than outside it, air flows out of the cave, lowering the air pressure within the cave. A large cave such as Wind Cave with only a few small openings will "breathe" more obviously than a small cave with many large openings. In 1889 the South Dakota Mining Company hired Jesse D. McDonald to oversee their mining claim on the cave site. No valuable mineral deposits were found, and the McDonald family began developing the cave for tourism. By February 1892 the cave was open for visitors; the standard tour fee was apparently $1.00, which was a significant sum of money at the time. Tourists explored the cave by candlelight on guided tours. These early tours were physically demanding and sometimes involved crawling through narrow passages. Wind Cave National Park protects a diverse ecosystem with eastern and western plant and animal species. Wildlife that inhabits this park include raccoons, elk, bison, coyotes, skunks, badgers, ermines, black-footed ferrets, cougars, bobcats, red foxes, minks, pronghorn and prairie dogs. The Wind Cave bison herd is one of only four free-roaming and genetically pure herds on public lands in North America. Several roads run through the park and there are 30 miles (48 km) of hiking trails on the surface. The Wind Cave visitor center features three exhibit rooms about the geology of the caves and early cave history, the park's wildlife and natural history, and the work of the Civilian Conservation Corps in the park. Elk Mountain Campground, located in a ponderosa pine forest, is about 1.25 miles (2.0 km) from the visitor center. The campground has 75 sites for tents and recreational vehicles, and is open year-round with campfire programs offered in the summer and limited services available in the winter. 1️⃣1️⃣Mount Roosevelt Friendship Tower! The famous Deadwood Sheriff, Seth Bullock, built the Mount Roosevelt Friendship Tower in 1919 as a dedication to President Theodore Roosevelt, his close friend of many years. Bullock wanted to create a memorial of his friend’s life and a place where people could view wide open spaces. Bullock was Deadwood’s first sheriff, founded the town of Belle Fourche, and was a U.S. Marshal for South Dakota. He was also an early Forest Supervisor on the Black Hills National Forest, appointed to the task by President Roosevelt. Bullock would help establish Wind Cave National Park, Devils Tower National Monument, and the D.C. Booth National Fish Hatchery. President Teddy Roosevelt was known as the “Conservationist President,” because of his vision for protecting public lands, wildlife, and natural resources. Together, these two historical figures played a major role in the conservation movement of the Black Hills. In 1919, the Society of Black Hills Pioneers provided financial support to build the Tower and in 1966, the Society donated the Tower to the United States Forest Service. In 2005, the Tower was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Mount Roosevelt, also called the Friendship Tower, underwent stabilization in 2010 to reinforce the base and restore the monument for public use. 1️⃣2️⃣The Mammoth Site of Hot Springs, South Dakota is a museum and paleontological site near Hot Springs, South Dakota. It is an active paleontological excavation site at which research and excavations are continuing. The area of Mammoth Site of Hot Springs enclose a prehistoric sinkhole that formed and was slowly filled with sediments during the Pleistocene era. The sedimentary fill of the sinkhole contains the remains of Pleistocene fauna and flora preserved by entrapment and burial within a sinkhole. This site has the greatest concentration of mammoth remains in the world. As of 2016, the remains of 61 mammoths, including 58 North American Columbian and 3 woolly mammoths had been recovered. Mammoth bones were found at the site in 1974, and a museum and building enclosing the site were established. The museum now contains an extensive collection of mammoth remains. Warm artesian-fed spring waters created a pond that was attractive to wildlife. Findings at the site include the remains of megafauna such as giant short-faced bears along with those of shrub oxen, American camel, llama, wolves, coyotes, birds, minks, ferrets, prairie dogs, voles, and moles. Invertebrate discoveries include several species of clams, snails, and slugs. In 1974, a construction worker, George Hanson, unearthed unusual bones while the area was being prepared for a new subdivision. His son recognized one of the finds as a mammoth tooth. The landowner Phil Anderson agreed to further investigation, and a complete skull and tusk were found in 1974. Phil Anderson agreed to donate the entire bone bed and mineral rights to the nonprofit organization and along with the work performed by amateur and professional excavators, led to its status as a museum, and it was designated a National Natural Landmark in 1980. Initially the finds were mapped on a string grid; since then the mapping systems have increasingly relied on computerized technologies. The Mammoth Site is a 501(c)-3 non-profit organization. The museum is open to the public. Earthwatch volunteers participate in excavations during July. The museum's visiting scientists have included specialists from Mexico, Italy, Netherlands, Great Britain, Russia, and Germany. The museum also houses a collection of Clovis and Folsom artifacts and sponsors outreach programs for students from elementary to graduate-school levels. 1️⃣3️⃣Fort Sisseton State Park, located ten miles southwest of Lake City. This unique South Dakota state park is one of the nation’s best-preserved frontier outposts. In the 1860s, the army sought protection for settlers to Dakota Territory. The clean, clear waters of the surrounding lakes, the dense forests used for fuel and timber, and the richness of lime and clay in the soil for brick production made the area an ideal site for an outpost, and in 1864 the fort was established. Abandoned in 1889, the site fell into disrepair. In the 1930s, the Works Progress Administration began to restore the fort’s buildings, and in 1960 the site was acquired by the South Dakota Parks Department. The South Dakota Parks Department restored the frontier outpost. Today, visitors can tour fifteen fully restored stone and brick buildings, including the North Barracks, the guardhouse, the doctor’s building, and the officer’s quarters. “Soldiers” in full costume provide guided tours of the park. Fort Sisseton State Park hosts many historical programs throughout the year. Each June, Fort Sisseton is a gathering site for re-enactors of black powder riflemen, Native Americans, and artisans who provide demonstrations and performances. During these historical programs, visitors can witness wood-burning stove and open fire cooking demonstrations, and can sample the prepared meals. In December, visitors can enjoy Fort Sisseton’s Frontier Christmas, complete with classic crafts, sleigh rides, and living-history demonstrations. In addition to historic demonstrations, Fort Sisseton’s visitors can enjoy outdoor recreations, including boating, fishing, and hiking. The park’s lake, Lake Kettle, is thick with walleye, northern pike, perch, bass, and crappie. Fort Sisseton also offers boating, canoeing, and fishing equipment rentals. Sibley Tents, modeled after Native American teepees and used by the Federal Army in the 1850s, are available for rent to visitors seeking a truly historical sleeping experience. Fort Sisseton boasts a traditional campground and four uniquely styled cabins. 1️⃣4️⃣Wildlife Loop State Scenic Byway is 18-miles of winding through pine-covered hills, rolling prairies and red-walled canyons in Custer State Park. Make it a morning or evening drive for your best chances at catching the animals in action. Buffalo are the big stars and you should find at least a portion of the 1,300-head herd along the byway. They are seemingly gentle, but Deceptively Fast and Dangerous, so please STAY IN yOUR VEHICLE when around them. Bighorn sheep, pronghorn, deer, elk, coyote, prairie dog and numerous bird species including wild turkey can all be seen at times along the Wildlife Loop. Quite often found near the loop road’s southeastern tip, wild burros that don’t seem so “wild” will beg for snacks from passing vehicles. Descendants of a herd that once provided trail rides in the park, these docile donkeys don’t need junk food any more than we do. Park rules prohibit feeding any wildlife in the park, so please use good judgement and understand the potential risks of interactions with the burros. For those inclined to get out of the car, two hiking trails are located along the Wildlife Loop. The Prairie Trail is a moderate three-mile loop into the grasslands where numerous wildflowers bloom throughout the spring and summer. The Centennial Trail intersects the byway near its western end. Approximately 22 miles of the Centennial Trail is located inside Custer State Park, giving hikers a chance to really exercise if they choose. If you would like to have a knowledgeable guide along on your Wildlife Loop excursion, check at Custer State Park headquarters for the caravan tour, which departs at 6 p.m. each summer evening. 1️⃣5️⃣Reptile Gardens is an animal park located south of Rapid City, South Dakota on the road to Mount Rushmore National Memorial. Reptile Gardens was cited in the 2014 Guinness Book of World Records for being the world's largest reptile zoo. It was recertified in the 2018 edition. This family-oriented South Dakota attraction was founded by 21-year-old reptile enthusiast Earl Brockelsby and officially opened on June 3, 1937. Due to widening and relocation of Highway 16, a new location and major expansion, including the Sky Dome, were completed in 1965. Although Earl died in 1993, Reptile Gardens remains a family-owned and -operated business that houses more species of reptiles than any other zoo or park in the world. Sky Dome opened in 1965 as a new addition to Reptile Gardens, this indoor jungle was virtually unheard of in the US at the time. The Sky Dome was rebuilt after a fire in 1976 destroyed everything except for an old Ponderosa Pine skeleton. The same tree still stands as the centerpiece of the Safari Room on the main level. The new Sky Dome was opened in 1977 with new animals and exotic plants. Exhibits: Prairie Dog town, Snake Program, Bird Program, Alligator/Crocodile Show, Bald Eagle Exhibit, Sky Dome, Safari Room, Komodo Dragon, Tortuga Falls meditative garden, Living Wall, Giant Tortoise Yard. Education: During the summer, Reptile Gardens offers educational interactive animal shows, which are: bird program, alligator/crocodile show, and snake program. During performances, the animal keepers discuss safety techniques, facts and conservation efforts to aid in species survival. 1️⃣6️⃣Black Hills Mining Museum! People who wished to preserve the history of hard rock mining in the Black Hills founded the Black Hills Mining Museum in 1986. They wanted to tell the story of the hard-working men and women that mined the Hills. Some 140 Homestake miners combined their resources to create the museum and realistic underground gold mine. Tour the mine and discover what it was like to be a miner in the 1800s. The tour takes you on a 125-year journey through the history of the mine. Learn how the tools, techniques, clothing, and equipment evolved to better suit the environment and create safer working conditions for miners everywhere. You can also take a self guided tour through the museum. Here you will find a collection of old photographs and mining equipment. Watch the multi-media presentations that show the processes and aspects of the mining industry. Or view the short film that tells the story of mining operations in the Black Hills. Or learn how to pan for gold at the indoor private “stream”. The knowledgeable staff will show you how to pan the way the old miners did. The friendly staff members are so confident in their abilities that they guarantee you will find real placer gold to take home. The Black Hills Mining Museum is open from May to September. 9am to 5pm Monday through Saturday and Sundays from 12pm to 4pm. Mine tours generally start at the top of every hour and last about 45 minutes. The tours are handicap accessible. The last tour begins at 4pm. Children 12 and younger are free with adult admission. 1️⃣7️⃣The Dakota Territorial Museum, located in West Side Park, Yankton, SD, is owned and operated by the Yankton County Historical Society. The Society was formed in 1961 and the current museum built in 1971. The Yankton County Historical Society, through the Dakota Territorial Museum, exists to preserve, protect, interpret, and educate the public about the heritage and development of the city and county of Yankton, and the surrounding area. The museum holds a large collection of rare memorabilia from early life in the Dakota Territory. Some of the exhibits include the musical instruments of Felix Vinatieri, the bandleader for General George Custer’s 7th Calvary band, a Max Copper Vintage Boat Motor and fishing collection, Native American Sioux (Lakota) Indian and Pioneer artifacts. In addition to the main museum building, outbuildings include the restored Great Northern Railway Depot, Burlington Northern Caboose, a 1870s log house, Gunderson (one-room) Rural School House and a blacksmith shop. 1️⃣8️⃣Badlands National Park is an American national park located in southwestern South Dakota. The park protects 242,756 acres (379.3 sq mi; 982.4 km2) of sharply eroded buttes and pinnacles, along with the largest undisturbed mixed grass prairie in the United States. The National Park Service manages the park, with the South Unit being co-managed with the Oglala Lakota tribe. The Badlands Wilderness protects 64,144 acres (100.2 sq mi; 259.6 km2) of the park as a designated wilderness area, and is one site where the black-footed ferret, one of the most endangered mammals in the world, was reintroduced to the wild. The South Unit, or Stronghold District, includes sites of 1890s Ghost Dances, a former United States Air Force bomb and gunnery range, and Red Shirt Table, the park's highest point at 3,340 feet (1,020 m). Authorized as Badlands National Monument on March 4, 1929, it was not established until January 25, 1939. Badlands was redesignated a national park on November 10, 1978. Under the Mission 66 plan, the Ben Reifel Visitor Center was constructed for the monument in 1957–58. The park also administers the nearby Minuteman Missile National Historic Site. Animals that inhabit the park include: badger, bighorn sheep, bison, black-billed magpie, black-footed ferret, black-tailed prairie dog, bobcat, coyote, elk, mule deer, pronghorn, prairie rattlesnake, porcupine, swift fox, white-tailed deer. Badlands Loop State Scenic Byway is a 31-mile state two-lane road that passes through some of the most amazing buttes, cliffs and multi-colored spires of Badlands National Park. The drive contains numerous passes, 15 overlooks, eight trails to get and stretch on and a great visitor center. Don't miss the Big Badlands Overlook in the east or the Door, Window and Notch Trail turnoff just a few miles further south down the road; in the west, make sure to stop at the Pinnacles Overlook and the Yellow Mounds Overlook towards the western end of the loop road. The Window Trail, Door Trail, and Notch Trail. Each penetrates Badlands Wall, an imposing 100-mile long ridge spanning across the South Dakota plains. Window Trail is the easiest of the three, taking you a short distance from the parking area to a gap in the ridge. From the window, you can look out over rugged terrain and down into an orange canyon of eroded sediments like sandstone. 1️⃣9️⃣Crazy Horse Memorial is a mountain monument under construction on privately held land in the Black Hills, in Custer County, South Dakota, United States. It will depict the Oglala Lakota warrior, Crazy Horse, riding a horse and pointing into the distance. The memorial was commissioned by Henry Standing Bear, a Lakota elder, to be sculpted by Korczak Ziolkowski. It is operated by the Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation, a nonprofit organization. The memorial master plan includes the mountain carving monument, an Indian Museum of North America, and a Native American Cultural Center. The monument is being carved out of Thunderhead Mountain, on land considered sacred by some Oglala Lakota, between Custer and Hill City, roughly 17 miles (27 km) from Mount Rushmore. The sculpture's final dimensions are planned to be 641 feet (195 m) long and 563 feet (172 m) high. The arm of Crazy Horse will be 263 feet (80 m) long and the head 87 feet (27 m) high; by comparison, the heads of the four U.S. Presidents at Mount Rushmore are each 60 feet (18 m) high. The monument has been in progress since 1948 and is far from completion. If completed as designed, it would become the world's second tallest sculpture, after the Statue of Unity. Crazy Horse was a Native American war leader of the Oglala Lakota. He took up arms against the U.S. Federal government to fight against encroachments on the territories and way of life of the Lakota people. His most famous actions against the U.S. military included the Fetterman Fight (21 December 1866) and the Battle of the Little Bighorn (25–26 June 1876). He surrendered to U.S. troops under General Crook in May 1877 and was fatally wounded by a military guard, allegedly while resisting imprisonment at Camp Robinson in present-day Nebraska. He ranks among the most notable and iconic of Native American tribal members and was honored by the U.S. Postal Service in 1982 with a 13¢ postage stamp that is part of its Great Americans series. On November 7, 1939, Henry Standing Bear wrote to the Polish-American sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski, who worked on Mount Rushmore under Gutzon Borglum. He informed the sculptor, "My fellow chiefs and I would like the white man to know that the red man has great heroes, too." Standing Bear also wrote a letter to Undersecretary Oscar Chapman of the Department of the Interior, offering all his own fertile 900 acres (365 ha) in exchange for the barren mountain for the purpose of paying honor to Crazy Horse. The government responded positively, and the U.S. Forest Service, responsible for the land, agreed to grant a permit for the use of the land, with a commission to oversee the project. Standing Bear chose not to seek government funds and relied instead upon influential Americans interested in the welfare of the American Indian to privately fund the project. The memorial is a non-profit undertaking, and does not accept federal or state funding. The Memorial Foundation finances the project by charging fees for its visitor centers, earning revenue from its gift shops and receiving contributions. Ziolkowski reportedly was offered US$10 million for the project from the federal government on two occasions, but he turned the offers down. He felt the project was more than just a mountain carving, and he feared that his plans for the broader educational and cultural goals of the memorial would be overturned by federal involvement. 2️⃣0️⃣Pettigrew Home & Museum! This home was built in 1889 for Thomas and Jenny McMartin. In 1911, Senator Richard Franklin Pettigrew purchased the home. It was here that he would help to preserve the story of Sioux Falls and the surrounding region. Pettigrew first came to Sioux Falls in 1869. He was responsible for bringing in all five early railroads, developing many businesses for the community, and he served as Dakota’s representative to Congress in Washington D.C. When South Dakota became a state, Pettigrew was elected to serve as their first full term senator. He would serve two terms in Congress, championing the rights of women, farmers, and the common working man. One of Pettigrew’s passions was his collecting. He was a world traveler and amateur archaeologist. His holdings led him to build his own museum on the rear of his home that opened to the public in 1925. Artifacts such as stone tools, projectile points, Native American clothing, guns, natural history specimens, and items related to the settlement of Sioux Falls all were included. When he died in 1926, he left his home and museum to the city of Sioux Falls to be maintained as a museum. A further addition would be added to the home in the 1930s by the city, completing Pettigrew’s vision. Today you can take a guided tour of Senator Pettigrew’s restored home. The home is arranged much the way it would have looked when Pettigrew lived there. Exhibit galleries tell the story of Pettigrew’s works and of a growing city on the prairie. Admission is FREE! 2️⃣1️⃣Custer County 1881 Courthouse! During the winter of January 1881, the Custer County Courthouse was opened. This brick constructed courthouse would serve as the county’s hub for local justice, government, church services, and various community activities for over 90 years. In 1973, it was arranged to be given to the Custer County Historical Society. The purpose was to transform the Italianate-designed building to a historical landmark, which in turn, would help with the preservation of history. By 1975 the doors re-opened and the 1881 Courthouse Museum was born. More than 40 years later this historic building still serves as a permanent receptacle of history of Custer City and the surrounding Black Hills areas. Exhibits inside, 🍃Native American & Local Wildlife items are featured in the Southeast room. Lakota clothing, tools and displays explaining their contributions to Custer County are presented, along with antique (1900-1929) and modern taxidermy specimens of Black Hills wildlife. 🍃The Custer Expedition Room features photographs taken on the 1874 Expedition into the Black Hills. Some of the many artifacts on display include a rifle used by Custer to hunt antelope at Fort Hays, Kansas, his shoulder epaulets, a first edition of his book, My Life on the Plains, and various items found at the campsite west of town. 🍃Mining & Minerals of the surrounding Black Hills are displayed in the center case including gold ore which brought miners here in 1875 and rose quartz, the official state gemstone. Horatio N. Ross, discoverer of gold on French Creek, was a member of the 1874 Custer Expedition. A mine replica of the late 1870’s and the 1880’s are shown along with a display of the tools used, including gold sluice and rocker box.🍃Victorian Life features an 1870’s parlor and bedroom suite, with items used for daily living and amusement. The story of Annie Tallent, the only female member of the first gold-seeking group in late 1874, the “Gordon Party” is also exhibites. 🍃Women at Work houses many of the “labor saving” devices of the 1800’s and early 1900’s. A dollhouse display invites children to arrange furniture in a replica house of the era. 🍃On the top floor mining, lumbering and ranching were major sources of income in the early years of Custer County. Tourism has become the county’s second most important industry since the designation of the Black Hills National Forest in 1889, Jewel Cave National Monument in 1908, and Custer State Park and Wind Cave National Park in 1913. 🍃The Ranch Room has a comprehensive display of barbed wire, a collection of saddles and tack, early-day brands and branding irons and late 1800’s state-of-the-art veterinary equipment. Also for public use a coin-operated woodcarving of an 1800's city that gives some history and has moving parts and people that animate their existence. One quarter buys a lot of history and fun for all ages. 🍃The Courtroom features the original courtroom with cherry wood furniture. On the north wall is a chronology of Custer County history, along with a hand-made quilt, courtesy of the local Daughters of the American Revolution chapter displayed on the east wall. 🍃Judge’s Chamber is filled with law books (marked Dakota Territory), plus period office furniture and equipment. 🍃In the One-room Schoolhouse replica, educational items give a sense of how the “three Rs” were taught in the 1880’s. It also features a tableau of Annie Tallent, teacher, author and the first white woman in the Black Hills. 🍃The Military Room displaysa variety of uniforms from the Revolutionary War to present day from all the services. 🍃The Custer County Community Room features pictures and artifacts from Custer City and other towns in Custer County. Custer City’s Gold Discovery Days celebration memorabilia are displayed, along with information of the Civilian Conservation Corps, instrumental to the development of Custer State Park. The first Poet Laureate of South Dakota and local resident, Badger Clark is also on display. 🍃The Forestry Room features a replica of a sawmill, logging tools, and unique examples of tree growth. 🍃Outbuildings include, The Carriage House contains vehicles used in the 1870’s to the 1920’s, along with larger pieces of farm equipment. The “Old Outhouse” contains an early blacksmith forge and tools, while a hand-hewn log cabin houses printing equipment from Custer City’s first newspaper continuously operated since 1879. Note the sign denoting the site of Custer County’s only Legal Hanging. 🍃A General Store, where anything from teakettles to neckties were sold, contains portion of the old Fairburn (Custer County) Post Office furnishings. 🍃One of the two Original Jail cells, complete with prisoner, can be found at the north end of this floor. A more contemporary Custer City law enforcement officer display is nearby. The large oak case features a knife display collected locally, while the wall cases display antique guns that won the west. In the foyer is a painted mural and contains the newspaper account of the killing of Abe Barnes by “Fly Speck Billy.” The hanging of John Lehman and the lynching of Lame Johnny are also described. 🍃Across Mt Rushmore Road, The Flick Cabin, built in 1875,is the oldest Building in the Black Hills. It was used as a military headquarters and as a residence. Currently, it is furnished as a pioneer home. Pioneer historian Henry Way gave the cabin and land on which it sits so that it could be preserved. This land is now known as Way Park, and within this park, is a monument to Horatio Ross, one of the original members of the 1874 Custer Expedition to the Black Hills. 2️⃣2️⃣Mount Rushmore National Memorial is centered around a sculpture carved into the granite face of Mount Rushmore in the Black Hills in Keystone, South Dakota. Sculptor Gutzon Borglum created the sculpture's design and oversaw the project's execution from 1927 to 1941 with the help of his son Lincoln Borglum. The sculpture features the 60-foot (18 m) heads of Presidents George Washington (1732–1799), Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826), Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919), and Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865). The four presidents were chosen, respectively, to represent the birth, the growth, the development, and the preservation of the United State. The memorial park covers 1,278.45 acres (2.00 sq mi; 5.17 km2) and is 5,725 feet (1,745 m) above sea level. South Dakota historian Doane Robinson is credited with conceiving the idea of carving the likenesses of famous people into the Black Hills region of South Dakota in order to promote tourism in the region. His initial idea was to sculpt the Needles; however, Gutzon Borglum rejected the Needles because of the poor quality of the granite and strong opposition from Native American groups. They settled on Mount Rushmore, which also has the advantage of facing southeast for maximum sun exposure. Robinson wanted it to feature American West heroes such as Lewis and Clark, Red Cloud,[8] and Buffalo Bill Cody,[9] but Borglum decided that the sculpture should have broader appeal and chose the four presidents. US Senator for South Dakota, Peter Norbeck sponsored the project and secured federal funding; construction began in 1927, and the presidents' faces were completed between 1934 and 1939. Gutzon Borglum died in March 1941, and his son Lincoln took over as leader of the construction project. Each president was originally to be depicted from head to waist, but lack of funding forced construction to end on October 31, 1941. 2️⃣3️⃣Spearfish Canyon! South Dakota’s Black Hills are full of natural wonders, and one of the most wondrous is the stunning feature known as Spearfish Canyon, a twisting, 22-mile gorge through which Spearfish Creek meanders. Deep within Spearfish Canyon, is one of the most beautiful and restful spots in all of South Dakota: Roughlock Falls. The site got its name from early pioneers who had to “rough lock” their wagon wheels to keep them from speeding out of control on the canyon’s steep grades. Chains were used to lock the wheels in place and keep them from spinning, and the wagons would grind and slide their way down the slope. A trip to Roughlock Falls can easily consume a morning or afternoon for a family. The easiest route to the falls begins in Spearfish. From the city, state Highway 14A — the Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway — winds into the heart of Spearfish Canyon. Lush vegetation and rocky outcrops are visible all along the way, and a starter waterfall of sorts — Bridal Veil Falls — can be viewed from the highway. After about 12 miles, motorists will notice Spearfish Canyon Lodge alongside the highway. The road into the lodge also serves as the turnoff for the Roughlock Falls Nature Area. After turning right off the highway, it’s about one more mile on a gravel road. (On the opposite side of the highway, there’s accessibility to the canyon’s third waterfall, Spearfish Falls). The creek tumbles and bubbles over many small drops until it reaches Roughlock Falls proper, a drop of about 30 feet. Walkways, decks and bridges lead all the way to the bottom and offer numerous chances to stop, enjoy the view and breathe the fresh, misty air. Informational panels also line the walkways, sharing information about the area’s unique ecosystem and the many flowers, plants and wildlife found in abundance near the falls. Among the birds found in the Roughlock Falls area is the rare American Dipper, which can walk and swim underwater. In the creek, brook trout and brown trout serve as enticements to anglers. At the bottom of the falls, a two-mile round-trip hiking trail entices visitors to continue their journey. On a nice day, there are few better spots in the world to be than the bottom of the Roughlock Falls Nature Area. Surrounded by canyon walls and evergreen trees and wildflowers, walking along a clear mountain creek, gazing at falls rushing down from above, visitors can experience some of the most serene scenery and silence available in the Black Hills. 2️⃣4️⃣Yellow Mounds Overlook! The trail for Yellow Mounds Overlook is located in Badlands National Park. This is a 2.0 mile out-and-back hike with minimal cumulative feet of elevation gain that takes about 1-2 hours to complete. Yellow mounds were formed 67 million years ago. After the sea drained away, black ocean mud was exposed to surface weathering which developed into yellow color that we see today. 2️⃣5️⃣Iron Mountain Road also known as 16A is a 17 mile stretch in the Black Hills of South Dakota, notable for the fact that it was purposely built directly over Iron Mountain summit to provide scenic views of Mount Rushmore National Memorial. With the beauty of the mountains and valleys as its backdrop, this road was specifically designed with a tremendous amount of curves, including what they refer to as switchbacks, in order to limit the speed of travelers to 35 miles per hour so that they could enjoy the beauty of the Black Hills. What makes this road so unique and memorable is not just the amount of curves and the surrounding beauty, but also the architectural features found along this road. These features include wooden structures, called pigtail bridges, and one lane tunnels. These tunnels frame Mt. Rushmore National Memorial like a picture frame. Along this 17 mile journey you will not only experience the architectural wonders of this road, but also the wonders of Mother Nature. Take time to look around, you most likely will see antelope, deer, turkey, big horn sheep, a mountain lion or you could find yourself in the middle of a buffalo herd as they cross the road, grazing and nurturing their young. In order to experience everything the road has to offer you should travel it in both directions. Mt. Rushmore National Memorial is on one end of this 17 miles, while Custer State Park is in the other. At a minimum, this road will take you 45 minutes to navigate. It was designed to be slow going, roll your window down, take the top off, feel the wind in your hair, smell the pine trees and the buffalo. (I prefer to leave my window up and the top on, I did mention mountain lions. I don't want to look in the rearview mirror to see one sitting in the backseat looking at me like he's hungry and I'm lunch. And I have a car freshener that smells of pine trees and you probably don't need the window down to smell the buffalo.😳🌲😷😆) Our Iron Mountain Road Experience: 17 Miles, 314 Curves, 14 Switchbacks, 3 Pigtails, 3 Tunnels, 4 Presidents, 2 Splits. 2️⃣6️⃣Hippie Hole in South Dakota is a quick hike down to one of the Black Hills hidden waterfalls. While making your way to the parking area, you'll keep right for the most part. You'll also need a high clearance vehicle or the patience to drive very slowly. The dirt road to the trailhead is full of dips, holes, rocks, and essentially could be a close relative of off roading. If you do not have an SUV or pickup - that's fine, just do NOT attempt to make it to the actual parking area. Park your vehicle before you get there and walk the rest of the way. Once you park the hike itself is pretty simple. You'll head down the trail until you get to Battle Creek. When you get down to Battle Creek, you'll take yourself left and continue on to the waterfall. Once you arrive there are plenty of rocks to sunbathe, you can jump off the waterfall, or just swim at the base (you can hike/climb down to the swimming pool if you don't want to jump off). With cliff jumping, please be aware of any rocks or hazards of places you aren't familiar with BEFORE jumping. 2️⃣7️⃣Cascade Falls! These hidden cascading falls open up to a perfect swimming hole. There are picturesque picnic areas at the top and bottom of the recreation area. There are lots of stairs here so come ready to work for the view and the swim! 2️⃣8️⃣Sioux Falls: The Falls on the Big Sioux River, or Sioux Falls as it is known to some, is a 100 foot high waterfall in the middle of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The falls are in Falls Park. You can walk all around the falls, and there is an observation tower from which you can get a bird's eye view. 2️⃣9️⃣Bridal Veil Falls is in the Spearfish Canyon, along Hwy 14, which is designated as a scenic byway. This 60 ft waterfall cascades over a limestone backdrop. Located about 15 minutes from Spearfish, these falls can be seen from a viewing platform off of US Highway 14A. 3️⃣0️⃣Roughlock Falls: Spearfish Creek tumbles over many small drops until it reaches Roughlock Falls proper, a drop of about 30 feet. Walkways, decks and bridges lead all the way to the bottom and offer numerous chances to stop, enjoy the view and breathe the fresh, misty air. Informational panels also line the walkways, sharing information about the area’s unique ecosystem and the many flowers, plants and wildlife found in abundance near the falls. Among the birds found in the Roughlock Falls area is the rare American Dipper, which can walk and swim underwater. In the creek, brook trout and brown trout serve as enticements to anglers. At the bottom of the falls, a two-mile round-trip hiking trail entices visitors to continue their journey. Surrounded by canyon walls and evergreen trees and wildflowers, walking along a clear mountain creek, gazing at falls rushing down from above, visitors can experience some of the most serene scenery and silence available in the Black Hills. 3️⃣1️⃣Spearfish Falls: The 1.5 mile trail to this 47 ft. waterfall starts at the parking lot for the Latchstring Inn Restaurant. There are two different paths to choose from when hiking to Spearfish Falls. One path is easy, while the other one is more difficult but includes an old metal walking bridge. 3️⃣2️⃣Thunderhead Falls: Have no info on except that it comes from an underground cave waterfall.

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